Klawock

Klawock is the gateway to Prince of Wales (POW) Island, ripe with gorgeous Alaska terrain. Alaska Seaplanes offers daily service to Klawock From Juneau and Sitka.

About Klawock

Prince of Wales is the third largest island in the United States, with over 1,500 miles of road--a rarity for Southeast Alaska. Explorers and adventurers alike can access eleven unique communities on the island: Craig, Coffman Cove, Hollis, Klawock, Hydaburg, Kasaan, Naukati, Port Protection, Point Baker, Thorne Bay, and Whale Pass. Variety and seclusion are two of POW’s highlights, and Klawock is a fantastic gateway and base from which visitors can explore the rest of the island.

For those looking for culture, visit the only remaining Haida Clan House in the U.S. or the recently restored totem park in Klawock. Explorers can trek the El Capitan caves at the North end of the Island or trek to Whale Pass to view ancient petroglyphs.

Visitors wanting some time to take their adventure off-grid can stay at one of 19 USFS cabins on the island. Athletes can participate in the Prince of Wales International Marathon held annually in May. Drive to Thorne Bay, home of world’s largest logging camp and world’s largest grapple or as locals call it—the “claw.”

For those seeking the diverse and abundant wildlife, Prince of Wales offers a variety of activities. The bears on POW, which have been reclassified by Safari Club International as Coastal/Island Black Bears due to their enormous size, are awe-inspiring. POW has logged more record black bears than anywhere in North America. POW is also home to the largest Sitka Black Tail Deer in Alaska, which travelers may have an opportunity to view while hiking on forest trails ranging from beginner-level to advanced. The surrounding sea offers a robust majestic marine mammal population that can be explored via whale-watching tours from Klawock.

Lovers of seafood can find both world class saltwater and freshwater fishing on the island, or may want to drive to Naukati to taste the fresh oysters.

Prince of Wales is home to fantastic natural beauty and truly offers a little bit of something for everyone.

Klawock Activities

Totem Park - Photo by Long Bach Nguyen

Klawock has a Totem Park featuring 21 restored original and replica totem poles from the old village of Tuxekan. The park has the largest collection of authentic totem poles in Alaska and is a source of community pride. The City built a Long House and a new Totem Pole was raised at that site in 1998. The Long House is named Gaaní Ax Adi.
Whale-watching

Prince of Wales is surrounded by waters teaming with marine life. View whales and other marine mammals on tours from Klawock.
Wildlife

The Bears on POW have been reclassified by Safari Club International as Coastal/Island Black bear because of their enormous size. POW has logged more record black bear than anywhere in North America.