Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve

The 48,000-acre Bald Eagle Preserve was established along the Chilkat River as an Alaska State Park in 1982 to protect critical habitat for eagles. There are over 80 bald eagle nests and a year-round eagle population in the low hundreds in the preserve. In the winter, the largest congregation of bald eagles in the world gathers to feed on a late season salmon run. Parts of the Chilkat do not freeze over due to an “alluvial fan” (a fan-shaped pile of rocks and other debris) located beneath the confluence of the Tsirku, Klehini and Chilkat rivers. During the spring and summer, rain and meltwater flow into this alluvial fan, creating a huge reservoir of water in the cracks and spaces. As temperatures drop, the water stored in the alluvial fan stays above freezing, and seeps into the Chilkat River throughout the winter. This upwelling warmer water keeps parts of the river ice-free, and salmon runs in these ice-free areas attract more than 3,000 eagles between mid-October and January.

Come view these spectacular creatures in action, as well as the beauty of the surrounding area, with an America Outdoors outfitter, who provide whitewater rafting, kayaking tours, mountain bike tours, hiking, backpacking and wildlife photography.