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Wildlife
Viewing
Bears may be seen almost anywhere in the Yakutat area. Most
commonly, bears will be near their source of food such as near
rivers, along the shorelines, and of course, the city dump.
Always remember that they are wild animals and keep your
distance, especially around females with cubs. Moose
also frequent the Yakutat area. They tend to like the meadows
and boggy areas. Cow moose with calves can be even more
aggressive than bears so never get too close. Use a telephoto to
obtain your memorable photo.
Bird
watching
Each spring and fall outstanding photographic opportunities are
offered by huge migrations of shorebirds, raptors, and waterfowl
that pass along the coast near Yakutat.
Use binoculars or
spotting scopes to avoid disturbing the birds. All summer bald
eagles are prevalent along the salt water shores and the rivers.
Keep your eyes open to see the giant nests made by the nesting
pairs that are used year after year. |
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Beachcombing
Cannon
Beach is an expansive ocean beach along Yakutat Bay. After
storms, it is sometimes possible to find Japanese glass fishing
floats. For the more serious beachcomber, a short flight from
Yakutat to the Southeast will drop you in to remote ocean
beaches where you are likely to find all sorts of treasure.
Cannon Beach is named for the World War II cannons that were
installed to protect the area.
Back in
areas more accessible to Yakutat, there are plenty of other
beaches to comb. One option is to rent a skiff from the lodge to
access more places.
Glacier
Viewing
Book a
charter boat to take you to the face of Hubbard Glacier and
enjoy great scenery along the route. Bears are often seen along
the shores or on high mountain meadows. Near the glacier listen
to the sound that the ice makes in the water-it’s electric! You
may see ice calve from the glacier. The knowledgeable charter
captains will fill you in with stories and history of the area.
View all the
glaciers of the area on flight seeing excursion or drive the
road to the Dangerous River and hike the short distance to
Harlequin Lake. The lake is fed by Harlequin Glacier and usually
sports many wonderful blue icebergs.
Hiking
The
following trails are ready for hikers in Yakutat. Mountain Lake
Trail, Harlequin Lake Trail, Russell Fiord Trail, Situk Lake
Trail, Situk River Trail, Maggie John (Lower Situk) Trail, Fish
Train Trail, and Totem Trail (see detailed information at
www.seatrails.org/com_yakutat) Yakutat is also the jumping off point
for accessing the
UNESCO Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek World
Heritage Site which surrounds Yakutat, the
Tongass National Forest (largest National Forest),
Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve (largest National
Park and home to Mount St. Elias-the second highest peak in the United
States), and a portion of
Glacier Bay National Park.
Kayaking
ADD “Take a day to explore the natural beauty of
the bays back of Yakutat Bay. Enjoy the view of the towering mountains,
watch for wildlife along the shores and in the bay. Take your lunch
along and eat it on a deserted beach. Dig for some clams or do a little
fishing.
Photo
opportunities
With spectacular beauty in every direction, be sure your camera
has enough space for all the photographs you will want to take.
You may rent
or charter a boat to take you into the bay, rent a vehicle to
reach the places accessible by road, and follow the hiking
trails to find the rest. See the information on wildlife
viewing, birding, Wrangell-St. Elias National park, and Tongass
National Forest for additional information on photography
opportunities.
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Biking
More
information coming soon.
Surfing
Yakutat has become known for extreme surfing in both winter and
summer. Surfing gear is available for rent from the local surf
shop, Icy Waves (see trip planning for link and contact info).
The surf shop has a website where tee shirts imprinted with “The
Far North Shore” may be purchased. The shop proprietors are also
an excellent source of more details about Yakutat surfing
opportunities.
Flight
seeing
Flight
seeing is available with small planes operated by two companies
in Yakutat. These flights are custom charters that can include a
ride northeast up Yakutat Bay with a return down across Russell
Fjord, along the mountains to the southeast, or anywhere you
would like to go. It is an excellent way to utilize a partial
day in Yakutat. Or jump onto a mail plane and experience an
economical flight seeing tour along the day’s route. Either
Alsek Air or Yakutat Coastal Airlines can take you on your
exploration.
Yakutat
historical sightseeing
See cannons
that protected the area during WWII, an old military tank, WWII
era hangar (home of a future WWII aviation museum), the fish
train, and more as you tour Yakutat.
CULTURAL EXPERIENCES
Life in Yakutat is rich with the culture of the Native people of
the area. Here the elders share their knowledge and wisdom
through storytelling in the local community gathering place.
Hear their story and see the traditional dress regalia of the Tlingit people. Ask about opportunities to hear elders
storytellers or see the local Tlingit dance group perform when you make
your reservations. |