Tongass Nat’l Forest Things To Do

Deer Mountain is Ketchikan’s iconic backdrop. The path briefly threads between residential lots, then turns to a rocky trail that quickly ascends. On the way up there are multiple scenic overlooks.

This is a popular weekend hike if you want to spend two-to-four hours in the Tongass National Forest and is only about 15-20 minutes north of town. Though you gain elevation on the hike up to the lake, it is not unforgivingly steep. Perseverance Lake is one of Ketchikan’s picturesque mountain-lake scenes.

This 12-mile glacier is part of Tongass National Forest and its visitors’ center is just a half mile from the glacier’s face. Once dubbed the Auk Glacier by John Muir (after a member of the Tlingit tribe), 

Get a serving of history along with a classic Alaskan feast. The Gold Creek Salmon Bake, a two-hour experience out of Juneau, has been running for more than 30 years. It’s a great meal and an Alaskan tradition. You’re dispatched from your hotel and brought to a corner of the Southeast Alaska rainforest, which saw lots of activity during Alaska’s Gold Rush.

Nugget Falls drops 377 feet in two tiers and is accessible via the East Glacier Loop Trail at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor's Center.

Baranof Fishing Excursions offers classic Alaska fishing experiences from their private marina in downtown Ketchikan. They provide everything you need from rubber boots to expert guides, for an extraordinary fishing adventure!

Drive your own jeep along private logging roads that wind up into the mountains, on your way to an alpine lake. Paddle across the shimmering lake to a shoreline camp for a delicious snack over an open fire. Enjoy some storytelling, then go on a short nature walk through a beautiful old-growth forest.

In the town that boasts of being the Alaskan salmon capital of the world, here's where you can see the salmon in action—hundreds of thousands come through every summer. This spot, right next the library and at the end of Creek Street, offers a prime view of the crowds of salmon on their way to spawn.

Ketchikan is known as the “salmon capital of the world,” and this uniquely personal tour is your chance to angle for these iconic Alaskan fish—as well as huge halibut. You’ll board an intimate fishing boat—complete with top-quality fishing and rain gear, as well as heaters, snacks, and beverages—close to the Ketchikan cruise terminal. And, since this is a private charter, it will be only your group on board!

Take time to enjoy the upper canopy of the Tongass National Forest on a zipline tour that offers the excitement of flying through old-growth forest, walking across a sky-bridge, and a tea break to soak up the moment. Glide across 7 zips on this course located in the Eaglecrest Ski Area on Douglas Island and finish up your tour with some axe throwing. It’s a blast for the whole family!

Pack Creek Bear Tours offers fully guided adventures to Admiralty Island or Chichagof Island, each home to more than 1,500 brown bears! After a beautiful 20- or 25-minute floatplane ride, you’ll land on a remote beach. Take a short walk to the bear-viewing area, where you can watch these magnificent creatures for hours in their natural environment.

Alaska invites contemplation and reflection. Experience the quiet side of Ketchikan on a guided walk through dense stands of cedar and spruce to a rural ocean beach. Here you can connect with the land and sea through activities such as creative writing, meditation or tai chi.

Take a five-minute ride from the cruise ship pier to the Mountain House,1,800' up Mount Roberts, where the Chilkat Mountains, the Gastineau Channel, downtown Juneau, Douglas Island, and Admiralty Island spread out before you. Visit the gift shop, restaurant, live bald eagle display, and nature center. Check out the wildlife viewing platforms and follow the self-guided trail marked by Native totemic carvings for access to upper alpine hiking trails.The tram cars, and Mountain House are ADA compliant. The inner loop trail is an easy hike for most folks who wish to take a walk in the woods. Serious hikers can continue on up the mountain!  

Located in Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge, this trail is wheelchair-accessible and close to the airport. It has many opportunities for waterfowl and bird watching. It is excellently maintained. This makes the trail a very easy hike. Many times you will see strollers, runners and bikers on this trail because it is paved.  

Ride the rails on a real gold-rush era, narrow-gauge railroad from Skagway into the heart of the Yukon. On the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, you’ll have several trip options, taking you past glacial rivers, waterfalls, and gorges for a real taste of wild Alaska. You’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time on this authentic train, as you climb 3,000 feet to scenic vistas and past aptly-named spots named Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch on your way to get a look at the headwaters of the famous Yukon River.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this collection of 19th century totem poles is the biggest in the world. Salvaged from abandoned Haida and Tlingit villages, some are as old as 160 years—no small feat, since totem poles usually deteriorate in less than a century. You can take a quick, free tour, or check out the current exhibits of contemporary Tlingit art.

The lake and glacier are the premier destination for the thousands of cruise-ship tourists who visit Juneau, but they don't venture much beyond the visitor center and the short trails just outside it, leaving the mountains above the center very quiet in comparison.

Hop on a TEMSCO helicopter for an Alaskan adventure combining aviation, sled dogs and massive glaciers. Get an amazing view of the gorgeous landscape surrounding Juneau, and then ride along as an energetic team of huskies tours you around the ancient, snow-packed Mendenhall glacier.

Come on this 1 ½-hour tour outside Juneau, and you’ll get a big appreciation for prospectors who arrived here more than 100 years ago: This water is seriously cold. But this quick stroll into Alaska's gold-fever-influenced past offers a fun history lesson, as well as a pleasantly short turn at panning in that icy water yourself—with a guarantee that you’ll score a little gold to take home. Alaska Travel Adventures’ Historic Gold Mining & Panning Adventure is great for families, or anyone who wants to combine a quick history tour with other activities during a short excursion. 

Built on the old fishing grounds of Tlingit Natives, the park hosts some of the finest native art in the world!

A highlight for many visitors, this chapel lies 22 miles north of Juneau off of the Glacier Highway. As Juneau’s expensive waterfront homes peter out, the Shrine of St. Therese appears on your left. It’s in a stunning setting, on an island with crashing surf, mountain views, and a rugged coastline, where you can look for humpback whales and sea lions. Take the trail from  More...

This bear viewing spot is a bit unusual because it attracts only black bears. A short 26-mile floatplane or boat ride from Ketchikan brings you to a dock where you'll then walk 1.5 miles to the viewing platform.  You'll see up to 10 black bears feasting on fish near the fish ladder.

Walk the fine line between folklore and gold fever. The Liarsville Camp, near Skagway, was originally named after journalists who came here during the Klondike Gold Rush and cooked up all manner of tall tales. The event begins with an all-you-can-eat feast in the forest. Then explore the old trail camp and finish off your day with a visit the Fancy Goods store. You can also have your picture taken with one of the dance hall girls or the camp’s lovable mascot, an Alaskan malamute named Denali.

Fly through dramatically beautiful landscapes in a DeHavilland floatplane for an iconic Alaskan experience. In this 2-hour adventure, you’ll visit Misty Fjords National Monument, where glaciers carved out the land 17,000 years ago. See an untouched world of deep fjords, lush green forest and sparkling lakes. Experience a water landing and venture out onto the floats to take in the beauty – and peacefulness – of remote Alaska.

This exhilarating tour puts you in a rugged Tomcar for a back country ATV adventure over 10 miles of old logging roads through the Tongass National Forest. The off-road excitement is matched by amazing views as you navigate twist and turns, motor easily up hills, and splash through epic potholes. It’s sheer fun for the whole family. Get Dirty!

The lush green Tongass National Forest stretches out below as you take a classic Alaskan floatplane ride to Neets Bay, one of the best places in Southeast Alaska to see black bears fishing for salmon. This 3-hour trip packs in spectacular flightseeing, a nature walk, and the chance to watch bears in their natural habitat.

The focus of the 3.5-hour Mendenhall Glacier Float Trip is great views of the namesake glacier, which is 1.5 miles wide, 150 feet high, and the most famous part of the massive Juneau Icefield that even John Muir once raved about. Glide along the iceberg-studded lake and scope out the glacier, getting up-close views of hanging glaciers and towering peaks. Keep an eye out for birds nesting in the rocky cliffs, as well as otters, seals, black bears, and bald eagles.

Skagway may be a quaint small town, but it offers a big lens into the Alaska frontier. This tour operator—run by a certified Naturalist for the state of Alaska—offers a friendly and fascinating way to explore some surprising depths of the Alaska wilderness. Options include private tours ranging from 2 to 7 hours that explores the sights of British Columbia and the Yukon

Refuge Cove State Recreation Site is a sliver of land lining part of an edge of a neighborhood and is a popular beach picnicking destination with the locals. The site comes complete with pit toilets, sheltered and unsheltered picnic tables with fire grates, and a quarter-mile trail accompanied by interpretive signs that address the local natural history.

The mostly-flat Ward Lake trail follows the circumference of the lake’s shore in a swath of gravel that is wide enough for two people to walk abreast. Ward Lake is tucked into the edge of the Tongass National Forest boundary. Its proximity to town makes the recreation area popular with the locals.

Tucked inside the lush Tongass National Forest, discover an Alaskan botanical garden unlike anywhere else in the world. A 2012 Reader's Digest poll chose Glacier Gardens out of thousands of entries as the Most Interesting Landmark in America! Vibrant hanging gardens spill from 15-foot-tall upside down tree “Flower Towers” and elegantly designed landscapes compliment the natural beauty of the rainforest.  Explore these unique gardens on a guided tour in a covered vehicle, then travel through 50 acres of temperate rainforest.

At the Chilkoot Dining Room you'll sample a piece of Alaskan Gold Rush history.  While enjoying Skagway's finest steak and seafood, you're able to take in E.A. Hegg's historic Gold Rush photos.  The friendly staff provides great service and flavorful food that make the historic atmosphere one to remember. The menu varies with daily specials and market fresh offerings.  More...

Operating from May to September, this private ferry service is the easiest and fastest way to travel between Haines and Skagway. The 45-minute ride passes through Taiya Inlet, a steep-walled rocky fjord just outside of Skagway, and then opens up to the Lynn Canal near Haines. As you ride, look for seals and sea lions, as well as humpback, minke, and orca whales. Don’t forget to look up from the water from time to time to check out the surrounding scenery.

If you are a lover of alpine, stunning views, and longer, more challenging hikes, then this all-day, one-way mountain traverse between Carlanna Lake and Perseverance Lake is the perfect choice.

Don’t look for a dome and don’t look for big grounds; Alaska’s capitol building is one of the few that have neither. That’s because the territory of Alaska had trouble securing funding and land for the building, relying on local residents to provide funding. Completed in 1931, it housed the federal government until statehood in 1959. Today, the large, boxy  More...

Get great views with some hands-on fun—combine a scenic flightseeing helicopter tour with the exhilaration of dog mushing on a glacier with a team of huskies! It’s easy to do—just go with NorthStar Trekking on their Juneau Glacier Dog Sled Adventure. You’ll fly over the Juneau Icefield for about 35 minutes and land in a sled camp on the snow-covered middle branch of the Norris Glacier

The art of totem pole carving was a luxury that experienced its heyday in the mid-1700s to the late 1800s. The fur trade had provided the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian peoples a newfound sense of wealth – and time to focus on the artistry of the totem

Go with Wings Airways and you’ll take off from Juneau in a 10-passenger DeHavilland Otter floatplane and get a lush view of the city as well as the surrounding mountains and ice fields. Opt for a 40-minute flight seeing tour, or book the “Flight and Feast Tour,” which takes you to dine at a 1920’s lodge.

Eaglecrest is one of the few community-owned ski areas in the US—and the only one that can boast of being on an island, which gives it the unique perk of having ski slopes with ocean views.  Whether you are a beginner looking to play in the snow, or a longtime skier or boarder, Eaglecrest makes a great all-ages winter playground. In summer, enjoy hiking, mountain biking, and berry picking. 

Leaving from the end of Tongass Highway, enter the Lunch Creek Trail and very soon take the trail to the left as this steps you quickly down to a waterfall viewing platform and then the rest of the way down to where, to the right, you can also cross the Lunch Creek bridge, which provides waterfall views as well as the ocean where the creek flows into.

Aside from rivers where salmon are spawning, this is one of the best spots to watch bald eagles. They perch in trees and on rocks here, hunting for washed-up salmon and other food. It’s also a great place for a picnic, or to go beachcombing.

Paddle all around a shimmering lake, looking for wildlife on the shore and reveling in the spectacular mountain views that surround you. Then stop off at a shoreline camp to enjoy a snack over an open fire. When you’re finished, you’ll go on a short walk through a dramatic old-growth forest.

Summer is not the only time to embrace Sitka’s connection to our vast oceans and the inhabitants. November’s annual Sitka WhaleFest, hosted by the Sitka Sound Science Center, celebrates marine life through a science symposium, art, wildlife cruises and so much more!

Fish Creek is remote, yet road-accessible from the small town of Hyder, which means some human traffic, but not thick crowds. A 3-mile drive or hike from town provides access to an elevated walkway beside the creek that is over ¼-mile long. What makes this area unique is the chance to see brown and black bears in close proximity as they prowl the shallows for spawning salmon.

Spend three exhilarating days in remote Alaska fishing for monster Kings, shiny silvers and tasty halibut, not to mention mammoth lingcod and rockfish. Troll the waters of Prince of Wales Island with expert guides from Underdog Sport Fishing. They know the area, have a passion for fishing, and will show you the Alaska of your dreams.

Some people love the view of Alaska from the side of a ship, or from above in a bush plane. But this cycle shop and tour operator based in Haines and Skagway proves that there's nothing quite like the view of Alaska from atop two wheels, as you glide through the gorgeously unique scenery. Its day trips are a fabulous way for independent travelers and cruise passengers to take a detour on their voyage, enjoying a different pace and perspective on the Alaska frontier. The day trips, with a 6-to-1 ratio of travelers to guides, last from just under three hours to a full day. 

Conquer an Alaskan mountain just outside Skagway, regardless of your previous experience! Climb a granite wall, rappel down 75 feet, and zipline through a canopy of trees. Enthusiastic guides will soothe your nerves with corny jokes while providing the encouragement you need to climb to new heights.

Steep Creek is a Forest Service fish viewing site, with runs of sockeye and coho salmon that start in mid-July and continue into October. The site is very easy to visit. It is adjacent to the Mendenhall glacier visitors' center about 10 miles from downtown Juneau. There are no permits, fees or restrictions for the visitation. There's a 1/3 mile loop trail, part of which  More...

Located in the Tongass National Forest, Ward Creek is wide enough to drive a truck down, though no vehicles are permitted, and is popular with the locals for walking dogs. Across the road from the Ward Lake Recreation Area parking lot, trailhead 1 takes you north and follows Ward Creek, which flows out of Connell Lake, by the Last Chance campground, and through Ward Lake to eventually meet the ocean in Ward Cove.

The Indian river is home to a number of fish: Summer Pink, chum, coho, chinook salmon, along with Dolly Varden, char, and steelhead trout. This arched bridge is the place to see them. Be sure to stop by on your way through Alaska's oldest designated National Park.