Maurelle Islands Wilderness
The Maurelle Islands, a group of nearly 30 dots of land rising less than 400 feet above the waves at their highest point, are best known for the abundance of marine mammals that populate their waters: humpback whales; sea otters; Steller's sea lions; and seals. Windswept beaches occasionally break the rocky shoreline. Numerous rocky shoals make boating around the Maurelles potentially dangerous, but the sea kayaking can be worth the risk. Tall stands of Sitka spruce and western hemlock, often tortured by the wind, thickly cover most of the islands. Black bears, black-tailed deer, and wolves inhabit the larger islands in limited numbers. Seabirds and bald eagles are commonly seen.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Alaska |
| Size | 4,814 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 55.65° N, 133.61° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 6) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Maurelle Islands Wilderness?
4,814 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Maurelle Islands Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Maurelle Islands Wilderness in?
Alaska.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Maurelle Islands Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Maurelle Islands Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 55.647° N, 133.614° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.