The Clausen Memorial Museum displays a Tlingit dugout canoe; at the same time, the museum preserves the history of Petersburg and the surrounding waters. With Sons of Norway Hall, fishing memorials and different seasons for birdwatching, Petersburg offers several concrete starting points for planning a trip. If you are looking for accommodation, it is worth considering your travel arrangements together with the focus of your trip.
Getting There and Getting Around
Petersburg can only be reached by water or air. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry stops several times a month; check the schedule before your trip to plan your arrival. One specific local route is the Coastal Bike & Walking Path: it runs along paved trails for about three miles south from the ferry terminal to Scow Bay. Eagle's Roost Park, with the Narrows Viewing Platform, is within walking distance of downtown.
Seasonal Nature Watching
Between late April and late June, bald eagles gather in the trees at Eagle's Roost Park to scan the waters of Wrangell Narrows for fish. Near Petersburg, the Trumpeter Swan Observatory is located at Blind Slough. Hundreds of trumpeter swans pass through there between mid-October and December; up to 75 swans spend the winter there. The viewing seasons are therefore quite distinct: eagle activity takes place in late spring and early summer, while the swans' migration and wintering period falls in autumn and at the end of the year.
The Trumpeter Swan Observatory has an enclosed, wheelchair-accessible viewing shelter. Another wildlife-watching option is Outlook Park, where telescopes and binoculars are provided for viewing icebergs, surfacing humpback whales and other marine life in Frederick Sound. The tidal flats at Sandy Beach Park reveal another side of the coastal landscape: they are home to ancient petroglyphs of Alaska Native Peoples as well as remnants of prehistoric fish traps.
Trails and Different Outings
Near Petersburg, the flat Blind River Rapids Trail follows a quarter-mile boardwalk to the Blind River rapids. The trail is wheelchair-accessible all the way down to the water. The wooden City Creek Trail is about a one-hour hike. The Three Lakes Loop Trail is near Petersburg, is about five miles long and has rowboats available for public use. Each trail has different features: Blind River offers a boardwalk and a destination at the rapids, City Creek is notable for its approximate duration, and Three Lakes for the length of its loop and the available rowboats.
Fishing History and Norwegian Heritage
Bojer Wikan Fishermen's Memorial Park features a nine-foot-tall bronze sculpture honoring local fisherman Bojer Wikan and his crewmates who lost their lives at sea. The same park displays the Valhalla, a replica Viking ship built in 1976. Sons of Norway Hall was built in 1912 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Together with the Clausen Memorial Museum, which preserves the history of Petersburg and the surrounding waters, these places offer concrete connections to fishing, local history and Norwegian heritage.
The Little Norway Festival takes place every year in May in Petersburg, around Norwegian Constitution Day on May 17. The program includes a parade and cultural traditions; traditional Norwegian foods are offered at selected events. If you are planning your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates. In summer, Leikerring dancers perform traditional Norwegian folk dances for visitors; Norwegian pastries and coffee are also served. The annual Little Norway Festival Community Art Show at the Clausen Museum features artworks for all age groups and in all media.
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