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Totem Bight State Historical Park

A seaside state park with a replica clan house and poles carved in the CCC era, about 10 miles north of town.

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By Greg Peters, editor · Updated October 2026

Illustrative photo
Where9883 North Tongass Highway (Milepost 10)
SeasonYear-round (outdoors); the visitor information center is open in summer only
HoursOpen year-round (alaska.org). No hours are published
Cost$5 per person for the historic site (Alaska State Parks fee page; no effective date shown). alaska.org says admission is free, so confirm before printing
AccessAbout 10 miles north of downtown, a 20-25 minute drive on the Tongass Highway. City buses run up the North Tongass corridor with a stop a short walk away (Visit Ketchikan). Taxis and tours also go here.

A seaside state park with a replica clan house and poles carved in the CCC era, about 10 miles north of town.

Read more about its history

Highlights

  • Begun in 1938 when the Forest Service used CCC funds to hire older Native carvers to repair or copy decaying poles
  • A community house and 15 poles were in place when World War II slowed the work
  • Replica clan house carved by Charles Brown, a Tlingit from Saxman
  • Built on the site of an old Native fish camp known as Mud Bight Village
  • ADA-accessible trails and toilets; 33 acres

Facts checked October 18, 2026 with dnr.alaska.gov, dnr.alaska.gov, en.wikipedia.org. Hours and prices change, so confirm before you go.

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