Totem Bight State Park in Ketchikan: Beautiful Tlingit Carvings on the Water

I love visiting Totem Bight State Park in Ketchikan. It’s a bit off the beaten path, as it’s not close to the town, but it’s well worth making the journey up the island to get to see the many totem poles and the beautiful setting of Totem Bight State Park. You’re visiting Ketchikan on a cruise you say? Well, you can still make your way up to Totem Bight and we’re going to tell you how. Have you gotten to visit this unique, beautiful state park before? If not, you’re going to want to add it to your list. Read on to see what you’ll find at Totem Bight State Park, how you can include a visit on your Ketchikan itinerary, and more interesting Tlingit cultural sites to visit when you’re here on the island. If you have any questions about visiting Totem Bight State Park or planning your time in Ketchikan, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help YOU plan a great Alaska trip.

Why Visit Totem Bight State Park in Ketchikan

Ketchikan isn’t short on places to learn about and engage with Tlingit culture, but I feel like visiting Totem Bight State Park is my favorite of the different opportunities. When you arrive, stop by the small visitor center (it’s all outside) to read about the park and the examples of totem poles and carvings throughout the park. If you’ve come from Creek Street in Ketchikan, you’ll have seen a few totem poles already, but here you’ll have even more to appreciate.

From here head onto the trail and into the woods where you’ll come to some beautiful sleeping totems (fallen and going back into the earth) and then you come out into the open. And then you have the restoration center. In this building you’ll find Tlingit carvers (and sometimes a master carver) working on either new totem poles or creating replacement pieces for some of the complex poles that have toppers, beaks, wings and other elements. During our last visit there was a very grand eagle top that was being completed and there was a carver working on a new pole, whose story was not yet shared. Really cool, especially if you’re visiting with kids.

The next stop is the Beaver Clan House and totem pole yard. Here you’ll be able to go into a beautiful clan house built just as the Tlingit people have done for centuries (with some modern safety precautions). It’s pretty cool and is a unique place to see. In the totem yard, it’s just beautiful with all manner of totem pole standing here. Each pole has either the story or the perceived story that goes along with the figures on the poles. It’s beautiful and a great example of what so much of Southeast Alaska’s Tlingit and Haida villages were like before white culture became so prevalent.

Tips for a Great Visit to Totem Bight State Park

Give yourself plenty of time to enjoy Totem Bight State Park, because in addition to the wonderful totem pole installations, clan house and restoration center, there is also a beautiful cove and some tide pools. Totem Bight State Park is both educational and fun, and it’s a great afternoon hangout. If you have the time, plan to be here all afternoon with a picnic and even a kayak if you have one with you.

If this is your first Tlingit cultural site to visit, try to be here earlier in the day when there are park rangers and carvers are around so that you can ask questions and really make your visit count. There are lots of exhibit placards and displays as you go through the park, so take the time to read them. If you’re pressed for time, still pay attention to some of the themes and written content about the meaning and creation of the different totem poles. Historic and cultural sites like Totem Bight State Park are one of the things that make visiting Southeast Alaska so special.

If you’re visiting Ketchikan as part of a cruise on the Inside Passage and you want to come up here, you have a few options. You can either hire an Uber, rent a car for the day, take a guided tour or you can take the bus. That’s right! Ketchikan actually has a bus system and the Silver bus goes between downtown and Totem Bight State Park. It doesn’t run constantly, but there are several buses throughout the day, so you should be able to successfully get up here and enjoy this beautiful park.

Being Prepared for a Day at Totem Bight in Ketchikan

In general, visiting Totem Bight State Park is an easy thing to do when you’re in Ketchikan. There isn’t any hiking involved and part of the state park is indoors, so you’ll be able to take cover while you’re here. This means you don’t need to worry about hiking boots or rain gear, but you should still plan to be outside in the elements. The weather up here at Totem Bight State Park may be quite different from what you’re experience when you depart from downtown Ketchikan, so be prepared with umbrellas or rain jackets just in case.

Also, while mosquitoes can be really irritating all over Alaska, they’re not too bad here, but if you are sensitive, be sure that you use bug spray before you arrive. There’s a nice breeze that tends to keep the air free from bugs, but if it’s a still day, when you’re on the grass and in the forest there just may be enough mosquitoes to ruin your afternoon with itching.

And you know I’m going to tell you to bring your camera. While there are some other wonderful places like the Saxman Native Village and Totem Heritage Center that you can see and photograph totem poles, the setting and lighting here at Totem Bight State Park is really wonderful for it, and there are some very unique ones here. I think these are some of the best to photograph totem poles in Ketchikan.

Getting to Totem Bight State Park

There is plenty of parking at Totem Bight State Park if you have a car with you. You can park and then pay your state park entry fee and start exploring. If you’re taking a bus, you’ll still need to pay the entry fee. Because the buses do not come every fifteen minutes, be sure you’ve check the schedule and can make it back on the bus you need, especially if you’re visiting from a cruise ship and have a set all aboard time.

More Things to Do in Ketchikan

Ketchikan is such a cool town and it’s a wonderful place to explore for several days. If you’re only able to stop in for a little bit from a cruise ship, that’s fine too, but you’re going to want to come back and explore on your own in the future. What makes Ketchikan such a great town to visit is the combination of Alaska Native culture and all the elements that come to mind when you think of Alaska: salmon, mining, timber, landscapes. Ketchikan can be a wonderfully active town to visit or you can arrive and spend a few days relaxing.

As you plan your time in Ketchikan, think about how you want to mix up your activities. You can plan tours on the water or to visit different parts of Ketchikan to learn about Tlingit culture or nature. There are some walking tours to dig into the food scene or you can enjoy the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show. Do you need a car when you come to town? No, not necessarily and downtown is very walkable, even beyond Creek Street, and there is a bus system that goes to some further away spots. A car is nice though, as that open you up to hiking and traveling around the island freely.

Here are are recommendations for things to do in Ketchikan:

Where to Stay in Ketchikan

If you’re lucky enough to get to spend several days in Ketchikan, there are some fun options for hotels around down town. For visitors with their own cars, you can consider something outside of the immediate downtown area and not need to worry about parking. I will say, there are some cool places to stay just off Creek Street, which puts you right in one of the most iconic Alaskan neighborhoods. You can even stay at the Cape Fox Lodge overlooking downtown and then take the funicular down to the main area. Some hotels in Ketchikan offer shuttle service between the hotel and downtown or the airport ferry terminal, so if you want to enjoy a more quiet stay, you can still easily get about town without a car.