Ketchican and totem poles

[georgiacat]

We are booked for a cruise to Alaska in June, 2022.  Hopefully we will make it.  What can you tell me about the choices in Ketchican for:

Totem Heritage Center. Totem Bight State Historical Park. Saxman Native Village. Potlatch Totem Park.

 

Which is the best to see?  Are there tours that go to the best of these?  I am not impressed with Princess's choices.

[dfilpus]

Totem Heritage Center is in town. It is a nice walk, though somewhat uphill, from the pier. There is a local shuttle bus (the Salmon Bus) that runs around town, stopping at the Heritage Center. 

Totem Bight State Park and Potlatch Totem Park are next to each other a few miles out of town. The city bus runs out there and you can do both parks before the next bus.

 

[Northern Aurora]

I think that the Totem Heritage Center isn't mentioned enough on this forum.  The THC contains approximately 30 old totems and it is beautifully curated.  Ketchikan is frequently rainy, and one advantage of the THC is that the totems are inside.  

 

The THC and its' sister museum, the Tongass Historical Museum, are both owned by the city of Ketchikan and thus don't pay commissions to the cruise lines.  Both can be visited in one day, and the Ketchikan city website will have the current hours of operation and fees. 

 

When we visit the THC we take the funicular up to Cape Fox Lodge.  On a clear day the lodge has lovely views of the narrows.  It also has a nice coffee shop.  From the lodge we walk downhill to the THC.  There are some sets of stairs so this is not suitable for someone in a wheelchair.

[Mary229]

I agree with @Northern Aurora   It is our favorite walking tour in Ketchikan.

[georgiacat]

Thank you both for this information.