Sitka sits on the open Gulf of Alaska, not the protected inside passages of most Southeast Alaska ports. Strong tides move nutrient-rich water through volcanic island corridors. That creates dynamic feeding zones for humpback whales, sea otters, sea lions, and seabirds. Just a 15-minute walk from downtown, Sitka National Historical Park is Alaska's smallest national historical park. What makes this park truly special is its unique blend of Tlingit heritage and Russian history. The park is home to beautifully crafted totem poles, scenic trails, and historical sites that tell the story of the region's Indigenous peoples and the Russian influence that shaped Sitka. The totems themselves were stunning and far more impressive in person than my partner and I expected. The combination of the well-maintained forest trail, the sound of nature around us, and these huge carved totems appearing along the path makes this place one of the highlights of our trip. Alaska in the summertime is well worth a visit! read more

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Sitka National Historical Park Review We visited Sitka National Historical Park on an Alaska cruise excursion, and the park itself is wonderful. The bus just dropped us off and picked us up an hour later, which wasn't enough time. The visitor center has beautiful totem poles, interesting exhibits, and a great 15‑minute documentary about Sitka's Russian and U.S. history. We also met Nena, a watercolor artist who showed us her work, and watched a woodcarver demonstrate how he turns raw wood into art -- both were highlights. There are several easy trails (10, 15, and 30 minutes), but with only an hour we couldn't enjoy them fully. Next time, we'll take public transportation and explore at our own pace. The park is absolutely worth visiting -- just skip the overpriced excursion. read more

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Beautiful Park with a nice interpretive center with exhibits and a short documentary on the history of Sitka. They have a series of loop trails that are easy to walk and enjoy the beauty of. read more

Beautiful natural historic area. We did not go to the visitor center. We only had an hour and we wanted to get a taste of the nature. So we went for a walk in the beautiful forest. It was lush, green and serene. it was however the tail end of spawning time for the salmon and the smell was literally like death. It was so bad. We had to walk for a good chunk with our noses covered. Would come back in the future though if in the area. Alaska is amazing! read more

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Beautiful forest here. The park is about a 15 minute walk, along the water from the center of town. The visitor center was wall-to-wall people, but the video and totem poles were worth seeing. The short trail through the forest behind the visitor center is a wonder! Gorgeous mature trees and lush understory reminded us of the Redwood and Pacific Northwest parks. More totem poles too. Level, easy trail. Alaska has wonderful forests and this is an easy way to get a taste of them! read more

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We took a guided nature walk tour through the historical park and it was a peaceful, serene experience. If you want to see bald eagles roosting, nesting, being eagley (Yes I'm pretty sure I just made up that berd werd) this is the place to observe them in their natural habitat. We got to see a nest, some overhead flying eagles and quite a few perched on branches above us. Going with a tour guide is the way to go because we learned so much about the history of this park and of the various trees and plants here. One of the most fascinating aspects of our time here was learning about the devil's club plant which has a lot of medicinal benefits. If you're traveling with a little one, it's not the most stroller friendly place to walk so be prepared. read more

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This is a great nature walk with totem poles and history of the native people. You learn about the struggles between Russia and local tribes. read more

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National historical parks are always a must stop. This is A great location to explore and take photos. Learn about Sitka and everything that has been here. read more

Sitka National Historical Park - Parks Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

Very unique national park. The visitor center is small but the grounds surrounding it are incredible. We enjoyed walking through the forest and observing the totem poles on display. Our tour guide with permission from the artist, was able to interpret one of the poles which was pretty cool. We also were able to engage with some rangers who shared some interesting history with us. read more

Sitka National Historical Park is also a museum with random historic totem poles of the Tlingit people along the forest path. We were on a private tour but you can easily do this in your own. The park is a short walk from the Raptor Rehab Center. Start on the park path off Sawmill Creek Road and walk thru a peaceful environment filled with thriving trees, the babbling brook that leads out to crescent bay and the museum. Take in the majestic beauty of the greenery, moss, waters and tall trees! See many historic totem poles and end your journey at the museum. Totem poles tell the histories of Tlingit families that are centuries old. The museum is steeped in explaining the rich history of the Tlingit people's livelihoods in the Sitka area and beyond! read more

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I saw a lot of things on the cruise and this was one of the cool stops. WELL worth the cost of the excursion! SOOOO much to see! The tour guide was really good and the free time was enough to see the rest of the items. Lots of wildlife, lots are native American art work, and lots of beautiful spots for photos. The aroma and feel of the air was refreshing! Kids really loved the trails!! read more

Extremely educational and interesting exhibits. You could spend several hours here and not see everything.

Visitor Center absolutely worth it. A temporary rainforest with one of the finest collection of totems in the Northwest. The Tlinget living on Shee (now Baranof) Island called their Village Shee At'ika', people on the outside of Shee. Today we call it Sitka. History shown through so many beautiful totem poles, artifacts, fashions, live canoe and totem woodworking, gift shop and short east Trails with many totems to enjoy surrounding the visitor center. An easy walk from downtown Sitka Visitor Center, it's worth if for whole family. Ample restrooms. Also, you get to mark off another National Park on your bucket list. read more

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What a great activity to do while you're in town. With free admission, it is fun for the whole family and will occupy a significant amount of time. From the video that they play on demand when it isn't crowded or on a schedule when crowded, to the carving hut behind with a native Alaskan carving master, Tommy, to the totem trail rich in history and free guided tour thru the NPS app, and the exhibits inside, this place is worth the visit. The walk through the woods is very mild and easy for all ages, with practically zero elevation. read more

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If you like a wonderful scenic walk through a forest with glimpses of the shoreline, totem poles and if you're in the right season, the Salmon Run this is amazing. If you do not like to walk over two miles, I suggest staying away from here read more

Sitka National Historical Park - Totem Pole - Parks Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

This was definitely my favorite stop on our Sitka tour. We were lucky enough to come to the park during spawning season- so the stream was full of fish. Somewhat sad to see them die, but also very impressive to see so many fish. I also loved seeing all the incredible totem poles in such a beautiful surrounding. I would not have wanted to miss this. We were here in the rain and it was STILL amazing- maybe even a little more atmospheric than in the sunshine. read more

Beautiful park with nice paths and hiking trails! We enjoyed spending time looking at the totem poles and enjoying the paths.

I used to say to my lower-48 friends that Talkeetna "is the quintessential Alaska town". Now, I have to modify that to be "in mainland Alaska". Sitka, in "The Southeast", has got it goin' on y'all! The town is perfectly manicured to being charming, cute, and Alaskan. But not manicured so much that it looks like a fake, plastic, Disney town. (*cough*Banff*cough*) The trail system is very well maintained. They have some best-graded, and best-signed trails I have EVER been on. And, they have this simple park right in town. You can get off at the airport, walk about 2 miles, and be in the midst of large temperate-rainforest old growth and towering totem poles. Oh, and it's also free. Seriously, what more could you ask for? If you're staying in the hostel, you should definitely check out this park, it's a very short walk. Man, missing Sitka pretty hard just typing this... read more

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Your out in the woods. Total population of Sitka is 9,000. Favorite thing to eat is Halibut. read more

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A cute little short walk from the port and a scenic tour of Sitka with various totem poles along the way! I didn't count how many there were total but the loop was about a mile or so, if I remember correctly.. the trail goes from the visitor center to ocean side and loops back around to where you begin after a stop at a bridge.. the totem poles make it fun and more interesting! We saw some bald eagles overhead as well! A good way to kill time and explore the small town of Sitka while at port! Or just a good way to get a little walk in off the ship! read more

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Everything about this place is great! I am amazed on so much history for such a small town/island! It's so beautiful here! read more

Sitka National Historical Park - Parks Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

Beautiful area and so peaceful. It was raining the day we were there but still a nice walk through the trees. The totem poles throughout are beautiful pieces of work & history. Would definitely recommend visiting!! read more

Sitka is a great little town on the coast of Alaska and is on Baranov Island. Sitka's colorful past is a unique blend of native Tlingit culture and Russian history. In 1867, when the United States purchased Alaska from the Russians, the transfer ceremony was held in Sitka, and Sitka became Alaska's first capital city.The native people's were very prosperous, not even having a word for starvation. The Tlingit are indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America. Their language is, meaning "People of the Tides". This site was part of our tours from our cruise ship. The park is located within the town and encompasses the site of the epic battle between the Russians and Tinglits in 1804. Another aspect of the park facility that was clearly ahead of its time was its display of remarkable Tlingit artifacts. Many of the objects in the collection were loaned or donated by local clans under agreements designed to insure ongoing traditional use. In 1972, the monument's name was changed to Sitka National Historical Park, and its boundaries expanded to include the Russian Bishop's House, a national historic landmark. Acquisition of the house brought more emphasis to the Russian American focus of the park and involved the park in a lengthy restoration project. The collection of totem poles and their place in Tinglit culture are a dominant feature in the Park. While many are reproductions of the originals, all are interesting. On the back of each Totem Pole is a plaque that lets you phone to a recording and punch in the totem's number and hear about it. A very neat use of modern technology. Just a delightful time in Alaska's 4th largest city. read more

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Our cruise ship ported in Sitka and we had about 5 hours to stroll about town. If you walk along the water, through town, you will end up at the Sitka National Historic Park. This was my favorite thing in Sitka. If you are an outdoorsy person, like nature, and enjoy a good walk the National Historic Park is for you! They have several trails and totem poles along the way. The forested path is a very enjoyable stroll. If we weren't trying to see the whole town, I would have spent longer taking in all the different directions one can meander. There is also a visitor center/museum and just outside are original totem poles more than 100 years old. They offer guided tours through the park as well. I definitely recommend exploring Sitka National Historical Park to enjoy some nature and get in some activity at the same time. read more

Sitka National Historical Park - Totem Pole along the path. - Parks Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

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This is such a fantastic park. I absolutely loved it. You get to walk amongst a lot of tall beautiful/majestic trees. The trails are lovely and there is a walk that goes along the shores so you could get that beautiful Alaskan scenery. There are beautiful totem poles scattered around. During (I think) September, you can see the salmon migrate up. This park is a short walk from the rapture center so I recommend that you just walk here from there and save your time from waiting for a bus. Their center is informative and they play informative shows in the theater. read more

This is a nice park that's a 15-20 min walk from the main town area. It's a nice walk to the park. The park itself has a lot of totem polls of all kinds. You get to see them as you follow the trails of the park. The park itself has great views of the water. You can even go out in the pebbled beach to get closer to the water. There's areas for picnics and a nice museum at the entrance. The staff is very friendly and the museum has great facilities. read more

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This is the place for totem poles and beachcombing in Sitka. The Sitka National Historic Park is situated in a National Forest so it is surrounded by impressive trees. The museum and exhibits tell the story of the local area with an emphasis on the Native American history. They have guided totem pole walks regularly although you can guide yourself if you choose. It is only a short walk from the downtown area so you don;t need transportation. read more

Lucked out with a sunny day to explore this gem. If you are in Sitka, this is a must! Easy walk - pick up the laminated cards for a visual tour from the park ranger and read at your leisure and learn about the different totems and history of the area. read more

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Beautiful easy 2mile trail into the rain forest, where you can hear and see many of Alaskan animal, bear, eagles, birds and plants

This place is nature at its best,if you want great photos come shoot hear, I have never seen a place like this in all my travels, I hope to visit Sitka AK one day in the near future.... read more

Sitka National Historical Park - The trail we hiked after the park ranger suggested it because of our skill level, this is the Indian river trail Sitka AK. - Parks Near Me - Sitka, Alaska

This place is so awesome! The trees are so y'all and everything is so green, kind of makes you feel like you're in a Jurassic Park movie. They have some awesome views of the ocean from the trails and the totem poles are massive. Would definitely recommend if you're in Sitka. A must see. read more

I was on a cruise to Alaska and one of the ports we stopped at was Sitka. The park is a little over a half a mile from the pier. When you get on the pier, you head to and turn right on Lincoln Street and walk past all the ships docked at the pier. You continue on Lincoln Street until you hit the entrance for the park. There is no fee to enter and walk around. Definitely walk the one mile Totem Trail Loop. You will see some of the best views of Sitka from this trail. My personal favorite picture is of the Noordam with Mount Edgecumbe in the background. I also walked the 0.6 roundtrip River View Trail. However, it is no big deal. It leads to and ends under a bridge for the main road for cars. The 0.75 mile Russian Memorial Loop was closed at the time of my visit. If you are in Sitka, I definitely recommend walking to and around this park. When I walked around downtown and did not find anything that really interested me, I walked back and took another lap on the Totem Trail Loop. If you are looking into an Alaska cruise and/or things to do during a day trip/ shore excursion at various ports, feel free to message me for recommendations or my thoughts on the cruise I went on [also in the link in my profile] read more

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A great place to spend a few hours if you are visiting Sitka. The main attraction here is the Totem Pole Trail. The poles have a QR code on the back if you have your phone - a great way to find out about each of the poles along the way. Make sure you go all the way to site of the Klingkit settlement - the lone pole in the middle of the cleared forest makes a statement. Also, if the Salmon are running, you should head over to the salmon run. I mean, when else are you going to see that? The guides at the building are helpful and there are exhibits for those who can't physically do the mile or so hike to see the Totem Poles in the forest. Best bet on getting here - there is a $10 RT shuttle from where cruise ships are tendered. A cab from "downtown" will cost you about $7. read more

Loved this place. Actually, I think I just loved all of Sitka! This place was pretty amazing and nature was absolutely everywhere! When we were there, there were some park rangers telling the tourist about the history of the park. Definitely worth visiting. read more

The Totem Poles within the visitor center are the originals and are quite impressive to see. The walk around the park is nice, but the totems are just replicas. This was a very interesting place. I would highly recommend a good couple of hours here if not more, especially for the walk. We were a bit rushed and didn't get to see everything, but what we did see was beautiful! read more

Beautiful but didn't feel safe. Trail markers are confusing and you should not go alone because someone could kidnap or hurt you in those woods or a bear could get you! read more

Seriously one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited! Clean air, lovely view - wonderful, friendly people!

Walk to this site from the city center and enjoy the rainforest. It was a sunny day to do. It was cool and refreshing. It takes about 15 min to walk through and you will see a creek, totem poles, and rainforest. read more

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I loved it here! It's a short walk from the port and it's a gorgeous walk too. Around 18 totem poles to look at, and if you call the number on the back of the totem pole you get a guided tour. Great wildlife to look at! read more

As if the Totem Poles were not enough joy....there is much more here. The walk through the Tongass National Rain Forest brings many wonderful surprises.. the mossy logs, the mushrooms, the Indian River, the salmonberries, the wildflowers, and views of the Sitka Bay. It is magical and peaceful. read more