Control Lake Cabin
Control Lake Cabin, built in 1969, offers guests recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience in the central portion of Prince of Wales Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site offers a scenic setting for fishing, boating, hiking and wildlife viewing, all within the vicinity of the cabin. The site can either be accessed by vehicle and then paddling in by boat or by float plane. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Site mix
| Cabins | 1 |
Site guide
1 site. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.
| Site | People / vehicles |
|---|---|
| T02 | 8 / – |
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
| 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 cabin is large multi-room structure that once served as the Ranger District office. It is furnished with wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) and some rustic log furniture. It can accommodate up to six guests. The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a wood stove for heat and an outside toilet. Other amenities include cooking counters, an axe, splitting maul and a broom. Firewood may be available, but the supply cannot be guaranteed. The cabin does not have running water or electricity. Guests must bring their own food, water, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cook stove, stove fuel, matches, cooking gear/utensils, light source (lantern), toilet paper, first aid kit and garbage bags.
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From State Highway 929, Control Lake Cabin is located 41 road miles from Hollis, 20 road miles from Craig and 15 miles from Thorne Bay. From Highway 929, access to the cabin is about a 20 minute boat paddle away. An aluminum skiff with oars is provided by the Forest Service. The boat can use a long shaft motor, though it is not provided.
| Nearest town | Ketchikan/Thorne Bay, Alaska |
| Coordinates | 55.6944° N, 132.8636° W · Directions ↗ |
Explore
Trails nearby
- 0.9 miEagles Nest Interpretive Trail ↗0.1 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1 miBalls Lake Trail ↗3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 1.4 miBalls Lake Day Use Access Spur ↗0.09 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
- 2.8 mi2030128 Road0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3.8 miTen By Ten 2050020 Road1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, motorcycle and 2 more
- 3.9 mi2030200 Road0.8 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 6.1 miles away, and it is the closest of these.
- 6.1 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 cabin sits in a grassy area just off the shore of Control Lake. The shoreline is surrounded by a scattering of sparse lodgepole pines with muskeg openings extended for several miles west of the lake. Wildlife in the area abounds, including a variety of waterfowl and insects in neighboring ponds, eagles, marten, mink, otter, Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears. Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest.
Recreation
Anglers will find Control Lake to be a scenic setting for fishing. The lake supports healthy populations of cutthroat trout, dolly varden and sockeye salmon. Hunters can take advantage of the long hunting season in the surrounding national forest. Bear season occurs during spring and fall, while deer season begins in late summer and lasts through the late fall. Guests are welcome to use the aluminum skiff with oars available at the cabin, but are responsible for bringing and using their own personal floatation devices.
Nearby
It is an easy 18 mile drive to lower Thorne River, which has excellent fishing, boating, hiking trails, wildlife viewing areas and day-use areas.
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 Control Lake Cabin?
Sites at Control 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 Control 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 Control Lake Cabin?
Check-in 1:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.
Source: Recreation.gov
How many sites does Control Lake Cabin have?
1 site, including 1 cabin.
Source: Recreation.gov
What is there to do at Control Lake Cabin?
Anglers will find Control Lake to be a scenic setting for fishing. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.
Source: Recreation
What is the nearest town to Control Lake Cabin?
Ketchikan/Thorne Bay, Alaska. It is an easy 18 mile drive to lower Thorne River, which has excellent fishing, boating, hiking trails, wildlife viewing areas and day-use areas.
Source: Getting there
What if Control Lake Cabin is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Eagles Nest Campground (0.9 mi), Lake No. 3 Campground (11.2 mi, first-come), and Staney Bridge Campground (12.7 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby