Wrangell Become a Travel Agent Near Me

The Stikine River has drawn anglers, loggers and gold miners to Wrangell for decades. Now this southeast Alaska town attracts tourists, many of whom arrive via small cruise ships.

The only Alaska community ruled under three flags by four nations—Russia, Great Britain, the U.S. and the much-feared Stikine Tlingits—Wrangell boasts a 5-mi/8-km waterfront bike path dotted with ancient rock drawings at Petroglyph Beach. Kiksetti Totem Park, Chief Shakes Island and Tribal House, and the Wrangell Museum provide a glimpse into the rich artistic heritage of Alaska Natives.

Wrangell is located near the mouth of the Stikine River, the fastest free-flowing, navigable river in North America, in an area that naturalist John Muir praised as a 100-mi-/161-km-long Yosemite.

Nearby, accessible by boat or airplane, are the LeConte Glacier, the southernmost tidewater glacier in North America, and the Anan Wildlife Observatory, a traditional Alaska Native hunting and fishing site where brown and black bears go to feed on pink salmon.

In April, as many as 1,600 bald eagles fly in to feast on the annual hooligan run, and 8,000-10,000 snow geese stop by on their annual migration.

Today, Wrangell relies on its salmon-fishing industry and tourism. Since 1952, Wrangell has held a king salmon fishing derby every May and June and draws a crowd of avid fishermen and prize-money seekers (more than US$25,000 is awarded in cash and prizes).

Must See or Do

Sights—Rock carvings at Petroglyph Beach State Historic Park; cultural heritage at Chief Shakes Island and Tribal House; natural wonders at the Stikine River and Anan Wildlife Observatory.

Museums—The Wrangell Museum for the oldest known Tlingit house posts (totems) in southeast Alaska, Alaska Native baskets and artifacts, and more than 5,000 photographs that document Wrangell's eclectic history.

Memorable Meals—Fresh fish and a great view of Zimovia Strait at The Stikine Inn Restaurant; deli sandwiches at Zak's Cafe or hamburgers at J&W's Fast Foods.

Late Night—Occasional music for special events at the Totem Bar and Liquor Store; a quiet evening admiring the view at the Stikine Inn Lounge; pizza and pool at the Marine Bar.

Walks—The Mount Dewey Trail, wending up the 400-ft/124-m hill in the downtown area; the waterfall at the end of the steep Rainbow Falls trail.

Especially for Kids—Making rubbings on the replicas of 8,000-year-old rock art on Petroglyph Beach; picking up garnets at Garnet Ledge at the mouth of the Stikine.

Geography

Located at the tip of Wrangell Island and 7 mi/11 km from the mouth of the 400-mi-/644-km-long Stikine River, Wrangell is a community focused on fishing and the outdoors. Jet boats, canoes, kayaks and rafts provide access to the glaciers, waterfalls, hot springs, lakes, sand bars and tributaries of the Stikine.

The Stikine delta is a hot spot for tundra swans, Canadian geese, sandhill cranes, mergansers, waterfowl and more than 200,000 shorebirds every spring and fall.

The community of Wrangell is compact, tucked along Zimovia Strait and around a small cove, with fish-processing plants, fishing boats and seaplanes. Around the harbor are picturesque buildings perched on pilings, wooded hillsides and snowcapped mountains.

In the middle of the harbor is Chief Shakes Island with the thrice-restored tribal house and house posts carved more than 200 years ago. Logging roads crisscross the island, so it's a great place for hiking and biking through previously logged areas.

History

Wrangell's vibrant history dates back perhaps 8,000 years, when some ancient people carved drawings into the rock along the beach. Their descendants were the powerful Stikine Tlingits, who lived in communities there when the first European settlers arrived in the 1700s. The Russians made their mark in Wrangell next: The Russian-American Company set up a fur-trading operation in 1834. It was leased to the British in 1840. The Brits named Wrangell Fort Stikine. The third flag to fly over the town was Old Glory, which was hoisted after Alaska was sold to the U.S. in 1867.

Stampeders heading for three gold rushes (the Stikine, Cassiar and Klondike) made Wrangell their base of operations from 1860 to 1890. In 1879-80 naturalist John Muir explored the area, was awed by the scenery, and wrote of his experiences in Notes From Alaska.

Several boom-and-bust cycles followed as commercial fishing, canneries (where thousands of Chinese people worked) and Alaska's first sawmill (1888) replaced fur trapping.

Today, two small sawmill operators continue production providing a substantial boost to the economy although it is nothing like the boom times of years past. Plans are in place to seek grants to grow the area’s timber program slightly, but the industrial shift has led to a stronger economic focus on tourism. This means more development along the waterfront to match the demand for those coming to the region for outdoor recreation.

Potpourri

Naturalist John Muir frequently visited Wrangell and used it as a base for his explorations of the Stikine River.

Famous lawman Wyatt Earp served as a deputy marshal in Wrangell for only 10 days before heading back to San Francisco because of his wife's pregnancy. Locals claim "Wrangell was too wild for Wyatt Earp."

Wrangell survived three gold rushes: 1861, 1872 and 1896. In 1872, this wild-west town housed 10,000 miners in a tent city on Cottonwood Island at the mouth of the Stikine. At that time, Wrangell had a cigar factory, two sawmills, two blacksmith shops, a shipyard, two breweries, two newspapers and not many women.

Called Redoubt St. Dionysius by the Russians, Fort Stikine by the British and Fort Wrangel by the Americans, Wrangell received its current name from the U.S. Postal Service in 1902.

Deadman's Island, by Wrangell airport, is reputed to be the place that deceased Chinese cannery laborers were preserved in salt brine barrels prior to their trip home to China for burial.

Norris Gift Shop is housed in the former Fort Wrangel Brewery Beer Hall. In 1898, a keg sold for US$0.40 per gallon and a dozen bottles of beer cost US$1.50.

Location

Wrangell is becoming a more popular stop for small ships, which sail from Petersburg through the spectacular scenery of Zimovia Strait and Wrangell Narrows to dock downtown. From the pier, it's a short walk along Front Street, the main waterfront road, to the sights and shops.

The visitors center is in the James and Elsie Nolan Museum and Civic Center, located a block from Front Street. It's open Monday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm, as well as when small cruise ships are in port.

Shore Excursions