Sitka National Historical Park
Nina Evangelista 3/28/13
Map of hiking trails
Map of Facilities
Directions from Palestine HIgh School to DFW Airport
1. Head northeast on TX-256 Loop N toward Benbrook Dr -5.6 mi
2. Take the ramp onto TX-19 N/U.S. 287 N/W Spring St -2.1 mi
3. Turn left onto U.S. 287 N -52.1 mi
4. Turn right to merge onto I-45 N -55.2 mi
5. Take exit 284A to merge onto I-30 W -2.1 mi
6. Take exit 44A to merge onto I-35E N toward Denton -5.2 mi
7. Keep left to continue on TX-183 W -2.5 mi
8. Keep left to stay on TX-183 W, follow signs for Ft Worth/DFW South Entry -7.3 mi
9. Take the exit toward DFW Airport -0.9 mi
10. Merge onto TX-97 Spur -1.6 mi
Partial toll road
11. Continue onto International Pkwy -2.6 mi
Toll road
12. Take the exit on the left -479 ft
13. Keep right at the fork, follow signs for Terminal A -0.3 mi
14. Continue straight -0.1 mi
Destination will be on the left
From DFW Airport Fly to Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Aiport
From Sitka Rocky Gutierrez Aiport to Sitka National Historical Park
1. Head southeast on Airport Rd toward Charcoal Dr -0.8 mi
2. Continue onto Harbor Dr -1.0 mi
3. Turn right onto Lincoln St -0.6 mi
4. Continue onto Metlakatla St -348 fr
Destination will be on the right
Biomes
Ecological Balances in the Stream
Various organisms help keep balance in the streams.
Flatworms (Turbellaria): Predators and collector-gatherers. They are sometime found on dead salmon.
Water Mites (Hydracarina): These are predators or parasites depending on life stage.
Aquatic Earthworms (Oligochaeta): Collector-gatherers.
True Flies (Diptera)
Midges (Chironomidae): mostly collector-gatherers. A very diverse group found in most aquatic habitats.
Blackflies (Simuliidae)
Filter-collectors. Larval blackflies have fans that they extend into the stream current. These fans can filter out particles as fine bacteria
Crane Flies (Tipulidae)
Large shredders of leaf litter.
Expectations
The park's intertidal and shoreline areas support a variety of migratory waterfowl and shore birds during spring and fall. Sea birds such as common murres, scoters, harlequin ducks, scaup, buffleheads, and long-tailed ducks commonly use the park waters, particularly in winter. Many passerine birds use the park for breeding, a wintering ground, or a migratory stopover including pine siskins, savanna sparrows, varied, hermit, and Swainson's thrushes, robins, Townsend's warblers, ruby-crowned and golden-crowned kinglets, kingfishers, dippers, and winter wrens. Resident birds including common mergansers, mallards, spotted sandpipers, and great blue herons use the estuary, river, and tidal flats for foraging and protection. Gulls, crows, and ravens scavenge along the tidal flats and the river. Bald eagles are common in the general area, especially during the spring herring spawn and fall salmon runs, when eagles feed on fish carcasses in the river and adjacent tidal flats. At least one bald eagle nest is present in the park.
An aquatic resource survey completed in 1995 revealed that in general, fish habitat suitability in the lower reaches of the Indian River is limited by a lack of pool habitat, few deep pools, and lack of cover.
Mammal species such as shrews, mice, voles, red tree squirrels, mink, and river otters inhabit the park. Brown bears occupy the Indian River drainage and occasionally enter the park, often at the beginning of the salmon runs. Sitka blacktail deer also occasionally enter and forage in the park but are discouraged from doing so because of the development and human activity around the park. However, visitors observed the birth of a fawn on the morning of June 3, 1999 at the fort site.
Peregrine falcons have recently been delisted but are still species of concern. The Peale's (Pacific) peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus pealei) lives and breeds in the area, and the Arctic peregrine falcon may pass through the area as a transient, primarily during seasonal migration. No endangered or threatened mammal species is known to inhabit the park. The endangered humpback whale and the threatened Steller sea lion are commonly sighted in marine waters around Sitka.
Raven
A wide variety of birds pass through Sitka National Historical Park due to the diversity of nearby habitats, including alpine, rainforest, riverine and coastal ecosystems
Salmon
Four species of salmon return to Indian River each summer to spawn.
Black Tail Deer
Approximately 30 species of marine and land mammals are believed to inhabit the area in and around Sitka National Historical Park. Sitka black tailed deer are occasionally seen in the park.
Temperatures and Precipitation
Month Avg. High Avg. Low Avg. Precipitation
Jan 40°F 32°F 8.38 in.
Feb 41°F 32°F 6.72 in.
Mar 43°F 33°F 6.15 in.
Apr 48°F 37°F 4.35 in.
May 53°F 42°F 4.23 in.
Jun 58°F 48°F 2.89 in.
Jul 60°F 52°F 4.12 in.
Aug 62°F 52°F 6.87 in.
Sep 58°F 48°F 11.75 in.
Oct 51°F 42°F 12.95 in.
Nov 44°F 35°F 9.78 in.
Dec 41°F 33°F 8.85 in.