Admiralty Island National Monument

Home to the highest density of brown bears in North America, wildlife activity abounds on this rugged island.

Embracing nearly a million acres of old growth rainforest, alpine tundra, and rugged coastline, Admiralty Island National Monument has been home to the Tlingít people for centuries, and to the brown bear even longer. The Tlingít call this island "Kootznoowoo," meaning "Fortress of the Bear," and their name is accurate.

Ecosystem

Located 15 miles southwest of Juneau, Admiralty Island is bounded on the east and north by Stephens Passage, on the west by Chatham Strait and on the south by Frederick Sound. Admiralty is a rugged island, with mountains that rise to 4,650 feet and covered by tundra and even permanent icefields. Numerous lakes, rivers and open areas of muskeg break up the coastal rain forest of Sitka spruce and western hemlock. More than 90 percent of the monument is designated as the Kootznoowoo Wilderness while the lone community is Angoon, a predominantly Tlingit village at the mouth of Mitchell Bay on the west side of the island.

Wildlife

The 956,155-acre monument is home to an estimated 1,600 brown bears, the highest concentration anywhere in the world, and more brown bears than the rest of the states combined. The island also has the world's greatest concentration of nesting bald eagles. More than 5,000 eagles live on Admiralty Island and average a nest every mile along the coastline of Seymour Canal.

Admiralty Island has a variety of other wildlife as well. Bays such as Mitchell, Hood, Whitewater and Chaik contain harbor seals, porpoises and sea lions. Humpback whales can often be spotted feeding in Seymour Canal. Sitka black-tailed deer are plentiful, and the streams choke with all five species of Pacific salmon that spawn in July and August.

Activities

Admiralty Island is best known for bear viewing at Pack Creek, preserved as the Stan Price State Wildlife Sanctuary. Most visitors to Pack Creek arrive on float planes from Juneau just for the day. Upon arrival, they are met by a ranger and then hike a mile-long trail to an observation tower from which they can watch brown bears feed on spawning salmon.

Kayaking in Seymour Canal is also popular; with an expansive 32-mile trail system that links eight major lakes and seven portages, paddlers can travel from the east end of Mitchell Bay to Mole Harbor in Seymour Canal. Other popular activities include hunting, fishing, bird watching, nature study and photography.