Rates: $50 per Adult, $25 per Child, under 5 years old rides for free.
Duration: 90 minute excursion
All aboard the Tongass Trolley, our 1800’s replica San Francisco style Trolley car for a spectacular coastal drive. Your tour will begin with a short city drive, with your Guide pointing out various sites along the way. You will enjoy hearing about the rich history of our fishing and logging past.
Our first stop will be the salmon ladder, where your will briefly disembark to view Salmon swimming upstream to spawn. Next, you’ll will continue down the coast towards one of the most popular sites in Alaska, Saxman Totem Park and Native Village. We will take a short drive through the village where you will see the largest collection in the WORLD of authentic totem poles carved by Tlingit and Haida Natives.
Some of the old poles were relocated to Saxman from abandoned Tlingit villages in the region, or they were reconstructed by skilled Tlingit carvers under the Civilian Conservation Corps restoration project in the 1930s. Many of the totems recovered had been left to deteriorate in abandoned villages, as Native populations began to migrate in search of work. Leaving old totems to rot away was a longstanding Native practice. However, few new poles replaced the deteriorating ones and the art of totem carving gradually disappeared. The Civilian Conservation Corps restoration program enlisted the help of master carvers and began to train young recruits in the craft of totem carving, thus helping preserve not only Native artifacts, but also cultural practices. Saxman Totem Park is definitely a must see!
Next, you will continue on a scenic drive along the coast where you will arrive at a small cove with a fish hatchery on the creek. Spawning salmon will return to the creek where they were initially hatched. This cycle provides us an opportunity to view the wildlife in their natural habitat feasting on spawning salmon. While it is impossible to guarantee wildlife or predict what we will see on any given day, we often have the opportunity to observe bald eagles or see playful harbor seals and we are always on the lookout for black bears. Be sure to keep your camera close and eyes open.
On the return drive to town you will hear about the rich history of Ketchikan and our humble beginnings complete with bootleggers, brothels, fish pirates and the red-light district of Creek Street.
Your last stop of the day will be at historic Creek Street, where you have the option to disembark and do a little shopping or, you may remain on-board and we will return you to the city ports.
We live it. You’ll love it. Adventure Awaits.