Neets Bay

Just 30 air miles outside of Ketchikan, AK is Neets Bay. Located on Revillagigedo Island, the 12th largest in the United States, Neets Bay is home to the Neets Bay Salmon Hatchery and is one of Alaska’s most popular destinations to watch black bears feeding on salmon in their natural habitat.

About Neets Bay

Getting to Neets Bay takes about a half-hour by boat or plane, and thousands of people every year book tours to get a glimpse of Alaska’s black bears. The Neets Bay Salmon Hatchery is a major reason for the high bear population of the area, and it supports the natural salmon production by producing hatchery-born, ocean-raised salmon for commercial fisheries, hatcheries, sport, and conservation efforts in the area.

Visiting Neets Bay

The peak of the salmon run is July through September every year in Neets Bay—which makes that the ideal time to visit! Boat tours are available for those who want to view bears from the safety of the water, but float plane tours are the best choice if you want to disembark and explore both the hatchery and on-shore bear observation area. This Neets Bay tour is our most popular.

History

The Neets Bay Salmon Hatchery, located just ¼ mile from shore, is owned and operated by the Southern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association (SSRAA). The mission of this organization is to reduce the impact of commercial and sport fishing on natural salmon populations by enhancing the number of salmon available to sport and commercial fishing operations in Alaska.

As a private, non-profit group, the SSRAA is regulated by the state of Alaska and funded by commercial fisheries—making it a vital resource for sustaining and enhancing the population of Alaska’s native salmon.

Interesting Facts

Have you always wanted to get up close and personal with Alaska’s infamous bears? While bears can be a major problem for backcountry hikers in the area, Neets Bay is at the top of the best places to see these bears safely in their natural habitat—you just have to plan ahead to get there!

• There’s no road access to Neets Bay—visitors interested in viewing the bears of the area have to arrange a tour by either boat or floatplane.
• Taquan Air has an exclusive arrangement as the flightseeing tour of Neets Bay, and those that take this flight are allowed to tour the hatchery and view bears from an observation deck.
• The Neets Bay Salmon Hatchery is located within the old-growth Tongass National Forest, and the ¼ mile hike from the shore to the hatchery offers beautiful scenic views.
• Neets Bay is a prime Alaskan black bear habitat, and the best time to see bears in the area is late July through early September.

Points of Interest

Alaska is known for its spectacular wildlife, and bears are an integral part of the delicate ecosystem of the area. With the natural salmon runs combining with the Neets Bay Hatchery, Neets Bay is the perfect place to see the best of Alaskan black bears as they forage in the river for their next meal. Although it may be a challenge to get Neets Bay, it’s well worth the effort for a once-in-a-lifetime Alaskan adventure.

View all of our Ketchikan tours and ideas for things to do in Ketchikan.