Can you reserve a site at Karta Lake Cabin?

Yes, Karta Lake Cabin is reservable through Recreation.gov.

Karta Lake Cabin, Alaska — 1 site, fees and cancellation alerts

Overview

Karta Lake Cabin offers visitors recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Prince of Wales Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site offers a scenic setting for fishing, hiking and wildlife viewing, within the vicinity of the cabin.

The site can either be accessed by float plane or boat and trail. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities. The cabin can be heated using the small wood stove inside.

Recreation

Anglers will find the surrounding snow-capped peaks and forested shoreline to be quite a scenic setting while fishing for rainbow and cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden and a variety of salmon species. Visitors should contact the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for fishing regulations as catch and release orders may be in effect.

The 5-mile Karta River Trail follows the Karta River up from Karta Bay to Salmon Lake, allowing excellent access to the river for steelhead, sockeye and coho salmon runs. The trail provides access to Karta River, Karta Lake, and Salmon Lake cabins.

For visitors interested in exploring the area by water, there is an aluminum skiff with oars available for use. Visitors are responsible for bringing and using their own personal floatation devices.

Facilities

The cabin is a 12 x 12 foot primitive, pre-cut cedar log cabin (pan-abode style) furnished with wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) that sleep up to six people. The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a small wood/ biobrick stove for heat and an outside toilet. Other amenities include a cooking counter, shelves, cupboard space, and a broom.

The cabin does not have running water or electricity. Visitors must bring their own food, water, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cook stove, stove fuel, fire starter, cooking gear/utensils, light source (lantern), toilet paper, first aid kit and garbage bags. Wood or biobricks are not provided. Bio bricks can be purchased in Ketchikan and on Prince of Wales. Please contact the district if you need more info.

Water is available from the lake, but must be filtered, boiled or chemically treated before drinking. Click here for more cabin details.

Natural Features

The cabin sits on the eastern shore of Karta Lake in the Karta River Wilderness area on east-central Prince of Wales Island. The Karta River Wilderness is best known for large salmon runs and the scenic quality of the large river drainage system.

Wildlife fills the area, including wolves, black bears, Sitka black-tailed deer, beavers, otters, minks, martens and weasels. Trumpeter swans and various other waterfowl are commonly seen on the lakes and rivers in the area as well.

The area burned in 1910 and is forested with second growth spruce, hemlock and cedar. Native Alaskans, particularly the Haida, historically lived around the bay and utilized the rich food sources of the area.

Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest.

The facts

1 bookable site
Up to 6 people per site
Loops: AREA KARTA LAKE CABIN

Site types

1 Cabin Nonelectric

Book on Recreation.gov

1 campsite at Karta Lake Cabin

Check-in 12:00 PM · Check-out 12:00 PM

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Max rig	People
T05	AREA KARTA LAKE CABIN	Cabin Nonelectric	—	—	—	6

Getting there

Karta Lake Cabin is accessible by float plane or boat and trail from Karta Bay. By boat, the cabin is approximately 10 miles from Hollis, and an additional 1.5 miles by trail from Karta Bay.

The cabin is located approximately 34 air miles from Ketchikan. However, visitors should be aware that in fall, winter, and early spring, the cabin may be inaccessible to float planes due to a frozen lake surface. This cabin is in a designated Wilderness area, and access by helicopter is illegal. Refer to USGS map Craig C-2. Click here for information about reaching Forest Service Cabins.

Inclement weather conditions may cause an extension of your trip during any time of the year and winter access can be difficult due to snow and ice conditions. Guests should bring extra supplies to last 2-5 days Please contact the Thorne Bay Ranger District at 907-828-3304 prior to arrival for more detailed information about safety precautions.

55.56139, -132.61083 · 55°33'41.0"N 132°36'39.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 66°F in Jul, down to 38°F in Dec.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	38	40	43	50	57	63	66	65	59	51	42	38
Low °F	28	28	30	34	40	46	51	50	45	38	32	30
Precip in	8.2	5.5	6.3	5.1	3.5	4.1	5.3	7.0	8.6	12.1	10.5	9.1

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 9.6 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Fees and stay limits

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.

From Recreation.gov, which is not always current. The operator's own page is the authority on what you will be charged.

Common questions about Karta Lake Cabin

Can you reserve a site at Karta Lake Cabin?: Yes, Karta Lake Cabin is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Karta Lake Cabin have?: 1 site.

Also listed by

Karta Lake Cabin also appears in other federal recreation data. Facts below are matched by name and location, not confirmed by Karta Lake Cabin's operator.

USDA Forest Service — data as of Aug 24, 2026

$55/night peak season May 1 – September 30 $35/night non-peak season October 1 – April 30

USDA Forest Service's own page

Camping near Karta Lake Cabin

Karta River Cabin 1.4 mi · Campground · we watch it
Salmon Lake Cabin Thorne Bay 2.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
Black Bear Lake Cabin (Tongass National Forest, AK) 9.7 mi · Campground · we watch it
Harris River Campground 11.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Eagles Nest Campground 12.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Control Lake Cabin 13.5 mi · Campground · we watch it
Twelvemile Cabin 14.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Polk Camp 14.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Trollers Cove Cabin 21.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Lake No. 3 Campground 6.4 mi · Campground
Eagles Nest Campground 13.7 mi · Campground
Josephine Lake Cabin 18.7 mi · Campground

Contact

Book Recreation.gov

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

Karta Lake Cabin