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

Kah Sheets Bay Cabin

Kah Sheets Bay Cabin sits on coastal waters in the islands of southeastern Alaska. It is remotely located, offering solace and seclusion to visitors, but also access to great fishing, hunting and wildlife viewing. The cabin is accessible by boat or float plane, or may be reached by hiking the 2.75-mile trail from Kah Sheets Lake, which is accessible by float plane only. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.

Cabin rentalReservable · Recreation.gov1 site
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Kah Sheets Bay CabinKAH SHEETS BAY CABIN11KAH SHEETS BAY CABIN4KAH SHEETS BAY CABIN1
Photos courtesy of Kah Sheets Bay Cabin · 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 / vehicles
P20Full4 / –

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

FeesReservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance and are restricted to a maximum stay of 7 consecutive nights per party for any one reservation from May 1 through Sept. 30, and a maximum stay of 10 consecutive nights from Oct. 1 through April 30.

The hunter-style cedar log cabin is equipped with four single wooden bunks, a table, benches, oil heater and wood stove. Skylights and a covered porch were added to the cabin in recent years, and an outhouse with a pit toilet is provided. Firewood for the stove is typically available, but not guaranteed. A broom, dust pan, axe and splitting maul should be available, but may be missing or damaged. Visitors are advised to bring their own water supply, but a nearby creek also provides a source of water. All water collected from natural sources should be treated or boiled before using. Visitors must supply No. 1 heating oil for the clean-burning oil heater, approximately a gallon per day. Other items to bring include sleeping bags and pads, a cook stove and cooking gear, towels, food, clothing and garbage bags, among other necessities. All trash and food must be packed out, and visitors are expected to clean the cabin before leaving.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Kah Sheets Bay Cabin30°40°50°60°January: 11.39 inches of precipitation, 20.7 inches of snowFebruary: 7.60 inches of precipitation, 16.9 inches of snowMarch: 7.60 inches of precipitation, 20.0 inches of snowApril: 6.66 inches of precipitation, 1.1 inches of snowMay: 5.86 inches of precipitation, 0.2 inches of snowJune: 4.98 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 5.63 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 8.21 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 14.35 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 13.84 inches of precipitation, 0.4 inches of snowNovember: 12.28 inches of precipitation, 10.8 inches of snowDecember: 11.79 inches of precipitation, 15.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 30.9°F averageFebruary: 32.1°F averageMarch: 34.9°F averageApril: 41.4°F averageMay: 48.5°F averageJune: 54.0°F averageJuly: 56.3°F averageAugust: 55.8°F averageSeptember: 50.8°F averageOctober: 43.3°F averageNovember: 35.8°F averageDecember: 31.8°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 in25 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Petersburg 1, 21 miles from the campground at 107 feet, station USW00025329 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 110 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 86 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

Accessible by boat or float plane, 24 miles from Petersburg. The cabin may also be reached by hiking the 2.75-mile trail from Kah Sheets Lake, which is accessible by float plane only.

Nearest townPetersburg, Alaska
Coordinates56.5303° N, 133.1419° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • Drinking water is not available at the cabin.
  • Heating oil is not supplied.

Explore

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Kah Sheets Lake Trail
    2.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.7 mi
    Kah Sheets Lake Trail Spur
    0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 3.7 mi
    Harvey Lake Trail
    0.7 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

Natural features

The cabin is located on the south end of Kupreanof Island at the mouth of Kah Sheets Creek in a large saltwater bay and tide flat. The name Kah Sheets derived from the Tlingit term "by the fisheries," which is indicative of the abundance of fish that can be found here. The surrounding terrain is second-growth forest and flat muskeg, with one 776-foot hill between the bay and Kah Sheets Lake, which sits at an elevation of 100 feet. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including grouse, black bears, deer, moose and waterfowl. This is a prime spot for spring bird migration viewing on the tide flat in the bay. Visitors are asked to be considerate of the state's abundant biology and practice wildlife etiquette.

Recreation

The hike to Kah Sheets Lake is an easy 2.75 miles on a boardwalk, with opportunities to explore two access trails leading to waterfalls, as well as wildlife viewing and fishing access. Additionally, hiking is possible on the remains of old logging roads. Anglers will find excellent fishing for steelhead, trout and salmon (pink, sockeye and coho). Bear, grouse and waterfowl hunting is possible in designated areas.Be aware of wildlife in the area and learn about bear safety. More leisurely pursuits include shorebird viewing in early May and beachcombing. Due to changes in Kah Sheets Creek near the cabin, visitors will need at least a 16-foot tide and up to an 18-foot tide to navigate the area in front of the cabin, dependent on conditions. Deposition from the creek has created gravel bars which have made access more difficult.

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Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Kah Sheets Bay Cabin?

Sites at Kah Sheets 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 Kah Sheets Bay Cabin?

Reservations can be made the day of arrival or up to 180 days in advance and are restricted to a maximum stay of 7 consecutive nights per party for any one reservation from May 1 through Sept. 30, and a maximum stay of 10 consecutive nights from Oct. 1 through April 30.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Kah Sheets Bay Cabin?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Kah Sheets Bay Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 cabin.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Kah Sheets Bay Cabin?

The hike to Kah Sheets Lake is an easy 2.75 miles on a boardwalk, with opportunities to explore two access trails leading to waterfalls, as well as wildlife viewing and fishing access. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Kah Sheets Bay Cabin?

Petersburg, Alaska.

Source: Getting there

What if Kah Sheets Bay Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Ohmer Creek Campground (15.6 mi, first-come), El Capitan Campground (26.3 mi), and Nemo Campsites Entry & Info Site (34.1 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby