This 3.5-mile hike is ideal for travelers who wish to experience the Alaskan wilderness up close and personal. Enjoy conversation with your local guide and fellow hikers as you make your way through the Alaska State Park into the Tongass National Forest. Enjoy a small group of 2 to 8 people!
First, relax on the 40-minute scenic drive to the end of the road. Then hike an improved gravel trail alongside a river with glimpses of waterfalls. Walk through a magical old-growth rainforest displaying impressive specimens of Sitka spruce and western red cedar fencing in the trail.
Besides some stairs at the beginning of the hike, the trail flattens out and winds along the river valley below a ridge. 1.5 miles down the trail, our destination is a stone bench beside a serene bow in the river, where we can pause and enjoy one another and the peace and quiet.
This tour will benefit anyone who is visiting Alaska by cruise ship, state ferry, plane, or private boat and who would like to get away from the mass of tourists downtown or the large group tours! Enjoy your tour with your knowledgeable local tour guide who can also help you learn how to practice mindfulness on the hike and in other areas of your life! Don't forget to ask him about Ketchikan's endangered old-growth forests and how to protect them!
This tour can be made private for small groups of 1-5 people. If you would like a private tour for your small group, please select the appropriate "Private Group" pricing option.
Please note: The trailhead is a forty-minute drive from Berth 3 and is a rural hike. No facilities are available at the trailhead or along the trail. If needed, public restrooms are available at the Settler's Cove campground nearby the trailhead before or after the tour. This is a tobacco-free, drug-free, and alcohol-free excursion.
Duration: 3.5 hours (Roundtrip from cruise ship terminal.)
Inclusions:
- Roundtrip transportation from the cruise ship terminal
- Bottled water
- Trekking poles, backpacks, and rain ponchos if needed
- Masks for vehicle transportation if needed
Requirements:
- Minimum Age: 8 years old
- Digital Agreement to Liability Waiver
- Face masks to protect against COVID-19 are required during vehicle transportation. One will be provided if necessary.
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- If guests refuse to wear a mask during transportation, they will not be allowed on the tour and no refund will be granted.
- Guests should not have any debilitating medical conditions, injuries, or poor balance
- Guests should be able to sustain hiking 3 miles and up to 2 hours of sustained exercise without a walker
- Guests should be able to navigate stairs built into the trail
Duration: 3.5 hours. Tour times below are approximate:
- 40 minutes - drive to the trailhead from your meeting location
- 45 minutes - hike 1.5 miles to a stone bench by a river
- 15 minutes - relax and enjoy the scenery
- 30 minutes - hike back 1.5 miles back to the trailhead
- 20 minutes - hike 1/4 mile down to waterfall and ocean viewing platforms
- 5 minutes - hike 1/4 mile back to the trailhead
- 40 minutes - drive back to the cruise ship terminal for drop-off
- 15 minutes - return buffer time to allow for traffic or restroom stops
Meeting Instructions:
- This tour meets on the cruise ship dock - Berth 3. Fully detailed instructions are included on your finalized ticket vouchers.
ADA Accessibility of Tour:
- This tour is not wheelchair or limited mobility accessible. Guests should be able to hike 3.5 miles and sustain up to 2 hours of exercise without a walker.
Does this hiking tour include transportation?
Yes. As part of your tour package, transportation is included from the cruise ship Berth 3 dock to the trail head and back. If you are arriving by Alaska state ferry or by plane, please leave us a comment at the end of the booking process for special pick-up arrangements depending on where you will be staying.
Are there bathrooms on this tour?
This hike is 40 mins from the cruise terminal in a rural area. Bathrooms are not available directly at the trailhead, but guests can use the public restroom at Settler's Cove Campground before and after the tour.
Will the tour be canceled due to rain?
No. Because the tour takes place in an Alaskan temperate rain forest, rain may be most likely and can be a beautiful part of the experience.
What is provided on the tour?
If needed, backpacks and trekking poles are available to use, depending on availability - ponchos for those without raingear, bottled water, and one pair of binoculars to share.
Can I book a tour with you on one of the many other trails in the Ketchikan area, such as Deer or Dude Mountain?
Unfortunately no. There are a limited amount of trails that guides are allowed to commercially guide on in the Ketchikan area. Deer Mountain and Dude Mountain are regulated by the Tongass National Forest; and commercially guided hikes on these trails are not allowed.
Where do we meet the guide for our tour?
If arriving on a cruise ship, you will meet your guide in front of the Ketchikan city map inside and at the far end of the Berth 3 shelter. Further instructions will be listed on your ticket voucher.
Will I see any wildlife on this tour?
Seeing wildlife is always a possibility but not a guarantee, so keep your eyes and ears open.
Is this tour ADA accessible?
This tour is not ADA accessible. Wheelchairs, walkers, or motorized scooters can not be accommodated.
Can I bring a backpack?
Backpacks, small bags, and purses are allowed on this tour.
Are food and drink included?
Bottled water is included.
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Customer Reviews
Aug 2022 - Susan A.
Great hike. Teague was very knowledgable about the vegetation. Beautiful place can only be described as magical with 500+ year old trees and vegetation everywhere. The waterfall was spectacular and can be followed all the way to the ocean. Definitely would do this again.
Jul 2022 - Lisa L.
We loved this excursion. The hike through the old growth forest along a creek, that at times could pass as a river, was stunning and magical. The hike was not overly strenuous and there were wild berries along the trail which we sampled along with viewing waterfalls. It was nice to be out the main town at port...quiet and excluded. Our guide Teague was very personable and accommodating. We thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon in the forest.
