Winstanley Lake Shelter Site

About

The Winstanley Lake Shelter Site preserves a piece of Depression-era history in Alaska's remote Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness. Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, this rustic shelter provides backcountry travelers with overnight shelter approximately 33 air miles northeast of Ketchikan. The site offers pit toilet facilities but no potable water, so visitors must pack in all drinking water. Access requires either a floatplane landing on Winstanley Lake or a more adventurous approach: a 2.5-mile hike from saltwater to the trailhead, followed by a row across the lake using the provided 14-foot aluminum skiff. A mooring buoy at the saltwater access point is available first-come, first-served. Please return the skiff to the trailhead after use so it remains available for other visitors. The lake and surrounding wilderness offer fishing for cutthroat trout and kokanee salmon, plus hunting opportunities for Sitka black-tailed deer, mountain goat, and bear with proper permits. A separate reservable Forest Service cabin sits on the northeast shore of the lake for those wanting a more structured overnight option.

Directions

Located 33 air miles northeast of Ketchikan on the mainland, east of Winstanley Island, at approximately 400 feet elevation. Primary access is by floatplane landing on Winstanley Lake. Alternative access involves anchoring at the saltwater mooring buoy (first-come, first-served), hiking 2.5 miles to the lake trailhead, then rowing the provided 14-foot aluminum skiff to the shelter at the lake's end. Return the skiff to the trailhead after use. Refer to USGS Ketchikan B-3 quadrangle.