Separate from the permits allocated for commercial operators to bring people to the Anan Wildlife Observatory, there are 12 permits a day set aside for bear watchers to visit the popular site on their own during the peak season in July and August.

Those permits, at $30 per person, went on sale last week.

“It is best to plan ahead,” said Jan Kardiak, Anan manager for the Forest Service Wrangell District. As of last week, already two days were sold out, she said.

Permits are required July 5 through Aug. 25. Mid-July to the end of the month are the most popular days for the self-guided permits, offering the best opportunities to see bears feeding on the salmon returning to Anan Creek, said Kardiak, now in her fourth year as manager.

There usually are permits available throughout the season, she said, but planning ahead and getting permits in advance gives people the best opportunity to select their days.

The 12 permits a day are for people with their own transportation to Anan, about 30 air miles southeast of Wrangell on the mainland.

“These are good for people in Wrangell because you need your own boat,” Kardiak said. “We’ve had a few kayakers. … We had somebody show up in a do-it-yourself raft.”

Visitors to Anan aboard commercial operators are limited to 60 people per day under a separate permit system.

The self-guided permits are available online at recreation.gov. The permits are increasing in price by $10 a year until they reach $50 in 2028, to provide more funding for management and maintenance expenses at Anan.

There is a $6 reservation fee for each permit, which is good for up to four people.

“There is a no-change, no-exchange and no-show policy, so you will be charged the reservation and pass fees in full,” according to the website. “You cannot switch days after purchase.”

The bear observatory has undergone extensive improvements in recent years, with new viewing platforms and spiral stairs to get closer to the action — but still a safe distance.