Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-233065
When Sweet Water Lake Cabin reopens
Sweet Water 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
6
Only 6 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 · Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027 · of 1 monitored site
Of the 183 tracked site-nights (Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027): 177 open for online reservation · 6 reserved.
Where the open windows are
3.3% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation. 177 of 183 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Nov 2, 2026 – May 3, 2027Not open online3.3%
Open site-nights177 / 183
Reserved (of online inventory)6 / 183
Weekday openings101
Weekend openings76
Of the open cabin-nights on mapped sites, 101 fall on weekdays and 76 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Nov 2026 – May 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
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. Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked night.
Availability
Most open cabin-nights · tracked window| Cabin | Open cabin-nights |
|---|---|
| T14 | 177 |
This cabin currently has 177 cabin-nights available.
Next windows
As of Nov 2, 2026 snapshotNext open dateMon · Nov 2
Next open weekendFri · Nov 6
The next bookable night is Nov 2; the first open weekend starts Nov 6. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
177 open cabin-nights across 1 cabin at Sweet Water Lake Cabin, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
Multi-night stays. 2 2-night, 2 3-night, 1 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Nov 2 at site T14.
All 1 cabin with current availability
| Cabin | Max RV | Hookups | Open cabin-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T14 | Not recorded | None | 177 | 171 nights | Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 6, Nov 7, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16, Nov 17, Nov 18, Nov 19 +165 more |
About Sweet Water Lake Cabin
Overview
Sweet water Lake Cabin offers visitors recreation, relaxation and a unique lodging experience on Prince of Wales Island in southeastern Alaska. The remote site provides a scenic setting for fishing, hunting, boating and wildlife viewing, all within the vicinity of the cabin. The site can be accessed by vehicle and a 1/2 mile boat paddle, float plane, or canoeing. Visitors are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Recreation
Anglers will find good fishing for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, Dolly Varden, as well as coho, sockeye, and pink salmon in Sweet water Lake. Bird watchers are also drawn to the area because of its wide array of waterfowl.
Hunters can take advantage of the 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.
Visitors might enjoy a day of scenic boating on Sweet water Lake or Barnes Lake, although navigating the Gold and Galligan Lagoon to get to Barnes Lake can be very dangerous. Guests should always use caution and be aware that navigation of the lagoon should only occur during high, slack tide. Click here for tide reports for Barnes Lake area.
Facilities
The cabin is a 12 x 14 foot primitive, pre-cut cedar log cabin ( pan-abode style ) furnished with wooden bunkbeds (without mattresses) that sleep up to six guests.
The cabin is equipped with a table, benches, a wood stove for heat and an outside toilet. Other amenities include a cooking counter, shelving, cupboards, an axe, splitting maul, fire extinguisher and a broom. Firewood may be available, but the supply cannot be guaranteed. Visitors are asked to be conservative with wood and use their cook stoves for cooking.
The cabin does not have running water or electricity. Visitors must bring their own food, water, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, cook stove, stove-wood, fire starter, cooking gear/utensils, light source (lantern), toilet paper, first aid kit and garbage bags. Water is available from the lake, but must be filtered, boiled or chemically treated before drinking.
Visitors are welcome to use the aluminum skiff with oars available at the cabin, and may choose to bring a long shaft motor. Visitors are responsible for bringing and using their own personal floatation devices. Click here for more cabin details.
Natural Features
The cabin sits on a large gravelly beach on the eastern shore of Sweet water Lake in the Tongass National Forest. The shoreline is surrounded by a temperate rainforest of old-growth spruce, hemlock and cedar.
Wildlife in the area abounds, including a variety of waterfowl, mink, otter, beaver, bald eagles, Sitka black-tailed deer and black bears. Seals are often seen in the lake as well. Learn more about bear safety in the Tongass National Forest.
1 monitored cabinNo hookupsMax party 6
Getting there
Sweet water Lake Cabin is accessible by either vehicle, 200 foot trail and a short boat trip, or by float plane. The cabin is located 10 road miles from Coffman Cove. From Ketchikan, take Forest Service Road 20 to Forest Road 3030 approximately 2 hours from Hollis. Guests will then hike a 200 foot trail to a boat, provided by the Forest Service. The cabin is approximately a half-mile boat paddle from the trail. Refer to USGS map Craig D-3. The cabin is also accessible by float plane, 68 air miles from Ketchikan. However, in fall, winter, and early spring, the cabin may be inaccessible as float planes cannot land on the frozen lake surface. 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.
P.O. 19001, Ketchikan/Thorne Bay, AK 99919
BoatingCampingFishingHuntingWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-233065 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-233065 · Sweet Water Lake Cabin · Ketchikan/Thorne Bay AK6 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Sweet Water Lake Cabin?
Reservations for Sweet Water Lake Cabin are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 177 of 183 tracked site-nights are open (96.7%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 6 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 Nov 2, 2026 18:20 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 Sweet Water Lake Cabin?
Campsite Sniper detected 6 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 Sweet Water Lake Cabin?
2 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Nov 2 at site T14. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which month has the most availability at Sweet Water Lake Cabin?
December 2026, with 31 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 31.
When is the next open date at Sweet Water Lake Cabin?
As of the Nov 2, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Mon, Nov 2 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Nov 6. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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