Anan permits available next week

The Forest Service (USFS) announced its permits for visiting Anan Wildlife Observatory this summer will be available at the start of next month.

At 8 a.m. on February 1 members of the public will be able to reserve permits at the Recreation.gov website. Twenty permits will be made available for each day of the season, which runs from July 5 to August 25. Visitation outside this time frame does not require a permit.

Reservations and payment can also be made by phone, at the 1-877-444-6777 hotline. Permits for 2017 cost $10 apiece, with an additional reservation fee of $6 per transaction levied.

To accommodate last-minute planning, four permits each day will be made available at the Wrangell District Office during the season through weekly lotteries. All lottery requests must be made in person at the Wrangell Ranger District front desk. A schedule with lottery dates will be available at the District Office before the permit season begins. Information on the observatory, including site restrictions and a list of authorized guiding services can be found the Tongass National Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov. For more information, contact the Wrangell Ranger District at 874-2323.

Notable for its bears, Anan is among Wrangell's biggest draws for visitors during the summer months. Wrangell's Convention and Visitor Bureau estimated its economic impact at $1.5 million for 2014.