Kuiu Wilderness and Tebenkof Bay Wilderness, Protected wilderness areas on Kuiu Island, Alaska
Kuiu Wilderness and Tebenkof Bay Wilderness are two protected areas on Kuiu Island in southeastern Alaska containing approximately 127,000 acres (51,400 hectares). They include temperate rainforests, mountain terrain, and coastal zones within the Tongass National Forest.
Tebenkof Bay takes its name from Captain Tebenkov, a Russian colonial administrator in Alaska during the mid-1800s. The wilderness areas were formally protected much later to preserve these ecosystems.
The Tlingit communities of Kake and Klawock have maintained a long relationship with these lands through hunting, fishing, and gathering. Their presence shaped how the forest and coast are used and remembered today.
Access is only by boat or floatplane, as no roads reach these protected areas in the Alexander Archipelago. Visitors should prepare for remote conditions and check local water and weather before traveling.
A simple shelter near Bay of Pillars was built in 1997 using designs inspired by structures from the 1930s. This building shows how the areas balance modern use with historical construction methods.
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