Cabin rental · U.S. Forest Service · Tongass National Forest · Juneau, AK

Berners Bay Cabin

Berners Bay Cabin is situated near the mouth of the Antler River on scenic Berners Bay, an area that is popular with locals and tourists alike. The cabin has a peak season from late April through late September, but it is open year-round for relaxation, sightseeing, and recreation. The site can be accessed by float plane, boat or kayak, depending on conditions. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety and must bring several of their own amenities.

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Berners Bay CabinWaterfall near CabinPicnic table and fire ring on sand beachApproach from the water
Photos courtesy of Matt Maratea, USFS, USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Cabins1
This cabin is booked as a single unit on Recreation.gov. The booking page shows which dates are open and how far ahead they release. How the booking window works

Site guide

1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteShadePeople / vehiclesFires
J14Full5 / –Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
FeesOnly 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.

This pan-abode style cabin is 13 ft. by 14 ft. and sleeps five people with three single bunks and one double bunk. Visitors with a cabin reservation may use the tent camping locations around the cabin, as needed. It also has a table with benches, oil stove for heat (#1 stove oil), bucket and shovel, broom and dustpan, splitting maul, cold storage box and an outhouse. A mooring float is provided for visitors with a cabin reservation only. This mooring goes dry at a 0' tide but anchoring locations are available as well. A campfire ring is located outside. A sandy beach is available in front of the cabin at low and medium tides, which is ideal for kayak launching and float plane drop-off. Water and electricity are not provided. Water is available from a nearby stream, but visitors should be sure to treat water before drinking or cooking with it ( water safety tips ). It is recommended that visitors bring their own water supply.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Berners Bay Cabin20°30°40°50°60°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 28.8°F averageFebruary: 31.0°F averageMarch: 33.2°F averageApril: 40.4°F averageMay: 48.8°F averageJune: 54.6°F averageJuly: 57.3°F averageAugust: 57.1°F averageSeptember: 50.6°F averageOctober: 42.7°F averageNovember: 34.2°F averageDecember: 31.6°F averageTemp °F
The line is the average temperature at Juneau Mile 17, 26 miles from the campground at 245 feet, station USC00504109 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020.

Getting there

Located 37 miles northwest of Juneau, the cabin is on shore of Berners Bay, 8 miles north from boat launch at Echo Cove at mile 40 Glacier Highway. Access is by boat, kayak and float plane only. Consult tide charts, as some parts of the bay become extremely shallow at low tide.

Nearest townJuneau, Alaska
Coordinates58.7694° N, 134.9319° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Heating oil is not supplied by the Forest Service.

Explore

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Endicott River Wilderness begins about 14.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.

Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.

Natural features

Four rivers drain into Berners Bay, including the Antler and Berners Rivers. The cabin sits just south of a waterfall and offers excellent views of both the Antler and Berners River deltas, as well as Lions Head Mountain. Natural features in this area include old-growth hemlock and Sitka spruce forest, the snow-capped Chilkat Mountains, saltwater estuaries, freshwater marshes, meadows and cottonwood floodplains. Each spring, the spawning of herring and euchalon (hooligan) in Berners Bay attracts huge populations of bald eagles, brown and black bears, harbor seals, humpback whales and endangered Steller sea lions ( bear safety information ). Moose, wolves, deer, mountain goats and a variety of waterfowl also make their home here.

Recreation

Berners Bay offers opportunities for saltwater fishing and crabbing, sea kayaking, beachcombing and wildlife watching. Kayakers and boaters should check tide charts prior to any excursion, since parts of the bay may be too shallow during low tide. Berry pickers can harvest the abundant blueberries that grow around the cabin in the summer. Mountain goat, moose and bear hunting are possible in designated seasons with the proper permit. A primitive trail exists that travels north from the cabin. The one mile trail starts at the woodshed and leads to an ocean overlook under a large waterfall.

Guidebooks for Alaska

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Berners Bay Cabin?

Sites at Berners Bay Cabin are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Berners Bay Cabin?

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.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Berners Bay Cabin?

Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Berners Bay Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Berners Bay Cabin?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Berners Bay Cabin?

Berners Bay offers opportunities for saltwater fishing and crabbing, sea kayaking, beachcombing and wildlife watching. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Berners Bay Cabin?

Juneau, Alaska.

Source: Getting there

What if Berners Bay Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Mendenhall Campground (28 mi), Auk Village Campground (28.4 mi), and Bartlett Cove Campground (41 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby