Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-233057
When Karta Lake Cabin reopens
Karta Lake Cabin's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
0
Openings · last 90 days
3
Only 3 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 183 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 149 open for online reservation · 34 reserved.
Where the open windows are
18.6% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 149 of 183 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Not open online18.6%
Open site-nights149 / 183
Reserved (of online inventory)34 / 183
Weekday openings85
Weekend openings64
Of the open cabin-nights on mapped sites, 85 fall on weekdays and 64 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027December holds the most room. 31 of 31 site-nights are still open there.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 1 cabin| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 1 | Open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 1 | Open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 1 | Open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 1 | Open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 1 | Open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: 1 cabin is available for the complete three-night stay. Christmas: 1 cabin is available for the complete two-night stay. New Year: 1 cabin is available for the complete two-night stay.
Availability
Most open cabin-nights · tracked window| Cabin | Open cabin-nights |
|---|---|
| T05 | 149 |
This cabin currently has 149 cabin-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateThu · Sep 24
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable night is Sep 24; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
149 open cabin-nights across 1 cabin at Karta Lake Cabin, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 2 2-night, 2 3-night, 2 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Sep 24 at site T05.
All 1 cabin with current availability
| Cabin | Max RV | Hookups | Open cabin-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T05 | Not recorded | None | 149 | 125 nights | Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3, Oct 4, Oct 5 +137 more |
About Karta Lake Cabin
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.
1 monitored cabinNo hookupsMax party 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.
Karta Lake Cabin, Thorne Bay, AK 99919
BoatingCampingFishingHikingWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-233057 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-233057 · Karta Lake Cabin · Thorne Bay AK6 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Karta Lake Cabin?
Reservations for Karta Lake Cabin are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 149 of 183 tracked site-nights are open (81.4%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 3 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 15:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at Karta Lake Cabin?
Campsite Sniper detected 3 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Karta Lake Cabin?
2 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Sep 24 at site T05. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at Karta Lake Cabin?
December 2026, with 31 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 31.
When is the next open date at Karta Lake Cabin?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Thu, Sep 24 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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