Cruising Alaska Ketchikan - Totem Bight Park

Hi Cruisers, in this short video (really just a few stills and clips) we take a look at Ketchikan and Totem Bight State Park. If you’re cruising to Alaska, chances are, you’ll be stopping in Ketchikan. Situated at the southernmost entrance to Alaska’s inside passage, there’s so much to do and see here…from walking and shopping downtown to ziplining, checking out the salmon ladder, or catching a floatplane to Misty Fjords National Monument. Our visit to Ketchikan took us to Totem Bight State Historical park, a gorgeous seaside 33 acre park showcasing 14 totem poles and a replica of a community house, or clanhouse. We chose a ship tour, which started with a brief bus ride to the park. After a short nature walk, we heard stories about many of the poles- most of them quite tragic, and learned about the way the Klingit clans are divided into matrilineal groups. A clanhouse of this size could have housed 30-50 people, with each family being allotted its own space around a central fireplace. Little ones will enjoy entering the house through the tiny entrance. Speaking of kids, there are sticks to find and rocks to throw at the nearby scenic beach.