Winstanley Island Cabin

Tongass National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK, AK

Price: From $60 per night

Rating: 4.7 out of 5 (7 reviews)

Season: May through October

Winstanley Island Cabin is located on Winstanley Island approximately 30 air miles east of Ketchikan. The cabin offers saltwater recreation and wildlife viewing opportunities and makes an excellent base for experiencing this corner of Alaska. The cabin is remote and accessible only by float plane, boat or kayak, depending on conditions.

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Drinking Water, Electric Hookups, Camp Host, Fishing, Firewood for Sale

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

Remote Alaskan cabin on Winstanley Island offering excellent saltwater recreation, wildlife viewing, and fishing opportunities. Google reviewers consistently praise the well-maintained cabin, comfortable accommodations, and expansive beach revealed at low tide.

Wildlife alert: Brown Bear, Humpback Whale, Harbor Seal, Dall's Porpoise, and Sitka Black-tailed Deer present in the area. Red-throated Loon, White-winged Scoter, Common Murre, and Marbled Murrelet also documented.

Insider tips for Winstanley Island Cabin: Plan tide schedules - low tide reveals a huge beach great for walks and group activities Arrange your own transportation - cabin is accessible only by float plane, boat, or kayak Book early - federal campground requires advance reservations

Skip Winstanley Island Cabin if: You need electricity, indoor plumbing, or cell phone coverage - this is a primitive cabin with none of these. You cannot arrange your own float plane, boat, or kayak transportation. You are visiting outside May through October seasonal window.

Best time to visit Winstanley Island Cabin: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Winstanley Lake Cabin (KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK), Checats Lake Cabin (KETCHICAN/MISTY, AK), Ella Narrows Cabin (KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK), Manzanita Lake Cabin (KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK).

Cell Phone Coverage at Winstanley Island Cabin

Cell signal at Winstanley Island Cabin (KETCHIKAN/MISTY, 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›AK›Winstanley Island Cabin
Winstanley Island Cabin — photo 1
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Tongass National Forest — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Winstanley Island Cabin

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KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK, AK★ 4.7 (7 reviews)From $60/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Winstanley Island Cabin is located on Winstanley Island approximately 30 air miles east of Ketchikan. The cabin offers saltwater recreation and wildlife viewing opportunities and makes an excellent base for experiencing this corner of Alaska. The cabin is remote and accessible only by float plane, boat or kayak, 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.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsElectric HookupsFirewood for Sale
Recreation
Picnic TablesCamp Host
Family & Pets
Drinking WaterFishing

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 need electricity, indoor plumbing, or cell phone coverage - this is a primitive cabin with none of these✕ You cannot arrange your own float plane, boat, or kayak transportation✕ You are visiting outside May through October seasonal window

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Plan tide schedules - low tide reveals a huge beach great for walks and group activities

Arrange your own transportation - cabin is accessible only by float plane, boat, or kayak

Book early - federal campground requires advance reservations

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

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: Brown Bear, Humpback Whale, Harbor Seal, Dall's Porpoise, and Sitka Black-tailed Deer present in the area. Red-throated Loon, White-winged Scoter, Common Murre, and Marbled Murrelet also documented.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
907-225-2148· Tongass National Forest
Getting there →

The cabin is located on saltwater approximately 30 air miles east of Ketchikan on Winstanley Island on the east side of the Behm Canal between Rudyard and Smeaton Bays. The cabin is accessible by float plane or boat. A mooring buoy is provided at the site. Refer to USGS map Ketchikan B-3. Please consult local tide tables before departing for the cabin. This cabin is in a designated Wilderness area, and access by helicopter is illegal.

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 Winstanley Island Cabin cost per night?+
Winstanley Island Cabin costs $60 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Winstanley Island Cabin open?+
Winstanley Island Cabin is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Winstanley Island Cabin have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Winstanley Island Cabin?+
Winstanley Island Cabin is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Winstanley Island Cabin?+
Winstanley Island 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 Winstanley Island Cabin?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Winstanley Island Cabin is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Winstanley Island Cabin open, and what are check-in times?+
Winstanley Island 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.

$60 /night★ 4.7 (7)
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 Winstanley Island Cabin cost per night?+
What season is Winstanley Island Cabin open?+
Does Winstanley Island Cabin have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Winstanley Lake Cabin

KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK

From $45/night

Checats Lake Cabin

KETCHICAN/MISTY, AK

From $45/night

Ella Narrows Cabin

KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK

From $45/night

Manzanita Lake Cabin

KETCHIKAN/MISTY, AK

From $60/night

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