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Introduction

The United States Congress designated the Hazy Islands Wilderness (map) in 1970 and it now has a total of 32 acres. All of this wilderness is located in Alaska and is managed by the Fish & Wildlife Service.

Description

The former Hazy Islands National Wildlife Refuge, established in 1912, was designated Wilderness in 1970 and incorporated as a subunit into the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Gulf of Alaska Unit, in 1980. Far offshore, beaten by wind and wave, Big Hazy Island and her four smaller sisters stick out of the frigid sea, providing predator-free nesting areas for large populations of common murres, pigeon guillemots, glaucous-winged gulls, horned puffins, and tufted puffins. Brandt's cormorants nest here, one of only two islands they inhabit in Alaska.

Remote, without anchorages or campsites, beaten by frequent storms under high winds, the rocks called Hazy Islands are seldom seen and human visitation is discouraged to protect the birds and the humans. This is Alaska's smallest Wilderness area.

Planning to Visit the Hazy Islands Wilderness?

• Print a fact sheet
• General things to consider when visiting any wilderness
• Regulations
• Contact the Fish & Wildlife Service
  • Alaska Region
    • Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge

Leave No Trace

How to follow the seven standard Leave No Trace principles differs in different parts of the country (desert vs. Rocky Mountains). Click on any of the principles listed below to learn more about how they apply in the Hazy Islands Wilderness.

1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

For more information on Leave No Trace, Visit the Leave No Trace, Inc. website.