U.S. Forest Service · Tongass National Forest · Sitka, AK

Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin

Sitkoh Lake West Cabin is nestled at the northwest shore of Sitkoh Lake on southeastern Chichagof Island, 35 miles northeast of Sitka, Alaska. Sitkoh Lake offers two public recreation cabins. The other cabin, Sitkoh Lake East Cabin, is near the east end of the lake. This is a remote site. The cabin can be accessed when the lake is ice-free, generally April through October, via a 30-minute flight from Sitka. The cabin can also be reached by boat to False Island in Peril Strait, followed by an 10 mile hike, bike or OHV ride on the False Island road system. From False Island, follow Roads 7540, 7544 and 75442 as shown on the Sitka Motor Vehicle Use Map.

More like this: reservable in Alaska

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
SITKOH LAKE (WEST) CABIN11SITKOH LAKE (WEST) CABIN2SITKOH LAKE (WEST) CABIN4SITKOH LAKE (WEST) CABIN6
Photos courtesy of USFS, Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups1
This site 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.

SitePeople / vehicles
S056 / –

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

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.

The 12 by 14-ft wood Pan abode-style cabin can accommodate up to six people with two double bunks and two single bunks. Amenities include a wood stove for heat, a table with benches, cooking counter, cupboard, broom, axe or splitting maul and an outdoor screened cooler box. An outhouse toilet is located close to the cabin. The cabin does not include mattresses or cooking utensils. Visitors should bring sleeping bags and pads, a cooking stove, pots, pans, plates, utensils, food, toilet paper, a lantern, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher, fire starter, rain gear, boots and personal flotation devices (PDFs). Water is available from a nearby creek but must be treated before using. It's recommended that visitors bring their own water. A small but heavy square-bowed skiff (rowboat) is provided. Each person in the skiff should wear a Coast Guard approved PFD. Be sure plug is in before launching boat. Tie skiff well up on shore and pull plug before leaving so boat does not fill with rain water.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin30°40°50°60°January: 13.57 inches of precipitationFebruary: 9.27 inches of precipitationMarch: 10.66 inches of precipitationApril: 8.11 inches of precipitationMay: 4.77 inches of precipitationJune: 4.03 inches of precipitationJuly: 5.06 inches of precipitationAugust: 6.90 inches of precipitationSeptember: 12.94 inches of precipitationOctober: 15.96 inches of precipitationNovember: 18.98 inches of precipitationDecember: 17.83 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.3°F averageFebruary: 32.0°F averageMarch: 34.0°F averageApril: 39.6°F averageMay: 46.8°F averageJune: 52.3°F averageJuly: 55.0°F averageAugust: 55.0°F averageSeptember: 50.5°F averageOctober: 43.1°F averageNovember: 35.6°F averageDecember: 32.9°F average0 in5 in10 in15 in20 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Hidden Falls Hatchery, 22 miles from the campground at 22 feet, station USC00503605 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 128 inches a year.

Getting there

Accessible generally mid-April through October. Located 35 air miles northeast of Sitka, on the southeast side of Chichagof Island, about 30 minutes by floatplane. Access is also possible by boat to Peril Strait, then hiking about 3 miles on logging road system. This mode of access is recommended only for those who know the area well.

Nearest townSitka, Alaska
Coordinates57.5063° N, 135.0939° W · Directions ↗

Good to know

  • A long-shaft 2-10 horsepower outboard motor enhances use of the skiff but is not provided.

Explore

  • 0.2 mi
    Ocean Blvd Road
    4.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
  • 1.1 mi
    Sitkoh Lake Spur Road
    0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 3 more
  • 1.6 mi
    East Sitkoh Cabin Access
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 1.7 mi
    Sitkoh Lake Trail
    4.4 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.

Public land it sits in

On Wilderness Atlas →

Kootznoowoo Wilderness begins about 7.1 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

The cabin lies near the edge of the lake and is surrounded by towering old-growth spruce and hemlock, with muskeg and open meadows to the east. Seasonal salmonberries and blueberries are abundant. The lake's inlet creek is nearby. Sitkoh Lake is surrounded by forested mountains rising to near 2,500 feet. The lake sits at an elevation of 194 feet and is 2.5 miles long and a half-mile wide. Brown bear frequent the area.

Recreation

Sitkoh Lake West Cabin offers fishing, hiking, hunting, off-highway vehicle riding, and berry picking opportunities. The lake supports cutthroat trout and Dolly Varden. The outlet stream at the east end of the lake, Sitkoh Creek, has runs of steelhead in the spring, pink and sockeye salmon from July to August and coho salmon from August to September. Although it is in poor condition, hikers can explore a 4.3-mile trail along Sitkoh Creek to Sitkoh Bay. The trail begins at the Sitkoh Lake East Cabin. Past logging has left a system of isolated roads, one of which passes within 1/4-mile of the cabin. Deer hunting is a popular activity in the surrounding area. Waterfowl hunting is allowed on Sitkoh Bay. Past logging has left a system of isolated roads, one of which passes within 1/4-mile of the cabin and is available for hiking and off-highway vehicle riding.

Nearby

An abandoned logging camp lies about 6 miles east of the cabin at False Island, with a road system available for exploring surrounding area.

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 Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin?

Sites at Sitkoh Lake (West) 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 Sitkoh Lake (West) 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 Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin have?

1 site, including 1 standard site without power.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin?

Sitkoh Lake West Cabin offers fishing, hiking, hunting, off-highway vehicle riding, and berry picking opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin?

Sitka, Alaska. An abandoned logging camp lies about 6 miles east of the cabin at False Island, with a road system available for exploring surrounding area.

Source: Getting there

What if Sitkoh Lake (West) Cabin is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Sitkoh Lake (East) Cabin (1.6 mi), Appleton Cove Cabin (7.1 mi), and Lake Eva Cabin (7.1 mi).

Source: Campgrounds nearby