Dillingham, Alaska

Dillingham is located in the Bristol Bay area near the Wood River and Nushagak River. Bristol Bay is one of the richest fishing grounds in the world and the Dillingham harbor serves more than 600 boats and four canneries. Peter Pan Cannery offers tours of historic cannery buildings during the summer.

Fishing

Dillingham offers some of the best sportfishing in the world, with many lodges in the area and numerous charters available. The village of Aleknagik is located 40 km south of Dillingham by road and is located on Lake Aleknagik with world-class salmon, trout, grayling and arctic char.

Walrus Islands State Game Sanctuary

This group of seven rocky islands and their adjacent waters located in northern Bristol Bay is world famous for its unique summer concentration of walruses. Best known among the Walrus Islands is Round Island, where each summer large numbers of male walruses lay out on exposed, rocky beaches. Other wildlife on and around the sanctuary include Steller sea lions, harbor seals, gray whales, Orcas, humpback and minke whales, red foxes, and thousands of seabirds.

Togiak National Wildlife Refuge

Togiak National Wildlife Refuge includes almost 2 million hectares of land that encompass rivers, lakes and mountains. Togiak offers some of the finest salmon and trout fishing in Alaska and that is little wonder, considering the refuge protects habitat that produces nearly 3 million salmon along with 27 other fish species. The refuge also provides habitat for at least 201 staging, migrating or breeding bird species including land birds, shorebirds, seabirds, raptors and waterfowl. Brown bear, moose, caribou, wolves and many smaller mammals call Togiak home. In addition, 17 species of marine mammals are found along Togiak’s coastline. Up to 12,000 male walrus may haul out on Cape Peirce, on the southwestern tip of the refuge at one time. Steller sea lions, harbor seals and spotted seals use the refuge as well.

Wood-Tikchik State Park

This is the largest state park in the U.S.A. consisting of 650,000 hectares and named for its two large interconnected lakes. The lake systems span a variety of terrain and are renowned for their diverse beauty. The waters of the park abound with all five species of Pacific salmon as well as trout, grayling, arctic char, Dolly Varden and northern pike. Moose, caribou and brown bear can be seen throughout the park and birds include waterfowl, gulls, bald and golden eagles, arctic tern, various loons, sandpipers, plovers, ptarmigan and grouse.

Access: Scheduled jet service from Anchorage, air taxi service.

Location: Dillingham is located at the extreme northern end of Nushagak Bay in northern Bristol Bay, at the confluence of the Wood and Nashagak Rivers. It lies 327 miles southwest of Anchorage, approximately 1 hr. and 10 min. by air.

Population: 2,422.

Accommodations: Two hotel/motels (90 rooms), five bed & breakfasts (20+ beds); six restaurants (seating for 200+). Food, all conveniences, supplies and a hospital.