USDA Forest Service · Alaska
Shipley Bay Cabin
USDA Forest Service · Alaska, United States
- Sites
- 1
- Hookups
- 1 no hookups
- Season
- Year-round
- Drinking water
- No
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 371 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- T-Mobile none · AT&T none · Verizon none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Tongass National Forest
- Nearest town
- THORNE BAY
- Address
- SHIPLEY BAY CABIN, THORNE BAY, AK, 99919
- Activities
- Boating, Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting, Wildlife Viewing
1 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Shipley Bay Cabin offers visitors recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Kosciusko Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site offers a scenic setting for fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing, all within the vicinity of the cabin.
The site can either be accessed by float plane or boat at high tide. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Recreation
The cabin is an excellent location for anglers, as the stream and lake support cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, dolly varden, steelhead and three species of salmon.
Hikers may want to head out from the cabin on a rugged 0.8 mile natural-tread trail connecting Shipley Creek to Shipley Lake. Continuing to Devilfish Bay is an option as well, however good maps and orienteering skills are essential as there is no designated trail.
The snow-capped Mount Francis rises 2,592 feet in elevation and can be seen in the distance from the cabin on a clear day.
Facilities
The cabin is a 12 x 14 foot primitive, pre-cut cedar log cabin (pan-abode style) furnished with wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) that sleep 4-6 guests.
The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a tiny stove for heat and an outdoor toilet. Other amenities include a cooking counter, fire extinguisher and a broom.
The cabin does not have running water or electricity. Guests must bring their own food, water, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cook stove/fuel, biobricks for stove, fire starter, cooking gear/utensils, light source (lantern), toilet paper, first aid kit and garbage bags. Water is available from the nearby stream, but must be filtered, boiled or chemically treated before drinking.
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Natural Features
The cabin sits on a low bluff between Shipley Creek and Shipley Bay on Koscicusko Island. The front of the cabin faces out to a large rocky beach, and a grassy tidal flat extends from its back where Shipley Creek meets the ocean.
Wildlife in the area abounds, including a variety of waterfowl, shore birds, bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears. Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest.
Fees
Only one change per reservation for all Alaska cabins is allowed. Change is defined as a modification to the start or end date of the reservation; after one change has been made, if additional changes are desired, the customer must cancel the current reservation and re-book the new dates.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 40° | 34° | -1° | 51° | 8 of 11 |
| February | 39° | 33° | 15° | 48° | 9 of 11 |
| March | 41° | 33° | 22° | 59° | 7 of 11 |
| April | 45° | 35° | 25° | 56° | 3 of 11 |
| May | 52° | 42° | 38° | 78° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 55° | 46° | 39° | 72° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 58° | 50° | 45° | 68° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 60° | 52° | 46° | 76° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 57° | 48° | 39° | 69° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 48° | 43° | 32° | 62° | 0 of 10 |
| November | 42° | 36° | 26° | 50° | 5 of 10 |
| December | 39° | 34° | 12° | 50° | 6 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- El Capitan Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 1 sites
- El Capitan Campground · USDA Forest Service · 8 mi · 3 sites
- Red Bay Lake Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 12 mi · 1 sites
- Sarkar Lake Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 15 mi · 1 sites
- Salmon Bay Lake Cabin · USDA Forest Service · 17 mi · 1 sites
All public campgrounds in Alaska · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.