Admiralty Island Province
Admiralty is the second-largest island in the Alexander Archipelago. At 96 miles in length and 30 miles in width, it dominates the northern half of the Panhandle. It embraces 678 miles of highly irregular coastline with many bays and estuaries.

Dense spruce and hemlock forests cover much of the island. There are broad valley systems that are unbroken green carpets of pristine wilderness. The area is wet (100+ inches of rainfall per year!) climax forest in which underbrush and downed trees frequently make foot travel difficult.

A spine of mountains runs up the north of the island, with dark forests giving way to alpine meadows and a parkland of flowers and lush grasses. This spine tapers needle-like to Point Retreat, a favorite fishing spot. South of the spine a vast mid-island lowlands area embraces myriad lakes and streams.

The brown bear is prolific on the island, with a population estimated to be over 1,000 bears. Bears outnumber people, and bald eagles outnumber bears -- about 2,500 eagles live here.

Angoon, at the entrance to Mitchell Bay, is a community populated by Tlingit Indians. Its physical isolation, coupled with the grandeur of the land in which they live, has set it apart from other towns in southeast Alaska in terms of culture and lifestyle.

Permit Information
Backcountry campers and hikers are required to obtain a free permit from the Glacier Bay Visitor Center in Bartlett Cove.

Directions
The island dominates the northern half of the Panhandle and is more or less half way between the cities of Juneau and Sitka. It is accessible by boat and airplane.

Information Center
The park's only visitor center is that in the Glacier Bay Province. It is located on the second level of the Glacier Bay Lodge in Bartlett Cove.

Activities