Anan wildlife observatory
Particularly famous for viewing both black and brown bears, Anan is also home to seals, otters, occasional whales, eagles, and many others.
bear viewing at anan
Tour Description
- Every year, from early July into mid-August, as many as 300,000 salmon return to spawn in Anan Creek. That means the Anan Bear & Wildlife Observatory is a paradise for bears. It is also one of the few places in the world where black and brown bears share the same fishing spot. Anan is located within the Tongass National Forest and has special protected status for two miles on either side of the creek.
- Our Anan trips begin with an hour-long jetboat ride through the Back Channel, a scenic waterway separating Wrangell Island from the mainland. Upon arrival at the observatory trailhead, we're greeted by USFS interpreters who give a quick talk about proper people behavior in bear country. It’s an easy to moderate half-mile walk from the beach to the viewing platform. The trail winds through the rainforest, along a lagoon on a boardwalk with steps. It’s not unusual to see bears on the trail. The viewing platform overlooks a small waterfall.
- The bears gather where the fish pool together, attempting to leap over the falls. During the salmon run, more than a hundred bears may come to the cold waters of the creek to eat their fill, and because the bears are interested only in the fattiest parts of the fish, there’s plenty left for other animals: bald eagles, ravens, otters, harbor seals, and more.
- The bears are habituated to human presence on the viewing platform, so they simply go about their business of eating and getting fat for the winter. Bears wade into the stream, grab a fish, and then come back ashore, as if posing for photos. Our guides carry guns and pepper spray for your safety and the bears'. There has never been an injury incident involving human and bear interactions at Anan, however we don’t recommend this tour for children under seven. Please call for more information.
A juvenile bald eagle and a young black bear cub share a tree near the observation deck.