Tongass Nat’l Forest Sights & Attractions

Arriving in Kake, you’ll see a large light-green warehouse built on pilings over the water. This is Kake’s historic salmon-packing cannery, which locals are working to restore as both a usable space for local businesses and an historic attraction for visitors.

Just a short, mostly uphill, walk from downtown sits this estate that was built in 1913 for $40,000 and now houses Alaska Governor Bill Walker. Along with a totem pole outside, the 26-room building has eight fireplaces to keep the wet, cold winter at bay. There aren’t tours of the mansion, but local bus tours made it a destination during Sarah Palin’s time in  More...

The Community Hall/Gymnasium, located in downtown Kake, is the most used facility in town. Here's where you could find a community gathering complete with Tlingit dancing. Or you may get a chance to watch residents in a spirited game of basketball, the city’s favorite sport. (Kake has a few state championships in its history!).

After Finnish laborers completed St. Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral, they asked Russian authorities if they could build a Lutheran church for themselves. The Russians allowed it, but only if the building didn’t look like a church. That building was torn down in 1888, but you can still see what it looked like: the current Lutheran church (which looks like a church) has  More...

Clausen Memorial Museum assists you as you explore the beauty and bounty of the Stikine River delta, Coastal mountain glaciers and the Mitkof, Kupreanof and mainland areas. Logging and fishing for salmon, halibut, black cod, crab, shrimp and more are just some of the attractions that have drawn hard-working people to make a living in this area for at least two thousand years. Find  More...

Housed in the circa 1898 White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad Depot, the historic Moore house and the Mascot Saloon. Collections consist of over 200,000 archaeology artifacts associated with the Klondike gold rush and 3,000 copies of historic photographs of the gold rush period. Library and 100-seat auditorium. Guided tours, interpretive programs, films and permanent  More...

The wide beach flats in front of Kake where Gunnuk Creek and Little Gunnuk Creek empty out offer a wide expanse to explore, especially for kids. Watch for eagles, take in the view of Kuiu Island across Keku Strait, or learn how to dig for clams.

Overlooking the Eastern Channel, this park is designed for whale watching, with 3 covered viewing shelters, public-use binoculars, and 11 interpretive signs. Learn about whales’ feeding habits, migrations, and biology while walking the boardwalk.

More than 120 miles of logging roads wind through Kupreanof Island, offering access to trailheads and other remote parts of the island. You can drive on the frequently used roads, and explore others by bike or by foot.

Juneau is one of only two capitols in the United States that isn’t accessed by roads—only boats and planes can reach the city. But there is a stretch of paved road that runs north from town, past Auke Bay and towards Berner’s Bay. You’ll pass the University of Southeast Alaska and the ferry terminal before getting “out” of town. It’s a great  More...

The first few weeks of each year are a time of renewal. In Kake each January 8, residents and guests gather at the Community Hall to commemorate the anniversary of the city's 1912 incorporation (it was the first Native village to do so). Kake Day celebrates the city’s self-governance, as well as its Tlingit roots.

Located in the historic compressor building associated with the former Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company which operated in Juneau from 1912 until 1944. The museum features one of the world's largest air compressors and other industrial artifacts associated with hard rock gold mining. The site also includes electric locomotives and rail cars which hauled men to the mine and ore to  More...

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After four years of worshiping in the Presbyterian Chapel, Episcopalians finally had their own church in 1899, with the construction of St. Peters-by-the-Sea. Complete with stained glass windows, modified flying buttresses, and wooden pews, this small chapel is open to the public 24/7. The church and the adjacent See House (1905) are both on the National Register of Historical Places,  More...

This stout structure is a re-creation of the guard tower that once stood here, part of the fortress enclosing the Russians during their time in Sitka, from 1804 to 1867. Fearful of the wilderness around them, and of Tlingit Natives, the Russians’ enclosed fort was open to outsiders only in the daytime. A massive fence, with three guard towers like this block tower, separated the  More...

Tsimshian master carver Stan Marsden led the community of Pelican in designing, carving and raising totem poles to symbolize the spirit of Pelican – an independent, close-knit fishing community. You can see their handiwork in the Unity pole in front of City Hall and in the raven and bear poles in front of Pelican High School.

Alaskans love to get together. And since they’re hunkered down all winter and working all summer, festivals give them an excuse to socialize. So they’ve created parties for fish, for music, for light, for dark, for plants…you name it, there’s probably a festival for it up north. And Sitka, a historic town on the outer coast with lots of artists, has festivals  More...

Clan houses line Beaver Trail Road in Angoon, an area that hasn’t changed much in the last 100 years. The weather-beaten, wood-framed buildings are outward signs of a culture that has been maintained through generations.

Newly renovated in 2016. Established in 1900, the Museum collects, exhibits, and interprets the human and natural history of Alaska. The Museum features a full-size bald eagle nesting tree and extensive ethnographic exhibits on the cultures of Alaska's Native people. Two galleries offer changing exhibits.

Located in downtown Juneau, the Centennial Hall Convention Center, is a great location to hold an event. Concerts, conventions, meetings, and trade shows are regularly held in this convenient location. 

You’ll look eagles in the eye at this raptor rehab and education center on the edge of Tongass National Forest. You’ll get a close-up look at a snowy owl, American kestrels, a peregrine falcon, a Swainson’s hawk, a Western screech owl, and other birds of prey. 

Want to experience a little piece of rustic, old-timey Ketchikan? Head to the Main Street Gallery at 7 p.m. every second Friday of the month for a night of square dancing. Popular year-round (but especially in the summer), this is a great way to socialize like the pioneers did 100 years ago. Never square danced before? No worries. The regular dancers are a friendly, inclusive crew, ready to teach you how it’s done.

Fresh veggies, tasty preserves and local artwork combine for a colorful display at Tenakee Spring’s Farmers Market. Fresh berries and baked goods are the perfect sweet treat, and a freshly-picked bouquet of local flowers will liven up any table, be it on a charter boat or in the room of your cabin or lodge.

Walking the streets of Sitka, you may find it hard to believe that this quiet coastal community was once the hub of the West Coast: a center for trade, diplomacy, and the arts. When San Francisco had less than 10 residents, Sitka was home to 800 Russians, Europeans, Tlingits, and Aleuts. The oldest town on the West Coast, it was the capital of Russian America—called New  More...

Long Beach is a stretch of beach along Keku Strait a few miles north of Kake. This is a good spot for spotting whale activity offshore, as there are a few rocks out in the water that the whale like to rub against. Generally you would see humpback in this area, but once in awhile you might see a pod of orca.

This 1898 house was the home of Judge James Wickersham, a legend in Alaska who brought civility and law to the wild gold-rush towns of Eagle, Fairbanks, and Nome. After climbing Denali (Mt McKinley), he also helped lobby for the creation of Denali National Park, and was a force in Washington, where he persuaded the federal government to build universities and railroads in Alaska  More...

Once the administrative headquarters for an empire stretching from Asia to California and Hawaii, Castle Hill today is little more than a grassy hill with a few interpretive signs, a modest stonewall, several old cannons, and a few flagpoles. But when you visit the top of this hill, you’re standing on rich historic grounds. Archeological excavations have unearthed over 300,000  More...

4th of July is Elfin Cove’s biggest community event, with everyone turning out for some patriotic fun that includes a pancake breakfast, games and even a banana slug race!

This bridge, connecting downtown Juneau with Douglas Island, was built in 1981, though the original bridge dates to 1935. Today you can walk, bike, or drive across this bridge for a very scenic view.

Ketchikan Arts & Humanities Council (KAAHC) is the powerhouse of Ketchikan’s arts community; if there’s an arts event in Ketchikan, this organization is on it! Located at the Main Street Gallery, KAAHC produces dozens of art events annually, such as summer’s Blueberry Arts Festival and February’s famous Wearable Arts Show.

The Shamrock Building is a must-see spot in Tenakee Springs. Built in 1902, it is listed on the National Register of Historic places and has been everything from a jail, pool hall, dance hall, and senior center. These days it’s home to a local bakery that serves breakfast and lunch items. You can also browse a fine selection of local and regionally-made art.

Pelican Creek Bridge is just a few minutes from Pelican’s harbor. This is a great place for viewing salmon that are headed upstream to spawning sites. Check it out in July and August for the best viewing opportunities.