Big John Bay Cabin

Big John Bay Cabin is located at the north end of Big John Bay in Rocky Pass (Keku Strait) on Kupreanof Island. It provides access to great recreational activities and spectacular scenery in southeastern Alaska, and visitors enjoy fishing, hiking, hunting and viewing wildlife. The cabin can be accessed by boat or trail from the town of Kake, or by float plane from Petersburg. Tides can impact access, requiring up to a mile hike from the boat at low tide. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities. The cabin provides access to good waterfowl hunting opportunities, available as per state or federal hunting regulations. Fishing in the Hamilton and Big John Creeks is also enjoyed by visitors to the area; trout, as well as pink and coho salmon, can be found there. The Big John Bay Trail can be difficult to follow, but provides access to the cabin from the community of Kake. There is no trail access during high tide. The route follows tide flats and then parallels a small creek until reaching the logging road. Additional hikes in the area include the Hamilton Bay, Goose Lake and Cathedral Falls Trails. The hunter-style cabin has bunks to sleep up to four people. It is equipped with a table, benches and an oil stove for heat, and an outhouse with a pit toilet is provided. Water for drinking, cooking and cleaning is not provided at the cabin; water taken from the nearby stream should be treated or boiled before consumption, and guests are encouraged to bring their own drinking water if possible. Heating oil is not supplied, so visitors must bring enough kerosene or No. 1 heating oil for the oil heater. One gallon lasts about one day. Visitors also need to bring their own sleeping bags and pads, cook stove and cooking gear, towels, food, clothing, fire starter and garbage bags. All trash and food must be packed out, and visitors are expected to clean the cabin before leaving. The cabin is located on a tidal flat which becomes an islet at high tide, and sits on a small wooded point that faces a large expanse of tidal grass and saltwater flats. A small stream a quarter-mile north of the cabin is the nearest water source. A variety of wildlife makes its home in the area, including waterfowl, grouse and black bears.