Coronation Island Wilderness

Coronation Island Wilderness is a 19,118-acre federally designated Wilderness Area in southeast Alaska, managed by the Forest Service. The landscape is primitive backcountry accessible only by water or air—there are no roads, trails, or motorized access. Visitors come for backcountry hiking, backpacking, and the deep solitude of untrammeled forest and coastline.

As a federally protected Wilderness, the area is managed under strict non-motorized, non-mechanized standards. All travel is foot-powered, and visitors must follow Leave No Trace principles: pack out all waste, camp below the high-tide line where possible, avoid established campsites to prevent impact, and travel lightly across the landscape. There are no facilities, maintained trails, or infrastructure.

Access requires arranging water or air transport to the island—typically via float plane or charter boat from nearby communities. The season is short; summer months (June through September) offer the most stable weather and longest daylight, though conditions remain cool and wet. Winter is harsh and impassable for most visitors. Come prepared for rain, variable weather, and complete self-sufficiency.