Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin
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- Right now
- Taking bookingsSites offered on 30 of the next 30 nights read 14:29 UTC
- Sites
- 1All of them booked ahead
The place
the agency’s own description · what’s there · 12 notices
In the agency’s own words
Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ translates to 'Face of the Glacier House.' It is situated on the shore of Mendenhall Lake, in view of the Mendenhall Glacier, about 13 miles from downtown Juneau. The site is a popular destination for viewing beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife. Hiking opportunities abound. This rustic retreat is open year-round as an overnight accommodation. The cabin is an ideal base for enjoying the serenity and beauty of Mendenhall Lake or participating in various recreational activities. The site can be accessed through the Mendenhall Campground or access trail depending on conditions. Winter weather may require a 1/2-mile trek on snowshoes or skis. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and must bring several of their own amenities. Keep reading
Recreation
The West Glacier Trail, with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet, can be hiked in 5-6 hours roundtrip. The trailhead is a half mile from the campground entrance by road or on the Aak'w Sit' Trail. The .4-mile Tolch Rock Trail is in this vicinity. The campground has several paths in it with interpretive signs relating facts about the area wildlife and environment. Winter season provides even more ways to recreate. The Mendenhall Campground is groomed when conditions allow for classic and skate skiing.
Facilities
Cabin is essentially drive up between May 15th to September 15th when the campground is open for campers. Three to four parking spots reserved for cabin guests located at Site 17 with a short 50-yard walk on a packed gravel path to the cabin itself. During the off-season when the campground is closed (September 15th through May 14th), the cabin site can be accessed by walking the campground road or via a groomed ski trail when conditions allow. One parking spot will be reserved for cabin users in front of Skaters Cabin for winter access. During the summer season, the entrance gate of the campground is closed nightly from 10pm to 7am with the exit gate open 24 hours a day. Water faucets, accessible vault toilets, a dump station and trash dumpster are provided nearby, inside the Mendenhall Campground, as are two accessible flush toilets and shower facilities. This 16 ft. by 20 ft. pan-abode style cabin with a loft that sleeps six to ten people with a single and two double bunks downstairs and a fully open floor upstairs. Hooks have been installed upstairs to support hammocks. Please do not install additional screws, nails, or hooks anywhere inside or outside the cabin. The cabin also has a table and benches, countertop, broom, electric cove heaters, and wood stove. The cabin site is ADA accessible, with accessible trails connecting the road, cabin, outhouse, and fire ring. Water and firewood are not provided. Water is seasonally available from spigots in the campground nearby. It is recommended that visitors bring their own water supply in the winter. A secure bear box is located on the porch. Minimal lighting is provided. Lighting is installed both inside and outside the cabin, including the outhouse. USB-A and USB-C charging outlets are also available. Cabin users are encouraged to bring their own additional lighting and power supply for devices. Visitors must provide their own sleeping bags, sleeping pads, food, a cooking stove, cookware, plates, utensils, lanterns or flashlights, toilet paper, garbage bags, a fire extinguisher and fire starter. They are expected to pack out trash, empty the cabinets and clean the cabin before leaving. The door has a keyless door lock that will lock every time the door is closed. An entry code will be provided to cabin users upon reservation. You will need to make note of the passcode! Frequently users have it on their phone only and then walk outside, shutting the door behind them while leaving their phone inside. This will put your memory to the test!
Natural Features
The campground is situated on the shore of Mendenhall Lake at about 100 feet elevation. Mendenhall Glacier lies to the north and the Mendenhall River flows on the east. On either side of the campground the mountains rise from 4,000 to 7,000 feet above the Mendenhall Glacier. The topography is relatively flat and open, consisting of glacial moraines, small lakes and ponds. Forbs and lichens, black cottonwood, Sitka alder, willow and mature spruce hemlock forests cover the area. The forest floor is dotted with blueberry bushes and mosses. At nearly 17 million acres, the Tongass National Forest covers most of Southeast Alaska and is the largest forest in the national forest system. The Tongass surrounds the Inside Passage, the network of waterways that buffer the jagged Alaskan Coast and a cluster of coastline islands. The Tongass offers visitors a chance to view wildlife, including eagles, bears and spawning salmon. Expansive vistas, including fjords, glaciers and mountain peaks fill the area. The Tongass is part of the world's largest temperate rain forest.
Nearby Attractions
Run the rapids down the Mendenhall River, take a helicopter to the top of the glacier, bicycle or hike in the area. Outfitters offer these services. Many trails can be accessed from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center area, including East Glacier Trail, with an elevation gain of 400 feet, takes 2-3 hours roundtrip. Some of the shorter trails in this area include the 1.7 mile Nugget Falls Trail, where the waterfall drops 377 feet in two tiers onto a sandbar in Mendenhall Lake, the 1.5 mile Moraine Ecology Trail, and the .7 mile Trail of Time.
Charges & Cancellations
If I book this reservation today, what are my options to change or cancel? Please remember that reservations at these facilities prevent other visitors from using these sites. Planned changes to your stay should be made as far in advance as possible. You can make changes to your reservation ahead of your arrival date in My Reservations. Changes If your new stay dates are completely different from your original stay dates, there is a $10 change fee (per reserved site). There are no additional fees for: Adding or removing nights to your stay. Balances will adjust based on your new stay's nightly rate. Cancellations You can cancel the reservation any time before the date of your scheduled arrival. You will receive a refund for your stay, minus the following fees: $10 cancellation fee Any reservation fees (only if paid when booking) Any previous change fees Late cancellation penalties may also apply: What is “Late”? A late cancellation applies starting from midnight 14 calendar days or fewer before your scheduled check-in. Late Fee In addition to the fees listed above, a late cancellation will also subtract your first night's recreation use fee from any refund owed. As of the expected check-in day, cancellations or changes to your stay are not possible through My Reservations. It is at the facility's discretion to support additional Late Cancellations, No Show, or Early Departure updates – on-site personnel may not be able to assist. These changes carry penalties and may forfeit recreation use fees. For additional details, please visit here .
What the agency tells you
The entrance gate is closed nightly from 10pm to 7am. The exit gate is left open 24/7.
Bears frequent the area; keep food and anything with a scent in vehicles or inside the cabin. Bear attractants left unattended will be removed.
Minimal lighting and electricity is provided. Cabin users are encouraged to bring their own additional lighting and power supply for devices.
Everything else this campground posts · 9
Water is seasonally available from spigots in the campground nearby. It is recommended that visitors bring their own water in the winter.
Campground gate is closed September 15th-May 14th. Off-season access is limited to walk-in via campground road or groomed hiking/ski trails.
Campers are encouraged to bring their own firewood. Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by purchasing firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org
If vehicle or person maximums per site are exceeded, campers will be asked to move excess vehicles and equipment to an additional site, if available, and pay the additional fee.
Reservations may be made the same day as arrival, if a site is available.
Site check-in time is 3:00pm. Check-out time is 12:00pm the day of departure. Unlike other Juneau roadside cabins, Sit Ya Hit is not available for public use during the day. The cabin and exterior amenities are for reservation holders only.
Commercial outfitters or guides not allowed; institutional outfitters (universities, schools and clubs) may require a special use permit before making reservations; contact the Juneau Ranger District at 907-586-8800.
Please pack out all trash and food.
Click here for more information about Tongass National Forest
Tents and rigs
- Sites
- 1 · 1 cabin
- Hookups
- 1 electric
- Accessible sites
- None listed
- Pets
- Allowed
- Campfires
- Allowed, barring fire bans
Facilities
- Toilets
- Flush Toilets · Vault Toilets
- “…hours a day. Water faucets, accessible vault toilets, a dump station and trash dumpster are provided… / …Campground, as are two accessible flush toilets and shower facilities. This 16 ft. by 20 ft.…”
- Dump station
- Yes
- Bear boxes
- Yes
- Firewood
- Mentioned
- Stay limit
- 3 nights
- recreation.gov facility rule maxStay
Around the campground
- On the water
- Waterfall, Lake, River, Coast
- Berry Picking
- Cross Country Skiing
- Hiking
- Kayaking
- Wildlife viewing
Full this Saturdayread 14:29 UTC
How full the weekend is nationally.
OpenBooked
The one site on offer is taken this Saturday, and on four midweek nights after it as well. read 14:29 UTC Why the weekend fills and the week doesn’t
Watch for a cancellation
Watch this campground
One email when a night opens, plus More Than Just Parks dispatches. Unsubscribe any time.
We read recreation.gov once an hour, at 40 minutes past, and write the first time a site in your window is free for the nights you asked for.
Scanners that check every few minutes exist, and most of them charge. This one is free, it reads the same calendar, and it won’t always be first.
We make nothing when you book. The link goes straight to the government.
Every line of the receipt · 13
What you actually pay
“Changes If your new stay dates are completely different from your original stay dates, there is a $10 change fee (per reserved site). You will receive a refund for your stay, minus the following fees: - $10 cancellation fee - Any reservation fees (only if paid when booking) - Any previous change fees Late cancellati…” · this campground’s own no-show terms
Who keeps the booking fee
The agency’s own policy text says the reservation fee and the cancellation processing fee are “retained by the reservation service contractor”, and that a campground concessionaire will decline to refund them because “they did not receive these fees”. Recreation.gov is run under contract by Booz Allen Hamilton. What share of your booking fee the contractor keeps isn’t published in any federal dataset we can read, so we print no number for it. Our reporting on the contract →
How we know this receipt · 6
recreation.gov availability, read 14:29 UTC · rules read Oct 1, 2026 · rates Sep 10, 2026 · How we know all this
The sites
1 sites
All 1 sites
The price is derived by CAMPANAC, not published per site: the per-night rate this campground publishes for each site’s own site type. 1 of the 1 sites listed carry one, and a site whose type has no published rate sits out of the price rather than being called free.
| Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ | Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ | cabin electric | $125 |
Getting there
the map and the coordinate · the agency’s directions · the phone number
Where it is
Mendenhall CampgroundTongass National Forest · 0.8 mi
John Muir CabinTongass National Forest · 4.2 mi
Auk Village Campground5.3 mi
Peterson Lake CabinTongass National Forest · 5.8 miAuk Village CampgroundTongass National Forest · 6.0 miThis campsite is approximately 13 miles from downtown Juneau. Access is via the Alaska Marine Highway or via Alaska Airlines.
From the ferry terminal: turn right and travel 1.7 miles to DeHarts Store above Auke Bay marinas. Turn left uphill to Mendenhall Loop Road, and travel 2.5 miles to Montana Creek Road, turn left and travel .3 mile to Skater's Cabin Road. Turn right .3 mile to campground road and continue on campground loop to cabin. From downtown Juneau, Take Egan Drive northwest 8 miles to stoplight intersection of Mendenhall Loop Road. Turn right 2.2 miles to the intersection of Mendenhall Loop Road and Glacier Spur Road. Turn left 1.4 miles to the intersection of Montana Creek Road. Turn right .3 mile to Skater's Cabin Road. Turn right .3 mile to campground road and continue on campground loop to site 17. Cabin is located up the short road beyond the cabin parking area in site 17.
From the airport: go 0.1 mile to the junction of Yandukin Shell Simmons Drive. Turn left on Shell Simmons Drive and travel 0.3 miles to stoplight at the intersection of Old Glacier Highway. Turn left on Old Glacier Highway and travel 0.5 mile to the stoplight at the intersection of Egan Drive. Continue on Mendenhall Loop Road 2.2 miles to the intersection of Back Loop Road. Turn left on Backloop Road. Continue 1.4 miles to the intersection of Montana Creek Road. Turn right and travel 0.3 miles to Skater's Cabin Road. Turn right and travel 0.3 miles to campground. Continue on campground loop to site 17. Cabin is located up the short road beyond the cabin parking area in site 17.
Winter access (Sept. 15th-May 15th): Campground gate is closed from September 15th-May 15th. Off-season access is limited to walk-in via campground road, or groomed hiking/ski trails. Follow the steps above to arrive at Mendenhall Campground gates. From the gate continue down Skaters Cabin road to Skater's Cabin parking area. Hike past campground gate, follow the road to the left. Cabin is located at Site 17. When snow conditions allow - Skiers can follow Mendenhall Campground Nordic ski route to Site 17 and continue up to cabin site. Hikers should follow the signed Winter Access route provided to avoid damaging the Nordic Ski route.
The weather
the next four days · the thirty-year normal
Next four days, and the thirty-year normal
Forecast
NWS forecast for Juneau, AK
Typical weather
Typical October night 39°F, day 46°F.
Coldest month of the year: typical January night 25°F, below freezing. Bring a bag rated colder than that, and expect ice in the water bottle.
Daily high and lowDays with 0.10 in or more
A normal is the 1991-2020 average for the month, not a forecast: about half of all Julys are colder than the July line. The seven-day forecast above answers the other question.
The land, and who answers for it
what threatens it · who answers for it · a letter you can send
What threatens this place
You’re camping on ground somebody wants. We track the threats and the comment deadlines.
Who answers for this land
Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin is in Alaska’s at-large congressional district. Its representative, Nick Begich (R), votes on the laws that decide what happens to this land. Public-lands grade so far: F. See every public-lands vote →
Who can change it · 3
Two offices, two different asks. The draft to the agency asks it to set aside a published share of the sites here for whoever drives up. The draft to Congress asks why that share is zero and presses for a published minimum at the campgrounds it funds.
- The member who votes the moneyNicholas J. Begich IIIU.S. Representative · Alaska, at-large
- Your senator, on the same appropriationDan SullivanU.S. Senator · Alaska
- Your senator, on the same appropriationLisa MurkowskiU.S. Senator · Alaska
Read the draft, or change the wording
For the camper who turned up, or tried to book, and couldn’t get in. Every draft is written from this campground’s own record (its agency, its unit, its site count and its own weekend) and the buttons above copy whichever wording is selected here.
Asks them to put the question to the agency in writing, and to press for a published minimum share of walk-up sites across the campgrounds they fund.
Subject Walk-up camping at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin, Tongass National Forest, Alaska
Dear Nicholas J. Begich III, I’m a constituent in Alaska, at-large. I tried to camp at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, and couldn’t. All 1 sites at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin are reservable, and the agency's own record lists none held back for somebody who drives up. On Saturday, October 17, the one site recreation.gov was offering there was already booked. 1,623 of the 7,647 federal campgrounds in this country still keep at least some sites for whoever arrives first. Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin keeps none, and that’s a choice somebody made rather than a rule. I’m not asking you to run Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin. I’m asking you to put it to the U.S. Forest Service in writing: why is the share of first-come sites there zero, and what would a published minimum share cost? Please press for that minimum at the federal campgrounds you fund. The people who open these campgrounds, collect the fees and keep the water running are seasonal positions. At GS-5, base pay plus the government's own 36.25% benefit factor, one costs about $47,414 a year. One percent of the $13.3 billion the USS Gerald R. Ford cost to procure would pay for about 2,800 of them for a year. Both figures are the government's own (a Congressional Research Service report and an OPM pay table), and I’m glad to send them. Sent about Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin (Tongass National Forest, Alaska) via campanac.com
Asks them to put the question to the agency in writing, and to press for a published minimum share of walk-up sites across the campgrounds they fund.
Subject Walk-up camping at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin, Tongass National Forest, Alaska
Dear Dan Sullivan, I’m a constituent in Alaska. I tried to camp at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, and couldn’t. All 1 sites at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin are reservable, and the agency's own record lists none held back for somebody who drives up. On Saturday, October 17, the one site recreation.gov was offering there was already booked. 1,623 of the 7,647 federal campgrounds in this country still keep at least some sites for whoever arrives first. Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin keeps none, and that’s a choice somebody made rather than a rule. I’m not asking you to run Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin. I’m asking you to put it to the U.S. Forest Service in writing: why is the share of first-come sites there zero, and what would a published minimum share cost? Please press for that minimum at the federal campgrounds you fund. The people who open these campgrounds, collect the fees and keep the water running are seasonal positions. At GS-5, base pay plus the government's own 36.25% benefit factor, one costs about $47,414 a year. One percent of the $13.3 billion the USS Gerald R. Ford cost to procure would pay for about 2,800 of them for a year. Both figures are the government's own (a Congressional Research Service report and an OPM pay table), and I’m glad to send them. Sent about Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin (Tongass National Forest, Alaska) via campanac.com
Asks them to put the question to the agency in writing, and to press for a published minimum share of walk-up sites across the campgrounds they fund.
Subject Walk-up camping at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin, Tongass National Forest, Alaska
Dear Lisa Murkowski, I’m a constituent in Alaska. I tried to camp at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin, Tongass National Forest, Alaska, and couldn’t. All 1 sites at Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin are reservable, and the agency's own record lists none held back for somebody who drives up. On Saturday, October 17, the one site recreation.gov was offering there was already booked. 1,623 of the 7,647 federal campgrounds in this country still keep at least some sites for whoever arrives first. Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin keeps none, and that’s a choice somebody made rather than a rule. I’m not asking you to run Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin. I’m asking you to put it to the U.S. Forest Service in writing: why is the share of first-come sites there zero, and what would a published minimum share cost? Please press for that minimum at the federal campgrounds you fund. The people who open these campgrounds, collect the fees and keep the water running are seasonal positions. At GS-5, base pay plus the government's own 36.25% benefit factor, one costs about $47,414 a year. One percent of the $13.3 billion the USS Gerald R. Ford cost to procure would pay for about 2,800 of them for a year. Both figures are the government's own (a Congressional Research Service report and an OPM pay table), and I’m glad to send them. Sent about Sítʼ Yá Hítʼ Cabin (Tongass National Forest, Alaska) via campanac.com