Eagles Nest Campground
Eagles Nest Campground is located on Prince of Wales Island in a temperate rainforest surrounded by muskeg and Balls Lake. Visitors enjoy viewing wildlife, hiking, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. This campground is situated on Prince of Wales Island, the third largest island in the U.S. on the shores of Balls Lake, eighteen miles west of Thorne Bay.
More like this: reservable in Alaska · big rigs in Alaska
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Standard, no hookups | 10 |
| Tent-only | 2 |
Site guide
Will my RV fit
The longest site here provides 99 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.
12 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | Type | Entry | Fits, ft | Surface | People / vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | Standard | Back-in | 99 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
| 002 | Tent only | Gravel | 6 / 1 | ||
| 003 | Tent only | Gravel | 6 / 1 | ||
| 004 | Standard | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
| 005 | Standard | Back-in | 99 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
| 006 | Standard | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
| 007 | Standard | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
| 008 | Standard | Back-in | 40 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
| 009 | Standard | Back-in | 99 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
| 010 | Standard | Back-in | 99 | Gravel | 6 / 1 |
Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Amenities & rules
| Hookups | None |
| Max vehicle length | 99 ft |
| Equipment | RVs & trailers, Tents |
The campground offers single and double-family sites. Picnic tables and campfire rings are provided, as are vault toilets.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Forest | Tongass National Forest |
| Fees | $8/night peak season May 1 – September 30 $8/night non-peak season October 1 – April 30 |
Weather by month
Getting there
From Ketchikan, take the Alaska Marine Ferry to Hollis on Prince of Wales Island. From Hollis, take State Highway 924 to Klawock. From Klawock, take State Highway 929 to Control Lake Junction 18 miles and turn right. Continue on State Highway 929 for 2 miles. Campground is on the left.
| Coordinates | 55.6833° N, 132.8500° W · Directions ↗ |
Explore
Video
Eagle Nest Lake State Park Campground: Site Tour & What You Need to Know Before Yo
Trails nearby
- 1.4 miBalls Lake Trail ↗3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.4 miEagles Nest Interpretive Trail ↗0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.6 miBalls Lake Day Use Access Spur ↗0.09 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2 mi2030128 Road0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3.5 mi2030200 Road0.8 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 4 mi2030205 Road0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
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
Karta River Wilderness begins about 5.2 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 5.2 miKarta River Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 39,917 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
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
Natural features
The campground is situated near Control Creek and Balls Lake, within the Tongass National Forest, which covers nearly 17 million acres in southeast Alaska and is the largest forest in the national forest system. The Tongass surrounds the Inside Passage, the network of waterways that buffers the jagged Alaskan Coast and a cluster of coastal islands. The Tongass offers visitors a chance to view wildlife, including eagles, bears and spawning salmon. Expansive vistas of fjords, glaciers and mountain peaks abound. Much of the forest is a temperate rainforest.
Recreation
An interpretive trail parallels the lake for approximately 1,800 feet, offering scenic views of the Thorne Mountains and surrounding foothills. Canoeing, kayaking and fishing are popular activities at Balls Lake. A canoe ramp is located on the lakeshore. Sockeye salmon, wildflowers and industrious beavers are common sights in and around the lake. The 2.5-mile Balls Lake Trail lets visitors hike around the lake, where swans, kingfisher and ducks are often seen, along with an array of riparian areas.
Nearby
A number of hiking trails and recreation sites are in the 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 Eagles Nest Campground?
Sites at Eagles Nest Campground 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 Eagles Nest Campground?
$8/night peak season May 1 – September 30 $8/night non-peak season October 1 – April 30
Source: Recreation.gov
What time is check-in at Eagles Nest Campground?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Eagles Nest Campground have?
12 sites, including 10 standard sites without power and 2 tent-only sites.
Source: Recreation.gov
Will my RV fit at Eagles Nest Campground?
Recreation.gov lists no practical vehicle capacity limit for the largest site here, which usually means pull-through or open parking. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.
Source: Will my RV fit
What is there to do at Eagles Nest Campground?
An interpretive trail parallels the lake for approximately 1,800 feet, offering scenic views of the Thorne Mountains and surrounding foothills. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What if Eagles Nest Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Lake No. 3 Campground (10.6 mi, first-come), Staney Bridge Campground (13.6 mi, first-come), and Horseshoe Hole Campground (14.2 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby