Yakutat Wildlife Viewing

Contact us to learn more about planning your wildlife viewing adventures as part of your Yakutat visit.

 

 

 

 

 

Coastal brown bears and black bears are commonly seen throughout the Yakutat area. They are most often found near their sources of food, fishing along rivers and shorelines, and roaming trails for fresh berries. Remember that they are wild animals and keep your distance, especially around females with cubs. We are happy to loan you some bear spray if you are going on a hike to ensure your safety on your adventure.

Moose also frequent the Yakutat area. They tend to like meadows and boggy areas and can often be seen from the road. Please drive carefully if you come across a moose, they are much bigger than you might think! Cow moose with calves can be even more aggressive than bears, so never get too close.

Yakutat’s mild, wet climate and diverse landscape consisting of marshes, shrub lands, rivers, and deep-water fjords is surrounded by coastal mountains, ice fields, and thick rainforest providing an excellent environment for booming populations of wildlife  both on land and in the water. This region boasts the largest population of bald eagles in the world, housed in the nation’s largest forest – the Tongass National Forest.

Whales, sea otters, seals, sea lions, seabirds and porpoise are common sights just a short boat ride from the lodge. These animals live in and migrate through Southeast Alaskan waters.

The Yakutat area is world-renowned for its Spring and Fall Steelhead run in the Situk River, along with an excellent run of Sockeye salmon in the Summer and Silvers in the Fall.

One of the largest nesting sites for arctic and Aleutian terns is also found here, and the Yakutat Nature Society celebrates these impressive aerialists along with Yakutat’s other natural and cultural resources during the annual Yakutat Tern Festival. You can see more about this festival and how it may fit into your trip at www.yakutatternfestival.org.