United States
The ABC Islands—Admiralty, Baker, and Chichagof—form a cluster in Alaska's Alexander Archipelago that represents the Inside Passage at its most pristinely wild. These densely forested, mountain-spined islands in the northern portion of the Tongass National Forest support one of the densest concentrations of brown bears in Southeast Alaska, along with Sitka black-tailed deer, nesting bald eagles, and the marine mammals that thrive in the nutrient-rich channels between the islands. For expedition cruise passengers, the ABC Islands offer a deep-wilderness alternative to the more developed ports of Juneau, Ketchikan, and Skagway—a chance to experience the Inside Passage as it existed before commercial tourism, from the deck of a small ship or the bow of a Zodiac.
Admiralty Island, known to the Tlingit people as Kootznoowoo ("Fortress of the Bears"), is the most famous of the three. The island supports an estimated 1,600 brown bears—approximately one per square mile—making it one of the densest bear populations anywhere on Earth. The Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area, jointly managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Alaska Department of Fish and Game, offers permitted visits during salmon season (July–August) when bears congregate at the creek mouth to fish, providing close-range viewing from elevated platforms. Chichagof Island, the fifth-largest island in the United States, matches Admiralty in bear density and adds excellent whale-watching opportunities in the strait that separates it from Baranof Island. Baker Island, smaller and more remote, offers pristine anchorages and old-growth forest exploration.
The marine environment between the ABC Islands is one of the most productive in the North Pacific. The tidal mixing that occurs in the narrow channels and passages creates upwelling zones that fuel massive plankton blooms, supporting herring runs, salmon migrations, and the marine mammals that feed on them. Humpback whales are frequently observed feeding in Chatham Strait, the deep channel separating Admiralty from Chichagof, often employing the spectacular bubble-net feeding technique. Orcas patrol the passages, while harbor seals and Steller sea lions haul out on rocky islets. The intertidal zones reveal giant sunflower sea stars, colorful anemones, and the kelp forests that shelter juvenile fish and invertebrates in one of the most diverse temperate marine ecosystems on the planet.
The Tlingit people have inhabited these islands for thousands of years, and their cultural presence remains strong. Angoon, the only permanent settlement on Admiralty Island, is a Tlingit village of roughly 400 people that maintains traditional practices including subsistence fishing, hunting, and the carving arts that are central to Tlingit cultural identity. The village's totem poles and clan houses represent an unbroken artistic tradition that stretches back millennia. Hoonah, on Chichagof Island, is the largest Tlingit village in Alaska and the site of the Icy Strait Point cruise ship facility—an unusual development built by the Tlingit corporation itself, ensuring that tourism revenue benefits the indigenous community directly.
Lindblad Expeditions includes the ABC Islands on its Alaska Inside Passage itineraries, utilizing small expedition vessels that can navigate the narrow channels and anchor in protected bays inaccessible to larger cruise ships. Zodiac excursions provide intimate access to the shoreline, and onboard naturalists—typically including a bear specialist and marine biologist—provide context for the wildlife encounters. The expedition season runs from May through September, with July and August offering the most active bear viewing at salmon streams. June brings the longest days and wildflower blooms, while September offers autumn color and fewer visitors. Weather in the Inside Passage is inherently wet and unpredictable—waterproof layers are essential. The ABC Islands offer what commercial cruise tourism rarely provides: an encounter with genuine wilderness, where the bears outnumber the humans and the forest has never heard a chainsaw.