Page 319 - Vacation Country Travel Guide

Susi Zimmermann Bill Feller

ANAN WILDLIFE OBSERVATORY

Wrangell,Alaska

A generation or two ago, Anan Wildlife and nestled in the Tongass National Forest,
Observatory was only known to the locals of the observatory offers visitors a chance to
Wrangell, Alaska. Before the observatory, the be within feet of these giants of the forest.
photo blind, trail and stairs, there were only Anan Creek was an ancient fishing ground
salmon and the bears. Tourists wandering for the Stikine Tlingit clans who would catch
into Wrangell had to be convinced to take an and preserve the large salmon run for their
hour boat ride, land on a rocky beach and hike winter food reserves. Today this creek still
into a dark, overgrown forest with only the has one of the largest pink salmon run in
guide they had just met a few hours before. Southeast Alaska. Both black and brown
But for those brave individuals who listened bears are attracted to the creek with mainly
to local guides, they were rewarded with an mothers, their cubs and juvenile bears taking
experience right out of a high adventure novel. advantage of the abundance of fish.
Today, Anan Wildlife Observatory is a world Dee Galla, Outdoor Recreation Planner for
class bear viewing destination. Located 30 Anan with the Wrangell Ranger District, said
miles southeast of the town of Wrangell that during the July-August salmon run there

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