Wrangell Alaska

The City and Borough of Wrangell (Tlingit: Ḵaachx̱aana.áakʼw) is a borough in Alaska. The Tlingit people residing in the Wrangell area, who were there centuries before Europeans, call themselves the Shtaxʼhéen Ḵwáan after the nearby Stikine River. Alternately they use the autonym Shxʼát Ḵwáan, where the meaning of shxʼát is unknown.

Wildlife abounds in Wrangell Alaska. A variety of excursions get you up close to glaciers, black and brown bears, eagles, sea lions, harbor seals, whales, salmon and halibut to name a few. The Anan Bear and Wildlife Observatory is a favorite spot to view brown and black bears feasting on salmon.

Other historic and cultural attractions In Wrangell include Chief Shakes Island and Tribal House and Petroglyph Beach State Historic Park. For golf enthusiasts, Wrangell, Alaska is proud to be the home of Muskeg Meadows, the only regulation USGA rated golf course in Southeast Alaska, which has tournaments almost every weekend.
Travel the Stikine River to visit the places where gold miners camped and garnets were mined, and see the abundant wildlife that lured the Hudson Bay Company to establish a settlement.

Petroglyph Beach:

Some of the best surviving examples of native artistic expression are petroglyphs found in southeast Alaska. Petroglyph is a word derived from the Greek “petra” and “glyphe” for rock and carving. Petroglyphs are designs or symbols pecked into rocks. They are found on boulders and bedrock outcrops on the shore just above or below mean high tide usually near important salmon streams and habitation sites. The rock is metamorphic and tends to be dark gray, fine grained, moderately hard and durable, and highly fractured. Beach access is easy. There is an accessible boardwalk to a deck overlooking Petroglyph Beach, the Stikine River and Zimovia Straits.

Anan Anan Bear and Wildlife Observatory:

Anan Creek is an ancient Tlingit native fishing site. The Anan estuary and Observatory is accessible by boat or plane. Anan Creek has the largest pink salmon run in Southeast Alaska, attracting significant numbers of black and brown bears to feast on the bounty. The U.S. Forest Service has developed an Observatory, a covered deck area, that gives you an opportunity to watch the bears up close. The observation platform and photo blind overlook cascading falls where the salmon jump up river and the bears catch their meal. Accessible by boat or floatplane.

Sportfishing:

Huge runs of salmon migrate from the open ocean, around Prince of Wales Island, and into the protected waters of the Inside passage near Ketchikan. This mass gathering of five species of salmon is the reason that this area is known as the “Salmon capitol of the world”. This region of Alaska is particularly noted for its strong runs of trophy fish. The finest salt water fishing for giant halibut, red snapper, ling cod, and rock cod is also available.

Flightseeing:

Depart the Wrangell waterfront and immediately enter the lush wilderness of the Tongass National Forest with an experienced Alaska bush pilot. Whether you want to land on a mountain lake, fly over fjords, view glaciers and wildlife or just enjoy the phenomenal and breathtaking beauty of the last frontier. Scheduled services are also available to Prince of Wales, Metlakatla, and Hyder.

Weather:

Wrangell is in the maritime climatic zone and experiences cool summers, mild winters, and year-round rainfall. Summer temperatures typically range from 42 to 64; winter temperatures range from 21 to 44. Average annual precipitation is 82 inches, including 64 inches of snowfall. Fog is common from September through December.

Location:

The City of Wrangell is located on the northwest tip of Wrangell Island, 155 miles south of Juneau and 89 miles northwest of Ketchikan. It is near the mouth of the Stikine River, a historic trade route to the Canadian Interior.

Transportation:

Wrangell can be accessed by jet directly from Seattle. You can also get to Wrangell via Alaska’s Marine Highway System. Wrangell has harbor facilities and moorage for private yachts and sailboats. Kayak, canoe, and skiff rentals and charter flights can also be arranged. Private planes can land at the municipal airport.

Services/Accommodations:

Wrangell has major visitor amenities and services. Accommodations range from hotels and bed and breakfasts to Forest Service cabins. Cafes, eateries and grocery stores are also available along with outdoor equipment rentals including kayaks, canoes, and bicycles. Wrangell has its own hospital and clinic facilities. Accommodations range from hotels and bed and breakfasts to Forest Service cabins and three-sided public use shelters.