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Walk or taxi to/from Saxman?


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We are capable walkers, and I think walking either to or from Saxman would be very pleasant. How easy is it to get a taxi from Saxman back to Ketchikan? Or would it be simpler to take a taxi to Saxman, and walk back? (This entire plan is weather dependent ;) )

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We are capable walkers, and I think walking either to or from Saxman would be very pleasant. How easy is it to get a taxi from Saxman back to Ketchikan? Or would it be simpler to take a taxi to Saxman, and walk back? (This entire plan is weather dependent ;) )

 

How much time do you have in Ketchikan and how much of it would you waste walking to and/or from Saxman. To me, port time is something that I would not want to waste since we have so little of it.

 

DON

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How much time do you have in Ketchikan and how much of it would you waste walking to and/or from Saxman. To me, port time is something that I would not want to waste since we have so little of it.

 

DON

 

We will be there from 10 am to 6 pm. Have been there several times in the past, and want to do something a little different. A decent walk is always, imho, a good use of time :)

 

 

It’s an easy walk 3 miles down a busy highway....

 

Hmmm, busy, huh? I think that means we will take a taxi to Saxman, then walk back. So we can face the oncoming traffic and not be separated from the shore by two lanes of traffic (y) Thanks :)

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We walked to Saxman Village in 2012 and then took the public bus (I think it is $2 per ride now) back to town. The only part of the 2.6 mile (according to Google Maps) walk that was boring was the first little bit getting past all the port related businesses. It was a gorgeous day (up to 80 degrees) and once past the port there are houses on the water side - some with pontoon planes docked in back. I don't remember the road as a 'highway' and we weren't bothered by traffic (there is a sidewalk on the waterside of the road) but of course that could have changed in 6 years. Our ship was in port from 7 am to 1 pm and we had plenty of time for Saxman Village, the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center (in town near the cruise docks), and to walk Creek Street.

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We walked to Saxman Village in 2012 and then took the public bus (I think it is $2 per ride now) back to town. The only part of the 2.6 mile (according to Google Maps) walk that was boring was the first little bit getting past all the port related businesses. It was a gorgeous day (up to 80 degrees) and once past the port there are houses on the water side - some with pontoon planes docked in back. I don't remember the road as a 'highway' and we weren't bothered by traffic (there is a sidewalk on the waterside of the road) but of course that could have changed in 6 years. Our ship was in port from 7 am to 1 pm and we had plenty of time for Saxman Village, the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center (in town near the cruise docks), and to walk Creek Street.

 

Thanks for the info! My DH really enjoys semi-industrial parts of a town. :) I google earthed, and it appears that there is sidewalk most (but not all) of the way.

 

I've read a LOT of how busy the bus to/from Saxman can be, on days the cruiseships are in. And I know for sure all the ports in Alaska are much busier now than they were even 4 or 5 years ago.

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Why not take a cab TO Saxman so you can look at the route and determine if you want to do the return trip on foot.

 

Take your phone with you and the phone numbers of a few cab companies, so if you decide not to walk back, you can call when you're almost ready to leave.

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Why not take a cab TO Saxman so you can look at the route and determine if you want to do the return trip on foot.

 

Take your phone with you and the phone numbers of a few cab companies, so if you decide not to walk back, you can call when you're almost ready to leave.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. I've google earthed. We are certainly able to walk the route, and for us the walk will be an important part of the experience. Up thread I'd decided we would taxi out, walk back, so we can face traffic in the spots that don't have sidewalk. :)

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We are walking there and back, if the weather is nice. We have been there before and done almost all the activities. It looks like there is a separate bike/walking path almost the entire way, so I don't think you will be walking on the road. I think that is the fun of it, not a waste of time at all. You might see whales, and other sea life along the way. I think spending hours and hours shopping is a waste of port time, which so many people do, definitely not the way I want to spend my day.

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It's an easy walk and it's a busy highway because it's the only main street! haha... The sidewalk is great and the path will walk you by some gorgeous views! I am a runner and run that part of town often. Picking up a taxi at Saxman isn't difficult - walk "down" to the highway and there are nearly always taxi's dropping off and picking up passengers. If you don't want to chance it, you can have the Gift Shop call you one. Or, like another mentioned, take the City Bus! Inexpensive, quick, and clean.

 

Here's the bus schedule http://www.borough.ketchikan.ak.us/DocumentCenter/View/5073

You would be taking the Silver Line - you can see it comes by every hour.

Edited by rditton
More info!
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