Find the Best Bear Watching in Alaska
Wildlife at the Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area
The Pack Creek bear viewing area is set inside the Kootznoowoo Wilderness on Admiralty Island, a name that translates loosely from Tlingit as “fortress of the bears.” The site is formally protected as the Stan Price State Wildlife Sanctuary and jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Admiralty Island holds an estimated 1,500 brown bears, more than the entire Lower 48 combined, and the Pack Creek estuary is one of the most reliable places anywhere to watch them fish, clam, and nap out in the open. A daily cap of 24 visitors, split between independent permits and guided tours, keeps the bears calm enough to ignore people entirely. In more than 90 years of recorded visits, no bear or person has ever been harmed here. For anyone weighing things to do in Juneau, it’s hard to beat.
Getting There: Permits, Access, and Timing
There’s no road to Pack Creek. Visitors arrive by floatplane, boat, kayak, or canoe, and most fly, a roughly 30-minute trip across forested islands and quiet passages from downtown Juneau. A permit is required for every visitor between April 1 and September 30, and it’s the one piece of planning worth locking in early.
Permit fee: $60 per person, plus a non-refundable $6 reservation fee through Recreation.gov
Daily cap: 24 visitors, split evenly between independent bookings and guided tours
Peak season: July 5 through August 25, when salmon draw the highest concentration of bears
Staffed season: Rangers are on site roughly June 1 through September 10 for orientations
Permits for peak weeks book out months ahead, so this isn’t a trip to plan the week before a cruise or flight. Anyone visiting Admiralty Island bears at Pack Creek benefits from locking in a permit as soon as travel dates firm up. It’s always one of the best excursions from Juneau for those seeking a unique adventure!
What to Expect on the Ground
Floatplanes land in 8 to 16 inches of saltwater, since there’s no dock, so proper footwear matters even on a clear-forecast day. A ranger meets every group at the South Spit for a short orientation, then visitors choose between two viewing spots: the Viewing Spit, a quarter-mile walk across the tidal meadow where bears graze and fish the estuary, or the Observation Tower, a mile-long walk through old-growth rainforest to a platform above the upper creek.
There are no bathrooms, no shelter outside the tower, and no cell service. Bring layers and rain gear regardless of the forecast, since Southeast Alaska weather shifts fast and floatplane flights are occasionally delayed by wind or fog.
When to Go for the Best Bear Watching in Alaska
Bears at Pack Creek tend to show up more on cool, overcast days than sunny ones. June is typically the quietest month for sightings, while July through August, when the salmon run peaks, brings the most activity and the tightest permit demand. Travelers chasing volume should plan around the salmon run. Those who want a quieter, more solitary version of the same experience should look at shoulder weeks in June or early September.
Stay at One of the Best Juneau Hotels for Your Home Base
A trip built around tide charts and floatplane windows goes more smoothly when the lodging isn’t adding logistics. Alaska’s Capital Inn is one of the most walkable Juneau hotels, a beautifully restored 1906 gold rush mansion just blocks from downtown restaurants, the waterfront, and tour departure points, and close enough to the airport for an early floatplane departure.
The seven rooms and suites come dressed in period wallpapers, Alaskan artwork, and plush linens, with two suites offering whirlpool tubs and working fireplaces for a rainy Southeast Alaska evening. Mornings start with a three-course, family-style breakfast, and evenings wind down with a bottomless cookie jar, wine, and fireside conversation. A complimentary Mt. Roberts Tram pass and full concierge service come standard, so planning a bear-viewing day, glacier trek, or whale-watching outing is largely done for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Admiralty Island?
Admiralty Island sits in Southeast Alaska’s Inside Passage, roughly a 30-minute floatplane flight from downtown Juneau.
How many bears live on Admiralty Island?
An estimated 1,500 brown bears live on Admiralty Island, a higher concentration than the entire Lower 48 states combined.
Do you need a permit for Pack Creek bear tours?
Yes. Every visitor needs a permit between April 1 and September 30, booked through Recreation.gov for a $60 fee plus a $6 reservation fee.
What is the best time for bear watching in Alaska at Pack Creek?
July 5 through August 25 brings the highest bear activity during the salmon run, while June and early September offer quieter, less crowded viewing.
What’s the best bear viewing in Alaska near Juneau?
Pack Creek on Admiralty Island is widely considered one of the best bear viewing sites in Alaska, thanks to its daily visitor cap and decades-long safety record.