Steamer Bay Cabin

Tongass National Forest — ocean access, fishing, hiking

Location: WRANGELL AK, AK, AK

Price: From $45 per night

Rating: 5 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

Steamer Bay Cabin is on the northwest corner of Etolin Island on the east side of Steamer Bay. Its location on saltwater provides access to fishing and paddling opportunities. The site can be accessed by float plane or boat, depending on conditions.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Electric Hookups, Bear Boxes, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/steamer-bay-cabin to be notified when sites open up.

Steamer Bay Cabin offers saltwater access for fishing and paddling on the northwest corner of Etolin Island. Campers praise it as one of the most beautiful places they've visited, with an A-frame cabin that provides tons of room compared to typical Forest Service cabins.

Wildlife alert: Harbor seals, humpback whales, orcas, Dall's porpoises, and Steller sea lions frequent the area. Seabirds including sabine's gulls, yellow-billed loons, black-legged kittiwakes, and red-throated loons are documented within 8km.

Insider tips for Steamer Bay Cabin: Book early—federal campground with high demand Accessible by float plane or boat only; arrange your own transportation Cabin sleeps 8-10 people; ample tent pitching areas available Bring your own amenities as guests are responsible for supplying several items

Skip Steamer Bay Cabin if: You cannot arrange private boat or float plane access. You need hookups—no hookups available at most sites. You're visiting outside May-October seasonal operations.

Best time to visit Steamer Bay Cabin: May-July — King salmon saltwater fishing available. August-September — Silver salmon saltwater fishing available.

Nearby campgrounds: Barnes Lake Cabin (THORNE BAY, AK), Deep Bay Cabin (Wrangell, AK), Sweet Water Lake Cabin (KETCHIKAN/THORNE BAY, AK), Middle Ridge Cabin (Wrangell, AK).

Cell Phone Coverage at Steamer Bay Cabin

Cell signal at Steamer Bay Cabin (WRANGELL AK, AK): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Tongass National Forest — ocean access, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Steamer Bay Cabin

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WRANGELL AK, AK, AK★ 5 (4 reviews)From $45/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Steamer Bay Cabin is on the northwest corner of Etolin Island on the east side of Steamer Bay. Its location on saltwater provides access to fishing and paddling opportunities. The site can be accessed by float plane or boat, depending on conditions.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Bear boxesYes — at every site
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsBear Boxes
Recreation
Picnic TablesFishing
Family & Pets
Electric HookupsFirewood for Sale

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You cannot arrange private boat or float plane access✕ You need hookups—no hookups available at most sites✕ You're visiting outside May-October seasonal operations

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

federal campground with high demand

Accessible by float plane or boat only; arrange your own transportation

Cabin sleeps 8-10 people; ample tent pitching areas available

Bring your own amenities as guests are responsible for supplying several items

Best: May-July

King salmon saltwater fishing available

Best: August-September

Silver salmon saltwater fishing available

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Harbor seals, humpback whales, orcas, Dall's porpoises, and Steller sea lions frequent the area. Seabirds including sabine's gulls, yellow-billed loons, black-legged kittiwakes, and red-throated loons are documented within 8km.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
907-874-2323· Tongass National Forest
Getting there →

Steamer Bay Cabin is located on the northwest corner of Etolin Island on the east side of Steamer Bay. The cabin is accessible by boat or float plane only, and is 27 miles by boat or 25 miles by air from Wrangell. Use caution when anchoring the boat due to the rocky shoreline. Check local tide tables to determine the best time for arrival and departure, ideally at high slack tide. There is a mooring buoy anchored in the bay for cabin guests only.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Tongass National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Tongass National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.
  • Bear country — store all food in bear boxes or locked vehicle at all times.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Steamer Bay Cabin cost per night?+
Steamer Bay Cabin costs $45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Steamer Bay Cabin open?+
Steamer Bay Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Steamer Bay Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Steamer Bay Cabin?+
Steamer Bay Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Steamer Bay Cabin?+
Steamer Bay Cabin is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Steamer Bay Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Steamer Bay Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Steamer Bay Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Steamer Bay Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
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●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$45 /night★ 5 (4)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Steamer Bay Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Steamer Bay Cabin open?+
Does Steamer Bay Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Barnes Lake Cabin

THORNE BAY, AK

From $25/night

Deep Bay Cabin

Wrangell, AK

From $75/night

Sweet Water Lake Cabin

KETCHIKAN/THORNE BAY, AK

From $35/night

Middle Ridge Cabin

Wrangell, AK

From $45/night

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