Inside Passage and Tongass National Forest
The Tongass National Forest covers 17 million acres and includes islands, mountains, glaciers, ice fields, fjords, waterfalls, and an abundance of wildlife. Included in the forest is Prince of Wales Island, one of the largest islands in the US. On the island is El Capitan cave, with a network of passages. Tours of the cave are offered by the Forest Service during the summer months.The Forest Service also provides rental cabins, most of which are accessible only by air.
Misty Fiords National Monument
Misty Fiords National Monument, located along the southern border of Tongass National Forest, was established in 1978 by President Jimmy Carter. It is an uninhabited area of wilderness and home to an abundance of wildlife. It was named Misty Fiords due to the almost constant precipitation in the area.Misty Fiords is a popular area for kayaking, camping, fishing, hiking, and sightseeing. The area is frequently visited by cruise ships or chartered boats. Ketchikan is the usual starting point for tours of Misty Fiords.
Address: Box 6117, Ketchikan, AK 99901, United States
Hyder, named after Frederick Hyder a Canadian mining engineer, was an important mining area in the 1920s. Gold, silver, copper, lead, zinc and tungsten were mined here until the 1950s, when the mines closed and the town became little more than a ghost town. Today the economy is based primarily on tourism.
The Inside Passage in southeast Alaska offers incredible scenery of glaciers, mountains, and ocean, and is home to an abundance of wildlife. This area is also inhabited by the Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian Indians.The most popular way to visit the area is to cruise through the fiords on cruiseships, charter boats, and private yachts, or to stop off the highway at Haines, Skagway, or Hyder.
Wrangell Museum, Wrangell
Clausen Memorial Museum, Petersburg
Clausen Memorial Museum provides information and displays on commercial fishing and canning, the Tlingit people, and other miscellaneous items related to the history of the area.A 126 lb king salmon is on display along with a Tlingit dugout canoe, tools and artifacts. Furniture, clothing, photographs, business and personal items from local residents are also exhibited at the Clausen Memorial Museum to present home and community life.
Wrangell-St Elias National Park
The Wrangell-St Elias National Park is the largest and most magnificent of the National Parks of Alaska, with nine of the 16 highest peaks in the United States. This grandiose mountain region on the frontier with Canada contains numerous glaciers, lakes and mountain streams and is home to a rich variety of wild life. It is superb country for climbers, walkers and water sports enthusiasts.
Address: 106.8 Old Richardson Highway, Copper Center, AK 99573, United States
Entrance fee: FREE
Useful tips: The primary season for visiting Wrangell-St. Elias is early June through mid-September. Winter arrives early to interior Alaska and by September 15th, available services and facilities are few.
Hubbard Glacier is 76 miles long, 6 miles wide and 300 feet deep, making it the largest in North America. It is known as a fast flowing glacier and as "Galloping Glacier".In 1986, Hubbard Glacier temporarily closed the connection between Russell Fiord and Disenchantment Bay. In 2002, this happened again and scientists predict this will happen in the future!