KETCHIKAN Totem Bight Park from NCL Ward Cove

[pitmindi]

Hello.  I will be in Ketchikan with NCL Jewel on Aug 9 from 7-4 and Aug 19 from 1-8.  I want to go to Totem Bight Park.  NCL tour is only 2 hours and that seems short, even though the dock is only about 2 miles from the port.  How else would I get there?  I assume getting a taxi from the port would be easy, but from Totem back to the port would probably be more difficult.  I was thinking of doing a tour that is 3.5 hours and includes canoeing but if it is raining, and it often is in Aug in Ketchikan, then canoeing seems uncomfortable.  Does anyone know how to get there without a tour, or should I just go for 2 hours?  Thank you for your help.

[wolfie11]

There’s not much at Totem Bight.  There are around 15 totems and a clan house.  Tours normally have an interpreter that talks about the totems and the clan house. I remember a gift shop somewhere in the vicinity.  I thought the time we spent there was more than adequate and enjoyed Saxman Village more than Totem Bight.

[SightCRR]

It is only about a 10 min city bus ride from W/C. Bus runs once per hour each way. Silver line. Get a list of totems and meanings on line before you go. We did it from downtown not from w/c. Hardest part may be to get up to road from pier. I seem to remember a museum next door and nice water view. We enjoyed our short time there. Going away from town we got off at the stop and bus continues away from town and turns around and heads back. We got the same bus headed back. Just towards town in the same turn off is gravel road. Go down that road for more to see. (you can see it on street view of goggle map).  Several years ago. Totem Bight State Historical Park (alaska.gov)

Edited June 3, 2023 by SightCRR

[mskaufman]

We took the city bus and it worked out fine.  We spent about 90 minutes there.  Bonus were there were some humpbacks playing right off shore and an eagles nest by the bus stop.

 

[edinburgher]

we also took the public bus in both directions from town, (not from WC).  We spent longer there than we had thought we would and enjoyed it.

Edited June 3, 2023 by edinburgher

[quack2]

WC is an ironically appropriate acronym for Ward Cove.