Chuck River Wilderness

Located at the head of Windham Bay approximately 70 miles southeast of Juneau, this small Wilderness is adjacent to the Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. Elevations range from sea level to about 5,000 feet on the eastern boundary. The Chuck River flows from its headwaters near Port Houghton northward through dense riparian forest with thick vegetation before emptying into Windham Bay, where the historic Chuck Mining Camp once operated. The river is a major producer of salmon, especially pink salmon. There is private land in the lower river and in portions of the bay where there was once a small settlement, and no trails along the Chuck River remain open for travel. Windham Bay is a protected anchorage for boaters using Stephens Passage. Black bears, wolves, and mountain goats are known to live in the forested mountains.