USFS · Alaska

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. The wilderness is administered by both...

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net), where the full text continues.

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Forest Service
StateAlaska
Size271,348 acres (Wilderness Connect)
Designated1980, by Congress
Center point57.7222, -136.1000
Night skyAbout as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 9)

Boundary map

5 outlines

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

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness30°40°50°60°January: 15.81 inches of precipitation, 26.4 inches of snowFebruary: 11.56 inches of precipitation, 24.4 inches of snowMarch: 12.12 inches of precipitation, 21.4 inches of snowApril: 8.94 inches of precipitation, 3.6 inches of snowMay: 6.45 inches of precipitation, 0.1 inches of snowJune: 4.91 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 7.00 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 12.06 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 21.67 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 25.90 inches of precipitation, 1.0 inches of snowNovember: 19.81 inches of precipitation, 15.4 inches of snowDecember: 18.33 inches of precipitation, 19.4 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 31.4°F averageFebruary: 32.8°F averageMarch: 34.4°F averageApril: 40.5°F averageMay: 46.7°F averageJune: 52.4°F averageJuly: 55.1°F averageAugust: 55.8°F averageSeptember: 51.2°F averageOctober: 43.3°F averageNovember: 36.0°F averageDecember: 32.8°F average0 in10 in20 in30 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Pelican, 17 miles from the center point at 12 feet, station USC00507141 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 165 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 112 inches a year on the same inches scale.

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

Campsite Atlas →

3 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

Forest Service directory · 4

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.

Distance is from the center point of the boundary, not from a road or town.

8 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 11 miles in all.

TrailMiles
Drypass3.7
Stag River2.4
Goulding1.4
Greentop Cabin1
Stag Bay1
White Sulphur Springs0.9
Lake Suloia0.7
Didrickson0.1

Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas, refreshed September 18, 2026. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.

Explore

Nearby on the other atlases

National Register listings within 15 miles · 1 in all · Register Atlas

Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.

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?

3 federal campgrounds sit inside the boundary, including Goulding Lake Cabin, Greentop Cabin and Suloia Lake Cabin. 6 in all are within ten miles. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit rules.

Source: Where to camp

Where are the trailheads in West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?

The Forest Service lists 4 recreation sites here, including 4 cabin rentalss. Each one links to its Forest Service page.

Source: Trailheads and sites

How do I get to West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 57.722, -136.100. Sitka National Historical Park is 27 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How dark is the night sky at West Chichagof-Yakobi Wilderness?

NASA’s Black Marble night-lights image reads 9 on a 0 to 255 scale at the center point, about as dark as the ground gets.

Source: NASA Black Marble

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?

1 National Register 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.