FREE THINGS TO DO IN KETCHIKAN

  • 1. Creek Street – Once a red-light district, now an arts and crafts shopping area.
  • 2. Totem Bight State Historical Park – Ten miles north of Ketchikan is Totem Bight State Historical Park, an 11-acre park that is packed with restored and re-carved totems as well as a colorful Clan House. Providing a stunning backdrop to the totems is park’s lush rainforest setting and the rocky coastline along Tongass Narrows.
  • 3. Deer Mountain Trail – The trail is comprised of gravel sections, wooden bridges, and natural rock sections. It starts in a muskeg with a boardwalk and climbs through heavy timber into lighter timber and eventually alpine. The trail can be quite wet after recent rain, but is very nice after dry weather. Loose rocks are probably the greatest safety challenge. Early in the climbing season (May or June) one might encounter blow down from the winter storms which frequent this area. It is important to stay on the trail as there are many steep (cliff) areas which have been the demise of several unfortunate hikers in the past.
  • 4. Ketchikan Rainbird Trail – Hiking trail with rainforest terrain leading from the university to the cruise ship dock.
  • 5. Settlers Cove State Recreational Site – State park with a campground and picnic areas, trails, waterfalls, and beach access.
  • 6. Rotary Beach – This is an excellent public beach a park south of downtown Ketchikan. easy to get close to the water and it has great views of the mountains and water.
  • 7. Scanlon Gallery – From the spirit and character of the people who live here comes a remarkable range of talent and vision reflected in art forms from painting to carving to printmaking. Since 1972, Scanlon Gallery has offered residents and visitors to Ketchikan, Alaska, the finest in Alaskan art. At Scanlon Gallery you will find art at a range of affordable prices, whether your interests are in original paintings, sculpture, fine art prints, posters, or fine art books. We’ll take the time to answer your questions and share our knowledge about the kind of art we know and love best.
  • 8. The Rock – “The Rock” shows a vision of early Alaskan pioneers and an introduction to Ketchikan’s story. Six of the seven sculptures represent people who helped to form Alaska’s First City. A fisherman, a miner, a logger, a bush pilot, a frontierswoman, and a Native drummer. These figures illustrate the initial pull factors that drew people to early Ketchikan: the salmon, the gold rushes, the bountiful forests, and the wildlife. The seventh sculpture represents an actual historic figure: Chief Johnson, a Tlingit chief, symbolizing how his people were the first to make Southeast Alaska their home. “The Rock” is the first bronze sculpture in Ketchikan and is in the collection of the City of Ketchikan. It is viewable year round and is located on Berth Two.
  • 9. Chief Johnson Totem Pole – The Chief Johnson Totem Pole was raised in 1901 at a potlatch attended by 500 people. It has since become one of the most photographed totems in the world.
  • 10. Caribou Creek Company – Caribou Creek features the work of the Alaska’s many talented artists and crafters and is the perfect place to find that one-of-a-kind gift or souvenir.

RECOMMENDED RESTAURANTS NEAR THE CRUISE PORT