Ketchikan

Walking Around Ketchikan

This walk originates at the helpful Ketchikan Visitors Bureau on Front Street. Just a few steps up Mill Street is the Salmon Landing Marketplace, filled with shops and restaurants. Next door, learn about Southeast Alaska's wild places at the Southeast Alaska Discovery Center. Farther up Mill Street, past minuscule Whale Park with its Chief Kyan totem pole, you can follow Stedman Street across the bridge to Thomas Street, which overlooks one of Ketchikan's four harbors. Following Deermont Street uphill for several blocks, you'll come across the Totem Heritage Center and its collection of ancient totem poles. A footbridge takes you to Deer Mountain Hatchery and Eagle Center, where you can see young salmon and rehabilitated bald eagles, and City Park. From here, Park Avenue runs parallel to Ketchikan Creek, heading downhill to the fish ladder and the Salmon carving next to the Falls at Salmon Falls Resort. Glance uphill from the falls to see historic Grant Street Trestle, where the road becomes a steep plank bridge supported on pilings. It's about a 10-minute walk down Park Avenue from the hatchery.

From the fish ladder, a boardwalk path follows Ketchikan Creek and leads to trendy Creek Street. For a good side trip, take the short funicular ($2) to Cape Fox Lodge to get a great view of the harbor. Back on the Creek Street boardwalk is former brothel Dolly's House. If you retrace your steps up the boardwalk and cross the Creek Street Footbridge, you may see salmon during summertime runs. Just in front of you is the Chief Johnson Totem Pole, near the Tongass Historical Museum, with interesting relics from the early days of mining and fishing. A left turn onto Bawden Street will take you past historic St. John's Church.