Campground

Piper Island Cabin

Tongass National Forest · SITKA · Alaska — managed by USDA Forest Service

Books out fast — 3 of 4 weekends we sampled are sold out
Piper Island Cabin campground
Photo: Recreation.gov · USFS

Weekend availability at Piper Island Cabin

Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 18, 11:23 AM PT

Sold out 4 of the next 6 weekends — exactly when cancellation alerts earn their keep.

  • Fri, Sep 18
    Sold out
  • Fri, Sep 25
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 2
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 9
    Limited
    1/1 sites
  • Fri, Oct 16
    Sold out
  • Fri, Oct 23
    Limited
    1/1 sites

Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.

How booked is Piper Island Cabin?

as of September 19

Weekends book out well ahead here — 3 of the 4 Saturdays we sampled, as far out as Nov, are already sold out. When a site frees up it's gone again within minutes, so people watch Piper Island Cabin and hear the instant one opens for their dates. Even midweek is filling — 1 of the 3 weekdays we checked are gone.

Weekends (Saturday night)

Sep 26Sold out
Oct 17Sold out
Nov 7Sold out
Nov 28Open

Weekdays (Wednesday night)

Sep 30Open
Oct 28Sold out
Nov 25Open

Availability checked directly against the reservation system, out to 3 months ahead.

Campsites & amenities

Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.

Campsites
1
Standard No Hookup

About this campground

Overview Piper Island Cabin is located on a small island within Fish Bay, 30 miles north of Sitka, Alaska on Baranof Island. The modified A-frame cabin is available year-round, weather permitting, and was built in 1994 by volunteers from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station and a group of local Sitka volunteers. This is a remote site. The cabin can be accessed only by boat or floatplane. From Sitka, it's a 1.5 hour boat ride or a 20-minute plane ride. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring their own amenities.Recreation Recreational opportunities include beachcombing along the sandy beach, wildlife viewing, saltwater fishing, crabbing and seasonal deer hunting. For information about fishing and hunting permits and seasons, visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game website.Facilities The 16 by 16-ft wood, modified A-frame cabin can accommodate up to seven people. An open sleeping loft, reached by vertical ladder, offers no bunks but overlooks the dining area below. The main level of the cabin contains one double plywood bunk and one single plywood bunk. An oil stove for heat, a table with benches, a cooking counter, broom and an outhouse toilet are provided. A large skylight offers natural light over the dining area. The cabin does not include heating oil, mattresses or cooking utensils. Visitors should bring #1 diesel fuel (generally 10 gallons for a three-day stay, more or less depending on the time of year), sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, fire extinguisher and fire starter. Rain gear and boots are recommended. No reliable water source is available on Piper Island. The closest water source is from a stream on Baranof Island, about a half-mile from the cabin by boat. Treat all water before using. Visitors should bring their own supply of water. A mooring buoy is available for boat anchorage on first-come, first-served basis. The cabin reservation does not include exclusive use of the buoy. Mooring buoys are configured using a 4200-lb concrete block with 90 feet of 7/8th-inch stud link chain. Mariners are responsible for determining how suitable an anchoring system is for the size of their craft. Click here for more cabin information and maps.Natural Features The cabin sits just inside the forest fringe of Piper Island, overlooking a sandy beach within Schulze Cove, located on the north side of Fish Bay. Brown bear frequent the area.

Getting there

Accessible year round by floatplane or boat, weather permitting. Located 30 miles north of Sitka within Schulze Cove, on the north side of Fish Bay, the northwest coast of Baranof Island. From Sitka, boat access is 90 minutes, air access is 20 minutes. For geographic features surrounding the cabin, refer to USGS topographic map Sitka B-5. Please consult local tide tables before departing for the cabin.

Elevation
12 ft
Contact
907-747-6671

Activities

  • HUNTING
  • FISHING
  • CAMPING

Nearby federal campgrounds

Never miss an opening at Piper Island Cabin

Popular Alaska campgrounds book out months ahead — but cancellations happen every day. We watch Piper Island Cabin around the clock and alert you the moment a sold-out site reopens for your dates, so you don't have to keep refreshing Recreation.gov.

Not ready to subscribe? Get a free weekend heads-up.

We'll email you if Piper Island Cabin opens up for a weekend you pick. No account needed.

Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.