Saint Lazaria Wilderness
Rising no more than 180 feet above the surging ocean at the entrance to Sitka Sound, Saint Lazaria Island was initially established as a refuge for seabirds, later became Wilderness, and has since been added as a subunit to the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Saint Lazaria has two low summits, forested with mature Sitka spruce, which are connected by a bare saddle that is washed by waves at high tide. Cliffs topped with lush grasses fall to the sea. Among the tangled tree roots are the burrows of petrels, tufted puffins, and rhinoceros auklets. Pigeon guillemots create a nest-scrape in rocky crevices near common murres, glaucous-winged gulls, and pelagic cormorants.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service |
| State | Alaska |
| Size | 65 acres |
| Designated | 1970, by Congress |
| Center point | 56.99° N, 135.71° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 6) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
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
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 14.1 miJaponski Island Boathouse ↗National Historic Landmark
- 14.3 miAlaska Native Brotherhood Hall ↗National Historic Landmark
- 14.4 miRussian-American Building No. 29 ↗National Historic Landmark
- 14.5 miAmerican Flag Raising Site ↗National Historic Landmark
- 14.5 miSt. Michael's Cathedral ↗National Historic Landmark
- 14.7 miRussian Bishop's House ↗National Historic Landmark
- 15 miSheldon Jackson School ↗National Historic Landmark
- 14.3 mi
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Alaska
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Saint Lazaria Wilderness?
65 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Saint Lazaria Wilderness?
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Saint Lazaria Wilderness in?
Alaska.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Saint Lazaria Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1970.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Saint Lazaria Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Saint Lazaria Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 56.986° N, 135.710° W. Sitka National Historical Park is 15 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Saint Lazaria Wilderness?
Sitka National Historical Park (15 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Saint Lazaria Wilderness?
The National Register has 19 listings within 15 miles, including Japonski Island Boathouse and Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall.
Source: Register Atlas
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.