Wrangell AK

Wrangell is a small town on the northern tip of Wrangell Island in Alaska's Inside Passage. It has been occupied by Tlingit people for thousands of years, then by Russians, British and Americans in turn, making it the only Alaskan town to have been governed by four nations. Petroglyph Beach, a short walk north of the ferry terminal, has rocks carved with ancient designs whose exact age and meaning are uncertain. Chief Shakes Tribal House, a reconstructed Tlingit clan house on a small island in the harbour, is surrounded by carved totem poles. The Anan Creek Wildlife Observatory, accessible by boat or floatplane about 50 kilometres south, has one of the largest concentrations of black bears and brown bears fishing for salmon in late summer. The Stikine River, which empties into the sea near town, offers jet boat tours into a wide, glacier-fed valley. Wrangell is quieter and less polished than Juneau or Ketchikan, which is part of its appeal.