Plotnikof Lake Cabin
Plotnikof Lake Cabin is located on Baranof Island within the South Baranof Wilderness Area, 45 air miles southeast of Sitka, Alaska. The wood cabin is generally available mid-June to October and makes an excellent base for experiencing and exploring this corner of Alaska. This is a remote site. The cabin can be accessed by floatplane only, weather permitting. From Sitka, it's 40-minute plane ride, then a 100-foot walk to the cabin. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring their own amenities.
More like this: reservable in Alaska
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | People / vehicles |
|---|---|
| S15 | 6 / – |
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
| 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. |
The 12 x 14-ft wood, Pan abode-style cabin can accommodate up to six people. It offers two double plywood bunks and two single plywood bunks. Amenities include an oil stove for heat as of 08/30/26 oil stove confirmed inoperable due to damaged fuel line, a table with benches, a cooking counter, broom, axe or splitting maul, outdoor screened cooler box and an outhouse toilet. The cabin does not include heating oil, mattresses or cooking utensils. Visitors should bring #1 diesel oil (generally 10 gallons for a three-day stay, more of 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, a fire extinguisher and fire starter. Rain gear and boots are recommended. Water is available from the lake or a nearby inlet stream, but must be treated before using. It's recommended that visitors bring their own water. A small skiff with oars is provided. Bring personal flotation devices (PFDs).
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
Accessible early June through October. This cabin is located 45 miles southeast of Sitka, 4 miles east of Whale Bay, on the south-central part of Baranof Island. Access by floatplane is 40 minutes from Sitka. For geographic features surrounding the cabin, refer to USGS topographic map Port Alexander C-3.
| Nearest town | Sitka, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 56.5889° N, 134.8603° W · Directions ↗ |
Good to know
- The trail is not maintained and can be difficult to find.
- Firewood is not provided for campfires; gather dead and down wood.
- A 2-10 HP long-shaft outboard motor enhances use of the skiff, but is not provided.
Explore
Trails nearby
- under 0.1 miDavidof1.2 mi trail · hiking, horse
- 4.1 miPort Banks1.1 mi trail · hiking, horse
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
This campground sits inside South Baranof Wilderness.
- inSouth Baranof Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 315,820 acres
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.
Other campgrounds nearby
Natural features
The cabin lies near the north end of narrow, 4-mile long Plotnikof Lake on Baranof Island at an elevation of 275 feet. The cabin sits 100 feet back from the shore, on a narrow path lined with dense thickets of shoulder-height brush and berries. Large old-growth spruce and hemlock trees surround the cabin. The area offers wilderness solitude and beauty. The view from the cabin includes waterfalls cascading from steep granite slopes that rise to snow-capped ridges. Brown bear frequent the area.
Recreation
Plotnikof Lake and its inlet stream on the north shore offer fair rainbow trout fishing. Steelhead runs occur from mid-May to early June on the outlet stream on south shore; coho salmon from late August through September. The 1.2-mile Davidof Lake Trail begins behind the cabin, ending at an outlet stream on Davidof Lake. Hunters willing to walk some distance from cabin will find good deer hunting in the surrounding area.
Guidebooks for Alaska
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Plotnikof Lake Cabin?
Sites at Plotnikof Lake 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 Plotnikof Lake 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 Plotnikof Lake Cabin?
Check-in 12:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Plotnikof Lake Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 standard site without power.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Plotnikof Lake Cabin?
Plotnikof Lake and its inlet stream on the north shore offer fair rainbow trout fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Plotnikof Lake Cabin?
Sitka, Alaska.
Source: Getting there
What if Plotnikof Lake Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Davidof Lake Cabin (2.3 mi), Avoss Lake Cabin (8.3 mi), and Sevenfathom Bay Cabin (21.8 mi).
Source: Campgrounds nearby