Ketchikan Rain Forest and Bears?

[sandyneck]

Has any one done this shore excursion? We are going with RCCL and are hoping to see some black bears. Anyone have any luck with this? Thanks

[bearbait]

We need to know when you are going on your cruise. I worked out there last

summer and the best months for bear viewing are August and September. On

my last day at work, Sept 12, we saw 9 different black bears, all at the same

time, within 150 feet of where we were standing. It just depends on when you

are going.

[Budget Queen]

In Ketchikan superior is Anan. What were the stats for viewing last season bearbait?? Having good sightings the last day are certainly great, but are there sightings most every day?? Is this out at Herring Cove? I've never had good luck there. :(

[bearbait]

I don't have access to the stats right off hand. During May and June it was

pretty spotty. If you did see a bear it was out in the tidal flats. During late

July, August and September we had many sightings. Most of the sightings are

back on Eagle Creek or Herring Cove Creek, same place, just some people call

it by different names. That's the creek that comes out of the forest just to the left of the old cabin at the end of the cove. There were quite a few bear sightings right around the old cabin because of the number of salmonberry and blueberry bushes that are right in that area. There is also a shallow pool up there that some salmon will get trapped in during a low tide. All in all the best bear viewing is back in the forest by the creek. Since they started the tour up and put in the trail it is all private property now. So basically for the best bear viewing you gotta go on the tour or risk a tresspassing charge.

 

You can see bears during the late evening on a low tide from the other side of

creek over by the hatchery. But that doesn't do much good for the cruise ship passangers.

 

One of the reasons I am not working out there this year is for the fact that

they really pushed the "bear viewing" in their advertising and as a reason to

come out their. Needless to say I had a few upset people in my tour groups

last year. If I picked up on that from people in my group I would tell them at

the start of the tour that this was NOT a "bear viewing" tour.

 

It is an excellent place though to see the forest up close and have some very

knowledgeable guides explain it all to you. Is it worth the price? I probably

would not go on it if I was looking for a wildlife or bear viewing excursion. I

would spend the money and go to Anan, Neets Bay or Traitors Cove. Under

NO condition would I go on a bear viewing tour to Polk Inlet on Prince of Wales Island.

[scooterdoxie]

Bearbait,

 

Why would you not recommend the bear viewing on Prince of Wales Island?

[bearbait]

They have a very healthy population of black bears on POW. They also have

a very active and healthy population of BEAR HUNTERS on POW. POW has thousand of miles of roads built by the logging industry. The bears on POW

are extremely skitish once they realize us human are around. Makes for very

poor bear viewing. At Anan Creek, Neets Bay, and Traitors Cove it is very

different.

[sandyneck]

Thanks for the response Bearbait, we will be there the last week in August. The cruise line does promote this as a "bear watching" tour, although as we know, the bears don't work for the marketing department! I think it will still be OK for us, we were thinking of doing a couple days on Kodiak Island before our cruise, but the logistics were not working for us, so we moved away from the whole "I have to see a bear" mentality. We decided it is not essential to see bears, but it would be nice if we did. Thanks again for all the great info.