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Petersburg Creek - Duncan Salt Chuck Wilderness Area

At the doorstep of civilization, the Petersburg Creek-Duncan Salt Chuck Wilderness can be expected to furnish to many the refreshment of the wilderness experience.

The United States Congress designated the Petersburg Creek-Duncan Salt Chuck Wilderness Area in 1980 and it now has a total of 46,849 acres. Its major features are Petersburg Creek, which spills down a glacier-cut valley with vertical granite outcroppings along the way, mountain peaks overlooking the valley which reach their highest point at 3,577 feet, and the Duncan Salt Chuck, a large, tidally influenced salt marsh. Rocky rapids constrict the salt chuck's opening to the sea, making slack high-tide the safest time to approach.

Streams within the wilderness, the largest of which are Petersburg Creek and Salt Chuck Creek, support runs of Dolly Varden char, steelhead trout, and pink, sockeye, chum, and coho salmon. Full-time and part-time residents include big game such as moose and deer, birds such as eagles and ospreys, and furbearers such as wolves, wolverines, beaver, marten, and mink. Black bear populations are especially dense. Typical of southeastern Alaska, spruce and hemlock fill most of the forest. Thick undergrowth includes the fearsome devil's club, whose spikes have been known to rip the clothes of careless hikers. Wind is common all year, accompanied by rain in the summer and snow in the winter, with snow accumulations reaching 200 inches on the area's mountaintops.

The area lies on northeastern Kupreanof Island, near the village of Kupreanof and just across the Wrangell Narrows from the town of Petersburg. Easy access means many people visit to fish, hunt, picnic, hike, and camp. The eastern boundary is easily reached by boat from Petersburg by going across Wrangell Narrows to Kupreanof State Dock or Petersburg Creek.  Two trails start at the State Dock.  The east trail is the Petersburg Mountain Trail.  This trail is rated as most difficult because it rises from sea level to about 2,800 feet in 3.5 miles.  The west trail is the Petersburg Lake Trail.  This trail is rated more difficult, although portions of it are boardwalk.  Both trails are maintained to wilderness standards and may be narrow or difficult to see. The western boundary of the wilderness can be reached by the Portage Mountain Loop Trail, which connects to the Petersburg Lake Trail, or by boat or floatplane.  Floatplanes can land on Duncan Salt Chuck or Petersburg Lake.

There are two Forest Service public recreation cabins available, Petersburg Lake and Salt Chuck East. Wilderness camping is allowed but should be done using Leave No Trace guidelines. People are encouraged to take home pictures and memories but leave only footprints.

USDA Forest Service - Tongass National Forest Accessibility Statement
Last Modified: May 05, 2006