Recreation and Road Report for August 10 – 14

This is the weekly Recreation and Road report for August 10 through 14, 2026, from your Forest Service Interpreters at the Wrangell Ranger District.

Road Conditions, Construction and Logging Activity:

• Middle Ridge Road is closed until reconstruction is complete in 2027.
• The mainline, McCormick Creek Road, FR #6265, is washed out and impassable at milepost 13, just past Highbush Lake Road.
• Highbush Lake Road, FR #50040, has a slide across it but is passable with a high-clearance vehicle.
• Roosevelt Dock on Zarembo Island is closed until further notice. Repairs are delayed due to supply chain issues.
• Trees are down on Zarembo Island roads near Roosevelt Harbor. These areas are ATV-accessible, but cars can’t get through.
• There may be logging activity on FR #51720 on Etolin Island, as well as activity at the LTF. Be prepared for traffic delays.
• The Forest Service is working on road repair, but a completion date is unknown at this time..
• The Wrangell Ranger District reminds everyone to be safe when working or recreating on the Tongass.

Anan Wildlife Observatory:

• Wildlife update from the Anan Rangers: Black bears have been seen daily. Brown bears have been seen every other day or so. The fish are in good numbers and Anan bears are catching a lot of fish. There are three sets of cubs at Anan: black bear triplets, black bear twins, and brown bear twins.
• More bears have been seen on the trail. Visitors to Anan are advised to pay attention to the safety talk at the trailhead to learn how to handle encounters with bears.
• You can view the Anan bears online on the Anan livestream at Explore.org. You can find a shortcut to the livestream on KSTK.org. Look for the “Anan Live Bear Cam” link in the right-hand column of the KSTK website. You can also find the Bear Bingo game and more information on the Friends of Anan Facebook page or website. Prizes are available for Bear Bingo winners.
• Permits to visit Anan are required until August 25th. There are still some permits available on recreation.gov for $30. Permits allow you to visit Anan, but you’ll need to find your own transportation by boat or floatplane.
• If no permits are available on recreation.gov for the day that you are interested in, four permits each day are available through weekly lotteries.
• All lottery requests must be made in person at the Wrangell Ranger District office. Weekly requests will be collected by Mondays at 4:30 and awarded on Tuesdays by noon.  

The request schedule is as follows:

• For those who will need to purchase transportation to Anan, contact an authorized guide directly for both passage and permits.

Recreational Reminders:

• Stikine River sockeye harvest reports are due. Stikine River sockeye fishing closed on August 1st.  Those who need to submit a report may do so at the US Forest Service office.
• The Wrangell Ranger District reminds everyone to be careful with campfires. Completely extinguish fires, don’t leave fires unattended, and build fires on durable surfaces like rock or sand, not on vegetative debris.
• Áax’w Sáani (Little Lakes) cabin is under construction. It’s expected to be complete sometime in August. Expect short traffic delays on FR #6277.
• There was a human-bear interaction near Three-Way Pass last month. To reduce such interactions, be aware of your surroundings when in bear country, carry bear spray with you, talk loudly, and make noise.
• This week the USFS Interpretive Crew is helping Parks and Recreation with Nature Week. Kids are invited for fun ocean-themed activities.
• There’s a huge candy bowl on the Forest Service office front desk. The Rangers want your help eating it.
• The Wrangell Ranger District hopes everyone enjoyed Bearfest last week. The Rangers had a beary fun time.

This announcement is courtesy of KSTK and your Wrangell Ranger District.