Unalaska Port of Dutch Harbor Wildlife Viewing Guide

Sea otters eat, sleep, mate and give birth in water. in birth give and mate sleep, eat, otters Sea deep-sea corals, are found in Aleutian waters. waters. Aleutian in found are corals, deep-sea to let them know when you’ve returned safely! safely! returned you’ve when know them let to

Harbors office (907-581-1254) but please be sure sure be please but (907-581-1254) office Harbors species and more than 450 fish species, as well as ancient ancient as well as species, fish 450 than more and species

(907-581-1233) or a float plan with the Ports and and Ports the with plan float a or (907-581-1233) explosion of life and productivity. At least 26 marine mammal mammal marine 26 least At productivity. and life of explosion

hiking plan with the Unalaska Public Safety office office Safety Public Unalaska the with plan hiking

that flow between the Bering Sea and North Pacific feed an an feed Pacific North and Sea Bering the between flow that

communication for emergencies. You may leave a a leave may You emergencies. for communication

hand, are diverse and abundant. Cold, nutrient-rich currents currents nutrient-rich Cold, abundant. and diverse are hand,

carry spare clothes, a first aid kit and a means of of means a and kit aid first a clothes, spare carry

species. Marine mammals, on the other other the on mammals, Marine species. companion, let someone know your plans and and plans your know someone let companion,

detrimental to area lands and native native and lands area to detrimental wild lands. To be safe, take a guided tour or a a or tour guided a take safe, be To lands. wild

of the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail are are Trail Viewing Wildlife Coastal Alaska the of at Summer Bay has also been been also has Bay Summer at

plenty of space. of plenty

he mountains, trails, islands and waterways waterways and islands trails, mountains, he T

like the gelded wild horses horses wild gelded the like

private property and give hunters, anglers and others others and anglers hunters, give and property private

STAY SAFE! STAY

squirrel, Norway rat and livestock livestock and rat Norway squirrel,

enjoy Alaska’s wildlife in a variety of ways. Respect Respect ways. of variety a in wildlife Alaska’s enjoy

Likewise, introduction of ground ground of introduction Likewise,

Be Considerate of Others. Others. of Considerate Be People use and and use People

populations over the years. years. the over populations

Human food can also make animals sick. sick. animals make also can food Human for their fur have decimated seabird seabird decimated have fur their for

with food, which can lead to trouble (and it’s illegal). illegal). it’s (and trouble to lead can which food, with were introduced throughout the Aleutians Aleutians the throughout introduced were

animals. This is teaching them to associate people people associate to them teaching is This animals. (native only in the eastern Aleutians). Red and Arctic foxes that that foxes Arctic and Red Aleutians). eastern the in only (native

Help Keep Wildlife Wild. Wild. Wildlife Keep Help Never feed wild wild feed Never to the region: a collared lemming, a root vole and the red fox fox red the and vole root a lemming, collared a region: the to

at the boat harbor and many local businesses. businesses. local many and harbor boat the at

believe only three land mammals (besides humans) are native native are humans) (besides mammals land three only believe

Tracking books and workshops will help you learn. you help will workshops and books Tracking

aware of the changing tides. Free tide books are available available are books tide Free tides. changing the of aware

Aleutian Mammals, Land and Marine: Marine: and Land Mammals, Aleutian Scientists Scientists

reading these clues adds richness to wildlife viewing. viewing. wildlife to richness adds clues these reading

Tides Tides Whether hiking or boating in coastal areas, stay stay areas, coastal in boating or hiking Whether

they live and when they passed through. Noticing and and Noticing through. passed they when and live they

seeking relief from the deep snows at higher elevations. elevations. higher at snows deep the from relief seeking

tell stories of wildlife - what they are eating, where where eating, are they what - wildlife of stories tell

Salmon Way to obtain a general access permit. permit. access general a obtain to Way Salmon peregrine falcon chasing snow buntings or a rock ptarmigan ptarmigan rock a or buntings snow chasing falcon peregrine

Look for Clues. Clues. for Look Tracks, droppings, trails and twigs twigs and trails droppings, Tracks,

Please stop by their offices at 400 400 at offices their by stop Please Corp. Ounalashka the roadways. On a winter walk around town, you may see a a see may you town, around walk winter a On roadways. the

Permits Permits Many lands you’ll cross are privately-owned by by privately-owned are cross you’ll lands Many

are easily seen and photographed from from photographed and seen easily are tidepools and a wealth of food for birds and mammals. mammals. and birds for food of wealth a and tidepools

the Aleutians, and the Steller’s eider eider Steller’s the and Aleutians, the thermals for eagles and hawks. Low tides expose expose tides Low hawks. and eagles for thermals are ever present. ever are

entire world population winters in in winters population world entire energizes dragonflies and butterflies and creates creates and butterflies and dragonflies energizes 53°F, annual precipitation averages 58 inches and winds winds and inches 58 averages precipitation annual 53°F,

Emperor goose (at right), whose whose right), (at goose Emperor

wildlife species are most active. Midday warmth warmth Midday active. most are species wildlife trails and roads. Summer temperatures average 43°F to to 43°F average temperatures Summer roads. and trails

and huge flocks of scoters. The The scoters. of flocks huge and

Time it Right. it Time Dawn and dusk are when many many when are dusk and Dawn It’s safest to hike along the coast or follow well marked marked well follow or coast the along hike to safest It’s

long-tailed and harlequin ducks ducks harlequin and long-tailed

and it’s easy to become chilled in wet, inclement weather. weather. inclement wet, in chilled become to easy it’s and

behavior; approach no closer than 100 yards. 100 than closer no approach behavior;

waterfowl and sea ducks, including including ducks, sea and waterfowl

hide challenging terrain like cliffs and steep river canyons canyons river steep and cliffs like terrain challenging hide

areas. Also, avoid causing whales to change their their change to whales causing avoid Also, areas.

which attract tremendous numbers of of numbers tremendous attract which

move in quickly and blanket the landscape. The fog can can fog The landscape. the blanket and quickly in move

rookeries and calving grounds, and critical feeding feeding critical and grounds, calving and rookeries

winter birding is terrific thanks to the region’s ice-free bays, bays, ice-free region’s the to thanks terrific is birding winter

tundra, however, at 500 feet in elevation a summer fog can can fog summer a elevation in feet 500 at however, tundra,

especially respectful of nesting and denning areas, areas, denning and nesting of respectful especially

Winter Birding: Winter The weather may be challenging but but challenging be may weather The

misconception that one can’t get lost in open treeless treeless open in lost get can’t one that misconception to stop feeding or act restless, give it more space. Be Be space. more it give restless, act or feeding stop to

Wildlife Viewing Fun Facts Facts Fun Viewing Wildlife into trouble without proper preparation. It’s a common common a It’s preparation. proper without trouble into with sounds. If your presence is causing an animal animal an causing is presence your If sounds. with

opportunities—and no bears!—but hikers can run run can hikers bears!—but no opportunities—and natural behaviors but try not to attract their attention attention their attract to not try but behaviors natural

Weather Weather Unalaska Island offers many hiking hiking many offers Island Unalaska Keep a Low Profile. Profile. Low a Keep Enjoy watching animals’ animals’ watching Enjoy

Land and Water Safety Tips Safety Water and Land Wildlife Viewing Tips Viewing Wildlife

UNALASKA PORT OF DUTCH HARBOR Wildlife Viewing Unalaska: An Uncommon Place Guide From the shorebirds of Cordova to the brown Guide In the heart of the Aleutian Islands, discover the natural bears of Kodiak Island, from the caribou of Cold beauty, rich history and lively seaport that make up Unalaska Bay to the whales of Unalaska, the South Coastal and the Port of Dutch Harbor. segment of the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing For 9,000 years or more, the islands have been home to Trail highlights dozens Alaska Native people calling themselves the Unangan. Early of wildlife viewing Russian explorers, who gave them the name Aleuts, were sites in and around harbingers of a more complex modern era centered on the the communities of Bering Sea’s natural resources and strategic location between Cordova, continents. The Russian fur trade, the Russian Orthodox Valdez, Whittier, Church and action in the North Pacific during World War II Kodiak, Sand Point, Chignik, Cold Bay, False Pass all left their mark on the region. Today, this busy Pacific Rim and Unalaska. Pick up community brochures seaport remains a center of global importance for commercial fishing and scientific research. along the coastal trail and check for Alaska’s South Coastal Wildlife Viewing Guide in stores and online. Opportunities to see wildlife abound. Birds from all over the world, bountiful fish and marine mammals and several For more information on wildlife viewing across Alaska, interesting land animals inhabit these lands and waters. visit www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov. For information on tours and lodging, ort of Du , P tch a H consult the Unalaska, Port of Dutch sk a a r l b a o www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov n Harbor Convention and Visitors r U − − Bureau. Visit www.unalaska.

C o u Photos Alaska Department of n a info or call (877)581-2612. While e v r Crested auklets / Seacoast ©Dan Parrett • Sunset flowers ©Richard Bye • Otter ©Jim e u n B visiting Unalaska, stop by the Williams • Whale / Fox ©Ali Bonomo • Emperor goose / Seal ©Suzi Golodoff Fish and Game tio s n & tor All other photos ©ADF&G. Visi visitor center at 5 Broadway Street. Watch Our Wildlife

Sea otters eat, sleep, mate and give birth in water. in birth give and mate sleep, eat, otters Sea deep-sea corals, are found in Aleutian waters. waters. Aleutian in found are corals, deep-sea to let them know when you’ve returned safely! safely! returned you’ve when know them let to

Harbors office (907-581-1254) but please be sure sure be please but (907-581-1254) office Harbors species and more than 450 fish species, as well as ancient ancient as well as species, fish 450 than more and species

(907-581-1233) or a float plan with the Ports and and Ports the with plan float a or (907-581-1233) explosion of life and productivity. At least 26 marine mammal mammal marine 26 least At productivity. and life of explosion

hiking plan with the Unalaska Public Safety office office Safety Public Unalaska the with plan hiking

that flow between the Bering Sea and North Pacific feed an an feed Pacific North and Sea Bering the between flow that

communication for emergencies. You may leave a a leave may You emergencies. for communication

hand, are diverse and abundant. Cold, nutrient-rich currents currents nutrient-rich Cold, abundant. and diverse are hand,

carry spare clothes, a first aid kit and a means of of means a and kit aid first a clothes, spare carry

species. Marine mammals, on the other other the on mammals, Marine species. companion, let someone know your plans and and plans your know someone let companion,

detrimental to area lands and native native and lands area to detrimental wild lands. To be safe, take a guided tour or a a or tour guided a take safe, be To lands. wild

of the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing Trail are are Trail Viewing Wildlife Coastal Alaska the of at Summer Bay has also been been also has Bay Summer at

plenty of space. of plenty

he mountains, trails, islands and waterways waterways and islands trails, mountains, he T

like the gelded wild horses horses wild gelded the like

private property and give hunters, anglers and others others and anglers hunters, give and property private

STAY SAFE! STAY

squirrel, Norway rat and livestock livestock and rat Norway squirrel,

enjoy Alaska’s wildlife in a variety of ways. Respect Respect ways. of variety a in wildlife Alaska’s enjoy

Likewise, introduction of ground ground of introduction Likewise,

Be Considerate of Others. Others. of Considerate Be People use and and use People

populations over the years. years. the over populations

Human food can also make animals sick. sick. animals make also can food Human for their fur have decimated seabird seabird decimated have fur their for

with food, which can lead to trouble (and it’s illegal). illegal). it’s (and trouble to lead can which food, with were introduced throughout the Aleutians Aleutians the throughout introduced were

animals. This is teaching them to associate people people associate to them teaching is This animals. (native only in the eastern Aleutians). Red and Arctic foxes that that foxes Arctic and Red Aleutians). eastern the in only (native

Help Keep Wildlife Wild. Wild. Wildlife Keep Help Never feed wild wild feed Never to the region: a collared lemming, a root vole and the red fox fox red the and vole root a lemming, collared a region: the to

at the boat harbor and many local businesses. businesses. local many and harbor boat the at

believe only three land mammals (besides humans) are native native are humans) (besides mammals land three only believe

Tracking books and workshops will help you learn. you help will workshops and books Tracking

aware of the changing tides. Free tide books are available available are books tide Free tides. changing the of aware

Aleutian Mammals, Land and Marine: Marine: and Land Mammals, Aleutian Scientists Scientists

reading these clues adds richness to wildlife viewing. viewing. wildlife to richness adds clues these reading

Tides Tides Whether hiking or boating in coastal areas, stay stay areas, coastal in boating or hiking Whether

they live and when they passed through. Noticing and and Noticing through. passed they when and live they

seeking relief from the deep snows at higher elevations. elevations. higher at snows deep the from relief seeking

tell stories of wildlife - what they are eating, where where eating, are they what - wildlife of stories tell

Salmon Way to obtain a general access permit. permit. access general a obtain to Way Salmon peregrine falcon chasing snow buntings or a rock ptarmigan ptarmigan rock a or buntings snow chasing falcon peregrine

Look for Clues. Clues. for Look Tracks, droppings, trails and twigs twigs and trails droppings, Tracks,

Please stop by their offices at 400 400 at offices their by stop Please Corp. Ounalashka the roadways. On a winter walk around town, you may see a a see may you town, around walk winter a On roadways. the

Permits Permits Many lands you’ll cross are privately-owned by by privately-owned are cross you’ll lands Many

are easily seen and photographed from from photographed and seen easily are tidepools and a wealth of food for birds and mammals. mammals. and birds for food of wealth a and tidepools

the Aleutians, and the Steller’s eider eider Steller’s the and Aleutians, the thermals for eagles and hawks. Low tides expose expose tides Low hawks. and eagles for thermals are ever present. ever are

entire world population winters in in winters population world entire energizes dragonflies and butterflies and creates creates and butterflies and dragonflies energizes 53°F, annual precipitation averages 58 inches and winds winds and inches 58 averages precipitation annual 53°F,

Emperor goose (at right), whose whose right), (at goose Emperor

wildlife species are most active. Midday warmth warmth Midday active. most are species wildlife trails and roads. Summer temperatures average 43°F to to 43°F average temperatures Summer roads. and trails

and huge flocks of scoters. The The scoters. of flocks huge and

Time it Right. it Time Dawn and dusk are when many many when are dusk and Dawn It’s safest to hike along the coast or follow well marked marked well follow or coast the along hike to safest It’s

long-tailed and harlequin ducks ducks harlequin and long-tailed

and it’s easy to become chilled in wet, inclement weather. weather. inclement wet, in chilled become to easy it’s and

behavior; approach no closer than 100 yards. 100 than closer no approach behavior;

waterfowl and sea ducks, including including ducks, sea and waterfowl

hide challenging terrain like cliffs and steep river canyons canyons river steep and cliffs like terrain challenging hide

areas. Also, avoid causing whales to change their their change to whales causing avoid Also, areas.

which attract tremendous numbers of of numbers tremendous attract which

move in quickly and blanket the landscape. The fog can can fog The landscape. the blanket and quickly in move

rookeries and calving grounds, and critical feeding feeding critical and grounds, calving and rookeries

winter birding is terrific thanks to the region’s ice-free bays, bays, ice-free region’s the to thanks terrific is birding winter

tundra, however, at 500 feet in elevation a summer fog can can fog summer a elevation in feet 500 at however, tundra,

especially respectful of nesting and denning areas, areas, denning and nesting of respectful especially

Winter Birding: Winter The weather may be challenging but but challenging be may weather The

misconception that one can’t get lost in open treeless treeless open in lost get can’t one that misconception to stop feeding or act restless, give it more space. Be Be space. more it give restless, act or feeding stop to

Wildlife Viewing Fun Facts Facts Fun Viewing Wildlife into trouble without proper preparation. It’s a common common a It’s preparation. proper without trouble into with sounds. If your presence is causing an animal animal an causing is presence your If sounds. with

opportunities—and no bears!—but hikers can run run can hikers bears!—but no opportunities—and natural behaviors but try not to attract their attention attention their attract to not try but behaviors natural

Weather Weather Unalaska Island offers many hiking hiking many offers Island Unalaska Keep a Low Profile. Profile. Low a Keep Enjoy watching animals’ animals’ watching Enjoy

Land and Water Safety Tips Safety Water and Land Wildlife Viewing Tips Viewing Wildlife

UNALASKA PORT OF DUTCH HARBOR Wildlife Viewing Unalaska: An Uncommon Place Guide From the shorebirds of Cordova to the brown Guide In the heart of the Aleutian Islands, discover the natural bears of Kodiak Island, from the caribou of Cold beauty, rich history and lively seaport that make up Unalaska Bay to the whales of Unalaska, the South Coastal and the Port of Dutch Harbor. segment of the Alaska Coastal Wildlife Viewing For 9,000 years or more, the islands have been home to Trail highlights dozens Alaska Native people calling themselves the Unangan. Early of wildlife viewing Russian explorers, who gave them the name Aleuts, were sites in and around harbingers of a more complex modern era centered on the the communities of Bering Sea’s natural resources and strategic location between Cordova, continents. The Russian fur trade, the Russian Orthodox Valdez, Whittier, Church and action in the North Pacific during World War II Kodiak, Sand Point, Chignik, Cold Bay, False Pass all left their mark on the region. Today, this busy Pacific Rim and Unalaska. Pick up community brochures seaport remains a center of global importance for commercial fishing and scientific research. along the coastal trail and check for Alaska’s South Coastal Wildlife Viewing Guide in stores and online. Opportunities to see wildlife abound. Birds from all over the world, bountiful fish and marine mammals and several For more information on wildlife viewing across Alaska, interesting land animals inhabit these lands and waters. visit www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov. For information on tours and lodging, ort of Du , P tch a H consult the Unalaska, Port of Dutch sk a a r l b a o www.wildlifeviewing.alaska.gov n Harbor Convention and Visitors r U − − Bureau. Visit www.unalaska.

C o u Photos Alaska Department of n a info or call (877)581-2612. While e v r Crested auklets / Seacoast ©Dan Parrett • Sunset flowers ©Richard Bye • Otter ©Jim e u n B visiting Unalaska, stop by the Williams • Whale / Fox ©Ali Bonomo • Emperor goose / Seal ©Suzi Golodoff Fish and Game tio s n & tor All other photos ©ADF&G. Visi visitor center at 5 Broadway Street. Watch Our Wildlife UNALASKA, PORT OF DUTCH HARBOR Wildlife Viewing Sites

1. Mt. Ballyhoo 2 hrs.* Unalaska Bay 12 2. Dutch Harbor Spit 1 hr. Atop Mt. Ballyhoo 1 overlooking the Port of Dutch Harbor, 11 subalpine vegetation is slowly reclaiming the remnants of World 3. Bunker Hill 1 hr. 1 Morris Cove Amaknak War II-era Fort Schwatka. Amid the ruins of concrete bunkers Island Humpy Cove and gun-mounts, wind-tossed purple lupine, blue bells and tall 4. Margaret Bay ½ hr. 2 grasses harbor gray-crowned rosy finches, snow buntings and Summer Bay Lapland longspurs. The views from on top are spectacular on a 5. Strawberry Hill ½ hr. AD O clear day. Beyond the entry into Unalaska Bay, one looks far out R Iliuliuk Bay AY B into the Bering Sea where humpback whales and ships may be ER 6. Summer Bay Road 1 hr - ½ day M M seen on the horizon. Looking west beyond Broad Bay and SU Makushin Valley are the glacial slopes and steaming fumarole of 7. Captains Bay ½ day 4 5 Unalaska Makushin Volcano. You can access the top of Mt. Ballyhoo (elev. City of Unalaska Island 1,634 ft) two ways. A hiking trail juts off to the right along a dirt 3 6 8. Pyramid Trail ½ day 10 road just past the airport. Further north off Ballyhoo Road, is

Ulakta Drive: a steep, winding gravel road. Watch your footing Unalaska

9. Unalaska Valley 1½ hrs. D Lake at the top, the cliffs edges are loose and eroding, and be careful 7 A 9 O R around abandoned buildings, which are full of nails and hidden Y BA IVE INS R 10. Unalaska 1 hr. TA D holes. This former army outpost is a National Historic Area and P ND A LA C R jointly managed by the National Park Service and Ounalashka E V Corporation. 11. Unalaska Bay ½ day O Mt. Pyramid (2,320 ft) Ballyhoo Road continues past ferry and shipping docks and a 12. Akutan 1 day + 8 marine salvage yard to end at the Dutch Harbor Spit 2 where part of the commercial fishing fleet ties up. An old road road, maintained year round bed beyond a gate continues as a pleasant walking trail to the Scenic Vistas Hiking Trails Camping road, closed seasonally ...... trail end of the spit, providing access to excellent birding and *Estimated times include travel between airport and site Map is for locator reference only, not for navigational use. beachcombing. This is a prime winter location for Steller’s eiders plus visit. Check with Ounalashka Corp. at 400 Salmon Way and emperor geese and a good place to see resident rock or the visitor center for detailed information on trails. sandpipers, sea lions and rafts of sea otters. An easier climb than Mt. Ballyhoo and road and scan the kelp beds for sea otters switchbacks before it levels out along a scenic drive that also dotted with WWII relics, Bunker munching on sea urchins and harbor seals passes several trailheads then drops down into Summer Hill 3 (elev. 421 ft) is located on the perched on rocks. Birdlife includes bald Bay. Look carefully for the tiny Kamchatka rhododendron South America-shaped land mass at eagles, black oystercatchers, rock sandpipers, or the delicate lady’s slipper. You may see sandpipers or the southern end of Amaknak Island. and any of three species of cormorant, the Aleutian song sparrow perched on a Putchky flower. Park along Airport Beach Road and including the red-faced cormorant seen only Overland Drive is closed in winter. hike the coastal gravel road at the in Alaska and NE Asia. Look for common Join the many local residents who enjoy a stroll around old base of the hill to look for seabirds redpolls, savannah sparrows and American Unalaska. 10 Look for salmon spawning, ducks dabbling like cormorants, marbled murrelets, pipits in the uplands. Summer Bay Road and diving, and people fishing along the creek. Follow the pigeon guillemots and oystercatchers. also connects with Overland Drive, which is beach road back through town and check for bald eagles You may see red foxes, harbor seals described under #9. perched on the Russian Orthodox crosses of the Cathedral of and harbor porpoises too. The trail to Charter a boat trip or paddle a kayak up the Holy Ascension. A hike out Bayview Avenue towards the the top begins near the Carl E. Moses Captains Bay, 7 one of the area’s few landfill is sure to yield shorebird and marine life sightings. boat harbor and winds up the back protected bays. Exploring by water allows you side of the hill. Watch out for bald Explore areas of spectacular beauty and abundant wildlife Tundra plants and wildflowers at sunset to avoid the busy industrial area and traffic eagles nesting on the hillside. They on a marine tour of Unalaska Bay. 11 Delicate waterfalls along Captains Bay Road and be able to view can be territorial and have been known to dive at passers-by. cascade from emerald green cliffs that are home to tens wildlife at the head of the bay without crossing private lands there. From the trail, look over to the mouth of Captains Bay where of thousands of nesting seabirds like puffins, kittiwakes, Humpback whales and harbor seals may be seen in the bay. Look for humpback whales often gather to feed on rich concentrations of cormorants, murres, guillemots, auklets and murrelets. rock and least sandpipers and semi-palmated plovers along the shore tiny crustaceans and small schooling fish. Humpback whales feed in Unalaska Bay in July and August and bank swallows skimming the waters. before migrating to calving grounds in Hawaii. Steller sea Tucked behind the hotel and city museum is a small bay that’s a A map of area hiking trails is available from Ounalashka Corporation lions and sea otters are common. Drift past moist, mossy hot spot for birders and jumping with salmon. Sit awhile on the although many featured routes are unmarked and unmaintained. sea caves, picnic on a beach or circumnavigate Hog Island to banks of Margaret Bay and scan for fresh and salt water 4 Well-established trails that are easy to find include Ugadaga Bay Trail, look for nesting gulls and kelp patches that draw porpoises, ducks including Steller’s eiders, buffleheads, goldeneyes, green- Agamgik Trail and Peace of Mind Trail. Pyramid Trail 8 begins whales and otters. If your tour takes you outside Unalaska winged teal, and long-tailed and harlequin ducks. It’s also an about a mile down Captains Bay Road and follows a nearly 3-mile Bay, it may be long and rough—and even weathered out excellent spot to look for tufted ducks (an Asian species) among circuit around Pyramid Peak. You will cross rolling uplands that are certain times of year—but the rewards are great. A trip to the flocks of scaup. breeding grounds for such birds as Lapland longspur, rock ptarmigan Chelan Banks or the Baby Islands may yield Laysan, black- Small stands of Sitka spruce scattered around the community and rock and least sandpipers. Sit awhile in the tundra and marvel footed and short-tailed albatrosses, the coveted whiskered of Unalaska provide shelter for local passerines and are a at the profusion of wildflowers, mosses, berries and grasses around auklet, or clouds of shearwaters, petrels, fulmars, and gulls magnet for any casual and accidental migrants or strays from you. Salmonberries are abundant through in a spectacular feeding frenzy. Humpback, mainland Alaska or Asia. The scrubby trees were transplanted August and ripe blueberries into October. orca and minke whales, as well as Pacific to these treeless islands from other parts of Alaska by Russian You may opt to climb Pyramid Peak or drop white-sided dolphins, ply the waters while sea fur traders—and later by U.S. soldiers. The spruce grove at down into Unalaska Valley. lions haul out on rock beaches. Strawberry Hill 5 behind East Point is well worth a look. From town, consider a hike or rent or If timing and weather are right, consider an Summer Bay Road 6 is a gorgeous, approximately 7-mile borrow a bike or car to explore beautiful air-taxi flight to the village of Akutan 12 and drive along the coastline north of Unalaska past Summer Bay Unalaska Valley 9 at the head of ride the twice-monthly ferry back to Unalaska. and Humpy Cove and ending at Morris Cove. These three bays Unalaska Lake. Hike old road beds through Look for whales, sea lion haulouts and clouds of team with pink salmon in August. Beachcombers turn up berry patches and upland vegetation. If you seabirds feeding along the way. Your flight may colorful bits of beach glass and agates while tide pools may are driving, you may continue up the valley take you directly over the Baby Islands. yield a trove of sea stars, urchins and anemones. Pull off the along Overland Drive. The road climbs steep A harbor seal resting on the beach