Page 128 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide 2017 - Alaska

126  ALASK A AREA B Y AREA

Exploring Southeast Alaska

The Southeast, often the first part of the state seen
by visitors traveling north, is archetypal Alaska. The
main towns – bustling Ketchikan, beautiful Sitka,
friendly little Wrangell, and Juneau, the capital – enjoy
spectacular settings along narrow ocean channels
next to rainforested slopes and glaciated peaks. The
Tongass National Forest covers almost the entire region, Totem pole topped by a bald eagle at
including lush Prince of Wales Island and Misty Fiords Saxman Totem Park near Ketchikan
National Monument. Anan Creek Wildlife Observatory
and Admiralty Island National Monument offer excellent
bear viewing, while Glacier Bay National Park and the
Juneau Icefield provide awe-inspiring vistas. Malaspina
Glacier
Yakutat
Bay
YAKUTAT
GOLD RUSH
HAINES
TATSHENSHINI- CUT-OFF TOUR ROUTES
G
ALSEK RIVERS
u
l SKAGWAY
f
HAINES

o GLACIER BAY
f
N ATIONAL PARK
Juneau
A AND PRESERVE Icefield
l Saint Mendenhall
a Therese Glacier
Gustavus Shrine
s
Sights at a Glance k a Cape Spencer Icy Strait Douglas JUNEAU
Elfin Cove Hoonah C
Towns, Cities, and Islands o
Yakobi Island Chichagof a
1 Ketchikan Pelican Island s
2 Metlakatla t

4 Hyder TENAKEE M
SPRINGS
5 Prince of Wales Island Angoon ADMIRALTY ISLAND o
6 Wrangell
8 Petersburg u n t a i n s
0 Sitka Kruzof C h a t h a m Frederick
Is
Sound
q Tenakee Springs Kake
NATIONAL MONUMENT
e Juneau pp142–5 A Kupreanof
t Haines l Baranof Island PETERSBURG
e
y Skagway x Island Tongass
Creek Street above Ketchikan Creek, Ketchikan National MITKOF HWY
SITKA S t r a i t
p Yakutat a
Forest WRANGELL
n
National and State Parks d Port Alexander Point Baker Wrangell Mt Willibert
6,759 ft
Getting Around 3 Misty Fiords National Monument e r Cape Ommaney Island ANAN CREEK
The best way to get around Southeast Alaska 7 Anan Creek Wildlife Observatory Christian Coffman WILDLIFE OBSERVATORY
Sound
is by plane, both on the scheduled flights that w Admiralty Island National Cove Cleveland
Peninsula
A
connect Skagway, Juneau, Sitka, Wrangell, Monument r Coronation Meyers Chuck HYDER
Is
Petersburg, and Ketchikan, and the floatplanes r Glacier Bay National Park and c Klawock Revillagigedo
Island
that fly to remote homesteads and lodges. The Preserve pp146–7 h i Noyes Is Craig Hollis KETCHIKAN
Alaska Marine Highway is a lifeline, with ferries p MISTY FIORDS
connecting most towns. Other companies Areas of Natural Beauty e l Baker Is Saxman NATIONAL MONUMENT
provide access to Prince of Wales Island and 9 Mitkof Highway a Hydaburg Kasaan
Glacier Bay National Park. Although Haines, o Tatshenshini-Alsek Rivers g o
Skagway, and Hyder are linked to the Canadian Dall METLAKATLA
Is
PRINCE OF WALES ISLAND
highway system, the lack of continuous roads Tours
within the region means that cars are not very u Gold Rush Routes pp152–3
helpful in getting around, except along the i Haines Cut-Off Tour p154
limited highways around individual towns.
For hotels and restaurants in this area see pp243–4 and pp253–54
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