Thorne Bay, AK

Located on the eastern shore of Prince of Wales Island, Thorne Bay started out in the 1960s as a bustling timber camp, at one point counted among the largest in the world. Over the decades, it evolved into a relaxed, close-knit coastal town tucked deep inside the Tongass National Forest. The bay and the nearby Thorne River provide spectacular scenery and some of the best salmon and steelhead fishing in Southeast Alaska, making the outdoors an everyday part of living here.

ATTRJefferson Moser / Public domain

Day-to-day life is peaceful and self-reliant, with convenient paved road connections across the island alongside regular floatplane and boat access. A massive log grapple nicknamed "The Claw" still greets folks driving into town, honoring the community's hardworking roots. With a local school serving preschool through twelfth grade, an active small-boat harbor, and miles of wilderness in every direction, Thorne Bay offers an easygoing home base for anyone looking to put down roots on the island.