Anan permits available in February

Permits will soon become available for those wanting an opportunity to visit Anan Wildlife Observatory this summer.

Known primarily for its abundance of bears, the observatory was identified as Wrangell’s top attraction by a survey conducted by the city last summer.

According to Forest Service records, Anan draws between 2,400 and 2,800 visitors each summer. These travelers contributed around $1.5 million to the local economy in 2014, making up more than a third of all tourism-related spending.

Starting Feb. 1 at 8 a.m. the public will be able to reserve permits at http://www.recreation.gov for the upcoming visitor season. While free to see at other times of year, between July 5 and Aug. 25 a permit is required to visit the observatory.

Up to 20 permits may be available each day on the site, and an additional four permits each day will be made available by lottery at the Wrangell Ranger District Office. All lottery requests must be made in person at the front desk, and a schedule with lottery dates will be made available at the office.

Reservations and payment can be completed online at the Recreation.gov site, or by calling 877-444-6777. Additional information on the observatory and authorized guiding services can be found at the Tongass National Forest page at http://www.fs.usda.gov.