An unassuming timber and fishing community, Wrangell sits on the northern tip of Wrangell Island, near the mouth of the fast-flowing Stikine River—North America's largest undammed river. The Stikine plays a large role in the lives of many Wrangell residents, including those who grew up homesteading on the islands that pepper the area. Trips on the river with local guides are highly recommended for the insight they provide into the Stikine and a very Alaskan way of life. Like much of Southeast, Wrangell has suffered in recent years from a declining resource-based economy. But locals are working to build tourism. Bearfest celebrates Wrangell's proximity to the Anan Wildlife Observatory, where you can get a close-up view of brown and black bears.
Rough-around-the-edges Wrangell is off the track of the larger cruise ships, so it doesn’t get the same seasonal traffic that Ketchikan and Juneau do. Its downtown is nearly devoid of the souvenir shops that dominate so many of its counterparts elsewhere, and the gift shops and art galleries that are here sell locally created work. Wrangell is very welcoming to visitors; independent travelers would do well to add a stop here during their Southeast wanderings.
