best Totem Park in Ketchikan?

[hmtsai]

While I search excursions in Ketchikan, I found the cruise line offers two tours to totem parks. One is Totem Bight State Park, one is Saxman Native Village & Totem Pole Park. I am wondering what are the differences between them and which one is more worthwhile going.

 

Also, are there any other totem parks near downtown area?

[peacelovemickey]

I was wondering the same thing!

 

 

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[donaldsc]

Saxman is a commercial operation run by the Indians and was basically designed to appeal to cruise shop passengers. If cruise ships stopped visiting Ketchikan, the place would die in 2 weeks. You have to pay to go in. When we tried to go into their gift shop (which by the way had only junky stuff) without actually going into the park, they even tried to charge me to park in their parking lot.

 

Totem Bight is a state park and the totem poles are in a forest and water setting in their natural environment. It is free to get into it and nobody pushes you to buy stuff. You can get there inexpensively by city bus.

 

No question - go to Totem Bight. By the way, I have no objections to businesses run by Native Americans but this specific one left me totally cold.

 

DON

[SeahawkSiren]

I second the vote for Totem Bight. I was there last week. Beautiful setting and easy to get to on public bus (which is only $1.00 fare per person each way). In addition to the beautiful setting there are several other buildings you can visit on the property, including one where we actually saw a new totem pole in the process of being carved. Fun to watch!

[peacelovemickey]

Beautiful setting and easy to get to on public bus (which is only $1.00 fare per person each way). In addition to the beautiful setting there are several other buildings you can visit on the property, including one where we actually saw a new totem pole in the process of being carved. Fun to watch!

 

Where can I find information about this bus? How long should we plan to take this bus, visit and get back? We also want to see the lumberjacks.

 

Thanks

[donaldsc]

There is also the Totem Heritage Museum which is right in town

 

https://www.city.ketchikan.ak.us/departments/museums/VisitorInformationTHC.html

 

DON

[smallfish]

There are different kinds of bus runing in Ketchikan. One is free which run mainly downtown is blue color with Salmon picture on the bus. The one for the totem park is Silver color.

 

http://www.borough.ketchikan.ak.us/DocumentCenter/View/2318

[peacelovemickey]

There are different kinds of bus runing in Ketchikan. One is free which run mainly downtown is blue color with Salmon picture on the bus. The one for the totem park is Silver color.

 

 

 

http://www.borough.ketchikan.ak.us/DocumentCenter/View/2318

 

 

Thanks!!!

 

 

 

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[hmtsai]

Thank you all. I will cross out Sexman and put Totem Bight in my list.

 

There is also the Totem Heritage Museum which is right in town

 

https://www.city.ketchikan.ak.us/departments/museums/VisitorInformationTHC.html

 

DON

 

So any opinion about this Totem Heritage Museum? Worth visiting instead of Totem Bight?

Edited June 2, 2014 by hmtsai

[smallfish]

The totem bight park is loacted in park like setting with forest and beside the ocean. The musuem is indoor with $5 /person entrance fee. Both place worth a visit, all depend what is your liking. You can take the free blue bus to the museum.