These forests provide some of the best habitat available to species such as brown bears, bald eagles, and Sitka black-tailed deer.

The island was named by British naval officer George Vancouver in honor of his Royal Navy employers, the Admiralty.

[citation needed] Western hemlock, Sitka spruce and western redcedar dominate the prolific rainforest vegetation; wildlife in abundance includes brown bear, bald eagles, many species of salmon, whales, and deer.

It has more brown bears than the entire lower 48 states, and one of the highest densities of bald eagles in the world.

[4] Murder Cove is located at the southernmost portion of the island and was home to the Tyee Company whaling station.

[5] While the modern route was laid out and constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, it follows traces long used by the island's native inhabitants for hunting, fishing and trading.