Fourteen Clan Houses remain in Angoon, including Raven House, Needlefish House, Steel House, Dog Salmon House, and Killerwhale House. The community brings this cultural heritage together with opportunities for hiking and paddling. When planning your visit, it’s worth considering the different options: a day visit focused on Tlingit culture, a loop trail at Danger Point, or a longer canoe route.

Plan Your Arrival and Stay

Angoon is accessible only by air and water. Ferries operated by the Alaska Marine Highway System dock at a state-owned terminal south of Angoon. If you’re traveling by ferry, factor the schedule into your plans. When searching for a vacation rental, you can also consider your preferred way of arriving and the focus of your stay together: Would you mainly like to learn about cultural heritage, hike, or plan a paddling trip?

During a day visit to Angoon, you can observe and learn more about Tlingit culture. The Clan Houses line Beaver Trail Road. Among the 14 houses that remain are Raven House, Needlefish House, Steel House, Dog Salmon House, and Killerwhale House. These names provide tangible points of reference for the community’s cultural heritage, though they do not all tell the same story.

A faded decorative orca painting on the exterior wall marks Killerwhale House; it is one of the few surviving paintings of its kind on the Northwest Coast. St. John the Baptist Church is also an important historic landmark in the community: it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. Another part of Angoon’s history is the bombardment of the community in 1882. Homes and winter stores were destroyed, and all but one canoe were lost.

Hike or Get Out on the Water

The Danger Point Trail is a 2.5-mile loop hike through old-growth forest. It ends at a prominent coastal bluff with views of Chatham Strait and nearby islands. Danger Point is also a good place for whale watching in summer. You can choose between the loop trail and a paddling trip based on your interests: one focuses on hiking and views, the other on a route across the water.

Angoon is a starting point for numerous kayak and canoe trips into Admiralty Island National Monument. These include the 32-mile Cross Admiralty Canoe Route between Angoon and Seymour Canal. It connects seven mountain lakes, trails, and portages for kayaking and canoeing across the island. The current route, including its cabins and shelters, was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. The distances clearly distinguish the 2.5-mile Danger Point loop hike from the 32-mile water route; they are two different ways to explore the area.

Pack Creek and Bear Viewing

Pack Creek, also called the Stan Price State Wildlife Sanctuary, is a distinct nature attraction on Admiralty Island. It is managed jointly to enable low-impact brown bear viewing. Visitors can watch and photograph bears fishing for salmon and interacting with one another. Pack Creek has no road access; it can be reached only by floatplane or watercraft. If you’re interested in this bear-viewing destination, getting there is therefore a separate part of your planning.

Angoon’s cultural and scenic attractions offer different experiences: Clan Houses and historic sites alongside a loop hike and a longer water route. When planning your stay, consider which of these interests you most and how your travel arrangements fit.

Discover more destinations: Gustavus, Skagway.

For the broader travel overview: Hoonah-Angoon Census Area.