Wrangell Island

Wrangell Island is an inhabited island in southeastern Alaska’s Alexander Archipelago, and it contains the principal settlement of Wrangell. The island is part of the coastal archipelago and supports both community life and maritime access.

The town of Wrangell provides visitor services, museums that interpret local Tlingit and colonial history, and access to outdoor activities such as coastal wildlife viewing and forested trails. The island landscape includes beaches, tidal flats and wooded slopes.

The island and its harbour have long been part of Tlingit territory and later saw use by Russian fur traders and the Russian-American Company in the 19th century before becoming part of the United States. These layers of history are reflected in local cultural sites and museums.

Wrangell Island lies in the northern part of the Alexander Archipelago in southeastern Alaska, set among other coastal islands and near the mouth of the Stikine River system. The island is maritime in character and linked to regional sea routes.

• Main settlement: The island is home to the town of Wrangell, which serves as the principal settlement and access point for visitors and services.
• Geographic setting: The island lies within the Alexander Archipelago and is part of southeastern Alaska’s coastal island chain with forested terrain and shoreline features.

What to See#

• Wrangell (town): The town and borough centre on the island is the primary settlement with harbours, local services and historic sites linked to indigenous and colonial histories.

• Visit in summer (late spring-early fall) when scheduled flights and the Alaska Marine Highway serve Wrangell-outside that season access is very limited.
• Plan arrivals and departures around the ferry/flight schedules and allow extra time for local connections; services in town are limited compared with larger hubs.
• Don't miss local Tlingit heritage sites in town - Petroglyph Beach State Historic Site and the totem poles are compact, easy to reach, and often overlooked by visitors focused only on wilderness activities.