Coghill Lake Cabin
Chugach National Forest
Coghill Lake Cabin offers opportunities for year-round rest and recreation near College Fiord in Prince William Sound. The cabin is nestled on a lagoon on the southwest shore of beautiful Coghill Lake, which is known for its excellent salmon fishing. The Cabin is located on Chugach National Forest lands within the Nellie Juan - College Fiord Wilderness Study Area.
This remote site can be accessed by floatplane or a primitive 3 mile hiking trail that begins at saltwater just east of coghill point. Floatplane access is typically a 50-minute flight from Anchorage or an hour from Cordova. The 3 mile trail to the cabin can be rough and poorly marked at times. Users of the trail should be familiar with arduous Alaska backcountry travel thru thick brush and able to navigate rough terrain. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities including sleeping pads, sleeping bags, cook stove, toilet paper, pots and utensils as well as some form of water purification.
The cabin is a 16x16-foot A-frame with a main floor and a sleeping loft. It accommodates up to six guests and comes equipped with wooden bunks, a kerosene heating stove, a table, benches and an outhouse with a pit toilet.
No water, electricity, toilet paper, or fuel for the heater is provided. Guests are responsible for bringing their own drinking water, kerosene for heater (typically ~1 gallon/ day is sufficent), a cook stove, flashlights or lanterns, bedding, mattresses, toilet paper, garbage bags, cookware, dishes and utensils.
Please pack out what you bring in to leave a clean Cabin for the next visitors!
Need to Know
! USERS MUST SUPPLY THEIR OWN HEATING OIL ! 1-2 gallon(s) a day is the recommended amount but plan appropriately for cooler temps in Winter, Spring and Fall.
Check In 12:00 PM night of Rental until 12:00 PM the following day.
- This facility is located in an extremely remote and wild area; before making a reservation, become aware of bear, water, and weather safety (including cold)
- Recreating in Alaska can present both obvious and hidden dangers; please be aware of your surroundings and be prepared for extended stays due to occasionally poor weather
- Inclement weather may cause an unexpected extension of the trip; bring extra supplies to last two to five days
- In fall, winter and spring, the cabin may be inaccessible due to frozen lake surface (float planes cannot land); please contact the local Forest Service Ranger District at (907) 783-3242 to check conditions ahead of time
Potable water is not available at the cabin. Boil or treat all water collected from natural sources.
- Please pack out all trash and food
- It is advisable to pack insect repellent in the summer
- A Forest Order (10-04-00-14-47) that limits occupying/renting a public use rental cabin for more than seven consecutive days by any group or person
- Click here for more information about Chugach National Forest
- Don't Move Firewood: Prevent the spread of tree-killing pests by purchasing firewood near your destination and burning it on-site. For more information visit dontmovefirewood.org.
Natural Features
Coghill Lake Cabin is surrounded by rolling hills on the edge of a stand of conifer trees next to a shallow lagoon, which is connected to the lake by a passage. The cabin offers a view of most of the lagoon, with the Chugach Mountains and glaciers in the background.
A large variety of wildlife lives in the area, including Sitka black-tailed deer, bald eagles, waterfowl and river otter. The Coghill Lake area is particularly known for its black bear population, so visitors are urged to practice bear safety (learn about bear safety).
Recreation
Salmon fishing is excellent from the lakeshore and the lagoon. Anglers can fish for sockeye from mid-June through July, pink and chum in July and August, and Coho salmon in August and September. Dolly Varden trout fishing is also good from May through October. The Coghill River, which connects the lagoon to College Fiord, is also a popular spot for sockeye fishing.
Recreationalists seeking a bit more adventure can elect to hike in the primitive 3 mile trail from Port Wells with packrafts and float back out the Class 1-2 Coghill River. Be aware that throughout mid summer there is a fish counting weir near the lake outlet that will need to be portaged. This portage is a short but brushy side trail found on river right.
Guests can use the small rowboat and oars provided by the Forest Service; please provide your own personal floatation device. Hunting for black bear and waterfowl is available during designated seasons. Permits are available through the State of Alaska.
Berry pickers will find plentiful salmonberries and blueberries near the cabin in season. Hikers have access to a challenging three-mile trail to Port Wells, but the brush is often thick and some route-finding skills are necessary.
Contact Information
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145 Forest Station Road, P.O. Box 129 GIRDWOOD AK 99587
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 907-783-3242
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
This Cabin is not accessible via the road system. The cabin is located on the southwest shore of Coghill Lake, on the lagoon just before Coghill River, on the east side of College Fiord in Prince William Sound.
Accessible via float plane (50 minutes from Anchorage or 60 minutes from Cordova). The lagoon has enough water to taxi a plane near the boardwalk by the cabin.
The cabin can also be accessed by a three mile, brushy, primitive trail from Port Wells.
Boats are not provided by the Forest Service.
Available Campsites
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