South Prince of Wales Wilderness

Located in the Tongass National Forest in Alaska.

Location: The area is at the southern tip of Prince of Wales Island approximately 40 air miles southwest of Ketchikan, Alaska. It lies to the east of Cordova Bay in the area known as Dixon Entrance.

Size: The area is 90,996 acres in size.

Access: South Prince of Wales is accessible by floatplane or boat. Small boat access is typically limited to the summer months because open waters of Dixon Entrance can be hazardous.

Area Description: A diversity of landforms contributes to the unique character of the area. The southern Barrier islands are in Cordova Bay on the west side and near the south end of the unit. This group is composed of about 76 small islands and innumerable smaller rocks. The islands range in size from a few acres to over 500 acres. They are open to the south, and ocean storms sweep in with unbroken force. The trees are stunted and wind formed.

Terrain on the main island is varied. The southeastern part is low in elevation with undulating topography broken by numerous streams, lakes, bays, and wetlands. Klakas Inlet, in contrast, is a 12-mile-long arm of Cordova Bay. It is 1/2 to 1/4 mile wide, with the land mass rising sharply from sea level approximately 2,000 feet.

Vegetation in the area is highly variable, and includes dense stands of old-growth Sitka spruce, western hemlock, Alaska-cedar, western red cedar, and several minor tree species. Numerous shrubs, forbs, wildflowers, and grasses occur; vegetation is typical of a spruce-hemlock rainforest. Annual precipitation exceeds 100 inches per year.

Black bear, wolf, Sitka black-tailed deer, fur bearers, land and shore birds, and bald eagles inhabit the area. Many species of waterfowl migrate along the coastline of the area with a few species nesting in the estuarine and stream course wetlands.

Coho, sockeye, pink, chum salmon, cutthroat, rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden char occur in many of the lakes and streams. The most notable shellfish and marine fish species are dungeness and tanner crab, shrimp, herring, and halibut.

The ocean-influenced tidal community consists of abalone, giant barnacles, clams, large mussels, octopus, sea urchins, sea anemones, and starfish. Sea otters have been transplanted to the area and are doing well. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports this area as one of the better sea otter habitats in Southeast Alaska. Other wildlife common to the area are the numerous species of sea birds and sea mammals.

Prospectors over the years have filed several hundred mining claims in this area, including some for uranium near the eastern boundary.

Special Features: The first Haida Indian village in Southeast Alaska, Klinkwan, is within the South Prince of Wales Island Wilderness Area, and is located about 40 miles southwest of Ketchikan. This village was established in the 19th Century, and abandoned in 1911. This historical village site has been selected by the Sealaska Regional Corporation as part of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971.

For further information contact: Craig Ranger District - Tongass National Forest