West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness
This Wilderness occupies the western portions of Chichagof and Yakobi Islands in the extreme northwest portion of the Alexander Archipelago of Southeast Alaska and is administered by both the Sitka and Hoonah Ranger Districts. Chichagof Island and, just to the north, smaller Yakobi Island, were named for a Russian admiral and a general, respectively. Western hemlock and Sitka spruce forests cover approximately 1/3 of the area, with muskeg, alpine, and estuarine vegetation making up the rest. The diminutive Sitka black-tailed deer is common here. Brown bears are frequently sighted, along with an abundance of smaller furbearing animals.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Alaska |
| Size | 271,348 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 57.72° N, 136.10° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground Forest Service recreation site
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
2 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary and 3 more are within ten miles of it. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trailheads and sites
The Forest Service lists 4 recreation sites inside this wilderness, among them 4 cabins. Each links to its page on fs.usda.gov, which carries the season, fees and current status.
- 7 mi
- 10 mi
- 16 miGreentop Cabin ↗Cabin
- 25 miSuloia Lake Cabin ↗Cabin
Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.
Trails
8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 11 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Drypass | 3.7 | |
| Stag River | 2.4 | |
| Goulding | 1.4 | |
| Greentop Cabin | 1 | |
| Stag Bay | 1 | |
| White Sulphur Springs | 0.9 | |
| Lake Suloia | 0.7 | |
| Didrickson | 0.1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 8 miCape Spencer Lighthouse ↗Yakutat, AK
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Alaska
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?
271,348 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness in?
Alaska.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at West Chichagof-Yakobi 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 West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 57.722° N, 136.100° W. Sitka National Historical Park is 27 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?
Sitka National Historical Park (27 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?
The National Register has 1 listing within 15 miles, including Cape Spencer Lighthouse.
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.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- 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.