Where did Northwest Coast Indian peoples traditionally live?

Northwest Coast Indian peoples traditionally inhabited a narrow, long arc of Pacific coastland and offshore islands in North America. This region extends from Yakutat Bay in the northeastern Gulf of Alaska south to Cape Mendocino in present-day California.12

The eastern boundaries of this territory are defined by the crest of the Coast Ranges in the north, the Cascades extending south to the Columbia River, and the coastal hills of Oregon and northwestern California. The area encompasses the coasts of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and parts of southern Alaska and northern California.123

Most groups established their villages near the coast or along waterways to access abundant aquatic resources, while also maintaining rights to specific upland territories for terrestrial food sources. The landscape is characterized by temperate rainforests, steep mountains, and a myriad of fjords and channels.31