Pack Creek
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pheeter
Chicago, IL49 contributions
mai 2021 • Entre amis
Wow so much fun . Mia I think that was her name was a great guide so many bears to see experience was incredible Thank you Mia
Écrit le 1 juin 2021
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
CynthiaD3
Juneau, AK116 contributions
août 2016
Yesterday I went over to Pack Creek with Pack Creek Bear Tours. For those who have the bucks this is a pretty stupendous tour starting with the 25 min. floatplane ride from Juneau...flying over Admiralty Island to land at pack Creek where we saw brown bears immediately upon landing. The salmon are spawning now so it is a great time to go as your chances of seeing brown bears very close up are much greater when the salmon are returning. It is also a great place to watch the eagles as they also feast on the spawning salmon. Our guide was Brock who was very professional,helpful and knowledgeable. It really is a trip of a lifetime for bear lovers. Admiralty Island has one of the densest brown bear populations in the world.
Écrit le 13 août 2016
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
TravellerNZ146
Christchurch, Nouvelle-Zélande81 contributions
juin 2016 • En solo
Not sure whether I would see a bear, I was delighted to see two. A young courting couple spent the afternoon in the meadow in front of the viewing area. They were aware of our presence but disinterested which was great on two counts. I was pleased not to have a closer encounter than I anticipated but equally importantly I didn't feel we were invading their home.
I'd recommend taking binoculars and a camera with a good zoom capability. Whilst they did come close, they also spent quite some time a long distance off.
The float plane trip from Juneau return was so beautiful it was breathtaking. Although undeniably expensive I would do this trip again, happily.
I'd recommend taking binoculars and a camera with a good zoom capability. Whilst they did come close, they also spent quite some time a long distance off.
The float plane trip from Juneau return was so beautiful it was breathtaking. Although undeniably expensive I would do this trip again, happily.
Écrit le 11 juin 2016
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
Brenda C
Laguna Niguel, California, United States3 contributions
sept. 2014 • En famille
We booked our float plane trip to Admiralty Island to see wildlife through our Princess Cruise and we were not disappointed! We saw bears and bald eagles as soon as we walked near the viewing area! It was an afternoon we will never forget. We went the first week in September and there was still some salmon in the creek. The bears, including a cub which were heard growl, put on a show of catching and eating the fish.
Écrit le 8 septembre 2014
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
Kris_K_D
Gig Harbor, Etat de Washington1 376 contributions
août 2014 • En couple
I planned for this day trip outing months in advance; it was not a cruise ship excursion taken on a whim. I spoke with private guides, air charter companies, and read all that I could about Pack Creek -- and when I had additional questions, I called and spoke to local rangers. I'm sharing what I learned so that others may visit Pack Creek without a private guide.
For a party of two, it will cost roughly half as much than if you joined an organized group with a guide. There are state and/or federal rangers on-site at each view point and at the entry/exit point on the rocky beach. Your visit will be very structured. The rangers will provide you with all of your instructions and updates on current bear activities, and give advice for viewing and what to do should you encounter a bear on the trail. Listen to them.
There are only two viewing points: the spit and the observation tower. Typically, you would only be on your own on the trail or path to each of those locations. The spit is just around a bend from the rocky beach and the observation tower is about a two-mile round-trip hike in the woods, farther up the creek. At the spit, rangers have a very nice spotting scope available for use; it was like watching the bears in high-definition! The tower is like a treehouse with room enough for about 10 people, and you will need to be mobile enough not only for the hike, but also to be able to climb the ladder.
Planning Your Visit:
1. You need a permit to access the Pack Creek viewing areas and these are purchased via recreation.gov (or search online for "Pack Creek Bear Viewing" and go to the official government site). The cost is $20 during the shoulder season and $50 in-season (July 5-Aug. 25). If you really want to view brown bears, you would be wise to view in peak season when the salmon are spawning and the bears are feeding. Plan accordingly and plan in advance. There is a limit to the number of permits issued in peak season and half are reserved for guide companies.
2. You need transportation to Pack Creek. This area is not accessible by road; you must arrive by water either by boat or float plane. This is the expensive part of your trip. Most visitors arrive by plane and there are three companies that "regularly" fly out of Juneau to Pack Creek. We chose Ward Air for their reputation and price and we were not disappointed. (In fact, since it was our first small plane experience, it was almost as thrilling as the Pack Creek experience!) The flight time from Juneau is about 25 minutes.
3. Bring proper footwear! The entry/exit point is the water, so your feet will get wet. Wear rubber or neoprene boots, or wear water sandals* and dry your feet off on the beach and wear hiking shoes the rest of the time. Some people wear a trash bag on each foot/leg when disembarking, which also works for the short time you'll be in the water. The beach is rocky and if you walk on wet/slimy beach rock, it can be slippery, so make sure the hiking shoes you wear have decent tread and grip.
4. Wear or bring rain gear. In Southeast Alaska it rains. A lot. Don't be miserable. Stay dry.
5. There are NO facilities, so pack as if you might need to camp overnight. It doesn't happen often, but it can happen if the weather turns and your transportation cannot safely pick you up. You will need medications, extra food and water, toilet paper (and sealable disposal bag), warm clothing (layers), insect repellent, hand sanitizer, and anything else you deem a necessity. If you were to overnight, you would camp with the rangers at another location across the water. You will have shelter and may be able to use a spare old sleeping bag, but they will not have a lot of extra food. Also, pack your food separately. While at Pack Creek, all food and flavored water will be stored in a bear-proof container. There may also be room to store gear, but the amount of available space is dependent upon the number of visitors that day.
Bear Spray or No Bear Spray?
Viewing bears at Pack Creek is relatively safe. While the area contains the largest concentration of brown bears, because of the viewing situations and current practices, they're fairly used to seeing humans. However, they are still wild animals. Bringing bear spray is a personal choice. One can will run anywhere from $30-$50, but can provide some peace of mind. Be sure to declare it to your boat or float plane captain so they may safely store it for the journey to/from Pack Creek. And since you will (hopefully) not discharge it during your visit, you may mail it back home in a bubble mailer via USPS ground for around $6 or $7.
Our Experience
With peak-season permits and transportation for two, our day trip cost $765 total (not including food and gear). We visited on the last day of peak season and were able to watch nine brown bears, most of them at the spit. We also saw another dozen by air on the way to and from Pack Creek. Additionally, we saw many eagles, ravens and spawning salmon, a few herons and a kingfisher, and also got to watch one very busy mink. We didn't encounter any mosquitoes, but by around 3 p.m. gnats were out, so our insect repellent wipes came in handy.
Fog and low clouds in Juneau meant a 2.5-hour take-off delay, so we were only at Pack Creek from noon until 5 p.m., which is probably the minimum amount of time you'd want to spend there.
* My husband and I differ on our opinions of the proper footwear for disembarking the plane to the beach. We both wore water sandals and changed into hiking boots on shore; he thinks this was the best solution. However, if I had to do it again, I would've worn my Muck boots (or Xtratuf boots, an Alaskan favorite) and wore those throughout the day.
For a party of two, it will cost roughly half as much than if you joined an organized group with a guide. There are state and/or federal rangers on-site at each view point and at the entry/exit point on the rocky beach. Your visit will be very structured. The rangers will provide you with all of your instructions and updates on current bear activities, and give advice for viewing and what to do should you encounter a bear on the trail. Listen to them.
There are only two viewing points: the spit and the observation tower. Typically, you would only be on your own on the trail or path to each of those locations. The spit is just around a bend from the rocky beach and the observation tower is about a two-mile round-trip hike in the woods, farther up the creek. At the spit, rangers have a very nice spotting scope available for use; it was like watching the bears in high-definition! The tower is like a treehouse with room enough for about 10 people, and you will need to be mobile enough not only for the hike, but also to be able to climb the ladder.
Planning Your Visit:
1. You need a permit to access the Pack Creek viewing areas and these are purchased via recreation.gov (or search online for "Pack Creek Bear Viewing" and go to the official government site). The cost is $20 during the shoulder season and $50 in-season (July 5-Aug. 25). If you really want to view brown bears, you would be wise to view in peak season when the salmon are spawning and the bears are feeding. Plan accordingly and plan in advance. There is a limit to the number of permits issued in peak season and half are reserved for guide companies.
2. You need transportation to Pack Creek. This area is not accessible by road; you must arrive by water either by boat or float plane. This is the expensive part of your trip. Most visitors arrive by plane and there are three companies that "regularly" fly out of Juneau to Pack Creek. We chose Ward Air for their reputation and price and we were not disappointed. (In fact, since it was our first small plane experience, it was almost as thrilling as the Pack Creek experience!) The flight time from Juneau is about 25 minutes.
3. Bring proper footwear! The entry/exit point is the water, so your feet will get wet. Wear rubber or neoprene boots, or wear water sandals* and dry your feet off on the beach and wear hiking shoes the rest of the time. Some people wear a trash bag on each foot/leg when disembarking, which also works for the short time you'll be in the water. The beach is rocky and if you walk on wet/slimy beach rock, it can be slippery, so make sure the hiking shoes you wear have decent tread and grip.
4. Wear or bring rain gear. In Southeast Alaska it rains. A lot. Don't be miserable. Stay dry.
5. There are NO facilities, so pack as if you might need to camp overnight. It doesn't happen often, but it can happen if the weather turns and your transportation cannot safely pick you up. You will need medications, extra food and water, toilet paper (and sealable disposal bag), warm clothing (layers), insect repellent, hand sanitizer, and anything else you deem a necessity. If you were to overnight, you would camp with the rangers at another location across the water. You will have shelter and may be able to use a spare old sleeping bag, but they will not have a lot of extra food. Also, pack your food separately. While at Pack Creek, all food and flavored water will be stored in a bear-proof container. There may also be room to store gear, but the amount of available space is dependent upon the number of visitors that day.
Bear Spray or No Bear Spray?
Viewing bears at Pack Creek is relatively safe. While the area contains the largest concentration of brown bears, because of the viewing situations and current practices, they're fairly used to seeing humans. However, they are still wild animals. Bringing bear spray is a personal choice. One can will run anywhere from $30-$50, but can provide some peace of mind. Be sure to declare it to your boat or float plane captain so they may safely store it for the journey to/from Pack Creek. And since you will (hopefully) not discharge it during your visit, you may mail it back home in a bubble mailer via USPS ground for around $6 or $7.
Our Experience
With peak-season permits and transportation for two, our day trip cost $765 total (not including food and gear). We visited on the last day of peak season and were able to watch nine brown bears, most of them at the spit. We also saw another dozen by air on the way to and from Pack Creek. Additionally, we saw many eagles, ravens and spawning salmon, a few herons and a kingfisher, and also got to watch one very busy mink. We didn't encounter any mosquitoes, but by around 3 p.m. gnats were out, so our insect repellent wipes came in handy.
Fog and low clouds in Juneau meant a 2.5-hour take-off delay, so we were only at Pack Creek from noon until 5 p.m., which is probably the minimum amount of time you'd want to spend there.
* My husband and I differ on our opinions of the proper footwear for disembarking the plane to the beach. We both wore water sandals and changed into hiking boots on shore; he thinks this was the best solution. However, if I had to do it again, I would've worn my Muck boots (or Xtratuf boots, an Alaskan favorite) and wore those throughout the day.
Écrit le 31 août 2014
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
Laura W
Sacramento, Californie11 contributions
juin 2014 • En solo
I took a one-week vacation in Alaska the last week of June 2014 which included Glacier Bay, Prince William Sound, Juneau, Anchorage and one day at Pack Creek. After making all of my reservations, I read that the best bear viewing in Alaska is mid-July through August, but unfortunately I had already booked my reservations. I enjoyed the Seaplane flight and Admiralty Island was interesting, but we did not see any bears on our tour. Our tour was in the afternoon and we crossed paths with the morning tour group as they were leaving the island and they also said that they did not see any bears. After walking along the beach, we sat at the bear viewing area near the creek, but saw only one salmon jumping in the water all day. In other words, it was too early for the salmon to be running and no reason for the bears to be fishing in the creek. I don't recommend doing this trip unless it is PEAK salmon season. At almost $700, it is too pricey to not see any bears.
Écrit le 6 août 2014
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
MEBesq
Stamford, CT150 contributions
août 2012 • En famille
A sow and her cub sashayed by as we landed in the sea plane. Then we watched at least half a dozen bears catching salmon, including the sow and her chubby cub from a sandy view spot, a short walk away. There are only two ways to get there, kayak or sea plane. We opted for a sea plane with a guide--packcreekoutfitters.com Ken Leghorn, the owner arranged the permits, and the flight as well as providing the equipment ie the rubber boots and lunch. He stayed with us and guided us around the island, including a hikep up to the salmon spawning grounds. Ken was very knowledgeable and very professional. This trip was one of the main reasons we stopped in Juneau and was well worth it. We did see bears throughout our trip but they were generally fleeting glimpses or far away.
Écrit le 4 septembre 2012
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
travlnjazz
Omaha, NE180 contributions
juil. 2011 • Entre amis
Not only is the float plane ride over unbelievable but the serene atmosphere of the island, free of noise except nature. We bought our permits to enter area from park service, Only 24 people are allowed to visit the park a day. You can stay as little or as long as you like. After you land, you are met by a ranger who locks up anything that has scent, food and goes over the rules with you. There are two viewing areas, one a hike back into the woods. Nice easy hike. The tree stand looks over the creek. We did not see any bears here but as the tide went out we went over the the entrance of the creek and saw 4 bears. 2 younger bears interacted, you saw them chase the fish. as close as 150 feet away but never felt threatened. A ranger stays in this area all the time, could spend the whole day here. Worth the time and money
Écrit le 5 août 2011
Cet avis est l'opinion subjective d'un membre de Tripadvisor et non l'avis de Tripadvisor LLC. Les avis sont soumis à des vérifications de la part de Tripadvisor.
Is late August a good time to go there?
Rédigé le 9 novembre 2015
Depending on how late in August, you risk it not being "high" season. That said, we went on the last day of high season and saw nine bears and had a fabulous time.
Rédigé le 5 janvier 2017
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