Ketchikan Car Rental

Hi All,

Renting a car in Ketchikan and will be in port for 5 hours. What do you recommend we drive and see? I would like come up with an itinerary before we leave. I would love to see things off the beaten path

Depending on your interests and what you want to see, you could drive north 10 miles and visit Totem Bight. The totems are fascinating and it's a beautiful waterfront location with some rain forest trails. Ward Lake is just before the Bight if you want to hike or look around.

And/or drive south 10 miles to Herring Cove or beyond. Some people have been lucky and seen a bear at Herriing Cove. Stop at Saxman or the beach along the way. Just drive and enjoy scenery, making stops where you like.

Just beyond Totem Bight is the end of the road and a beautiful state park (Settlers Cove) with well maintained trails throughout the area in the rain forest. BLM has an excellent trail guide for the area: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5413489.pdf If the link doesn't work, google ketchikan area trail guide, and the pdf booklet should be the first link.

This may be a stupid question but is there a charge for entrance to Totem Bight or any of the other Native American villages?

When I was there in 2016, Totem Bight asked for a donation, especially if you took one of their brochures. There was a $5 charge at Saxman, and that did not include going into the clan house. If you can do only one, I prefer Totem Bight with it's location on the Tongass Narrows and the way the totems are displayed. There's also an excellent gift shop/museum next door!

When I was there in 2016, Totem Bight asked for a donation, especially if you took one of their brochures. There was a $5 charge at Saxman, and that did not include going into the clan house. If you can do only one, I prefer Totem Bight with it's location on the Tongass Narrows and the way the totems are displayed. There's also an excellent gift shop/museum next door!

Awesome!! Thank you!