Photo: Joshua Murdough, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
🌤 Weather at Totem Bight State Historical Park by season
| Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32–58 °F | 48–65 °F | 35–59 °F | 31–41 °F |
Each range runs from the coldest monthly average low to the warmest monthly average high in that season (1991-2020 climate normals), measured at Ketchikan 10N, 3 mi away, elevation 295 ft. Conditions at the park can differ from the station, especially where elevation differs — check a forecast before you go.
Totem Bight State Historical Park is a 33-acre historic site at Milepost 10 of the North Tongass Highway near Ketchikan, with a community house and totem poles repaired or copied in a program that began in 1938.
Alaska State Parks lists the toilets, trails and historical features here as accessible. The site also has a picnic shelter and a visitors information center that opens in summer.
The poles exist because of a salvage effort. As non-Native settlements grew in Southeast Alaska in the early 1900s and the barter economy declined, Native residents moved to communities where work was available. The villages and totem poles they left behind were overgrown by forest and worn down by weather. In 1938 the U.S. Forest Service began salvaging and reconstructing these cedar monuments. It used Civilian Conservation Corps funds to hire skilled older Native carvers, so young artisans learned the craft while abandoned totems were repaired or duplicated.
The Totem Poles and Community House
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Collection | The community house and 15 poles were in place by the time World War II slowed the CCC project |
| Material | Cedar |
| Carvers | Skilled older Native carvers hired with CCC funds, who also taught young artisans |
| Land | Title passed from the federal government to the State of Alaska at statehood in 1959 |
| Historic listing | National Register of Historic Places, 1970 |
| Managed by | Alaska Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation |
Alaska State Parks publishes a Totem Bight Totem Pole Guide for visitors who want to learn about the individual poles.
Essential Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 9883 North Tongass Highway, Ketchikan, AK |
| Location | Milepost 10 of the North Tongass Highway |
| From the airport | Take the ferry across, then turn left on North Tongass Highway |
| Entry fee | $5 per person (as of November 2026) |
| Picnic shelter | $30 per time block (as of November 2026) |
| Visitors information center | Open in summer |
Fees come from the Alaska State Parks fee page. Check it before you go, because rates can change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an entry fee at Totem Bight?
Yes. Alaska State Parks lists an entry fee of $5 per person as of November 2026, and the picnic shelter costs $30 per time block.
Are the totem poles at Totem Bight original?
The site mixes repairs and copies. Starting in 1938, Native carvers paid with Civilian Conservation Corps funds either repaired totems left in abandoned villages or duplicated them.
Is Totem Bight accessible?
Alaska State Parks lists the toilets, trails and historical features at Totem Bight as accessible.
Nearby parks: If you have extra time, Refuge Cove State Recreation Site is a short drive away, and Settlers Cove State Recreation Site is a short drive away.
🐾 Dogs & Pets at Totem Bight State Historical Park
- Pets allowed? statewide rule
- Pets are welcome in Alaska State Parks and campgrounds when leashed and accompanied by the owner; unleashed dogs are allowed in the backcountry if under voice control.
- Leash rule statewide rule
- Leash not exceeding 9 feet required in developed facilities (campgrounds, picnic areas, trailheads, swim beaches, boat ramps).
- Beaches & swim areas statewide rule
- No statewide pet ban on beaches; swim beaches count as developed facilities where the 9-foot leash rule applies.
- Statewide exceptions statewide rule
- In the backcountry leashes are not required but pets must remain under voice control; in trapping areas (e.g. Chena River SRA) leashing is strongly advised for dog safety.
Are dogs allowed at Totem Bight State Historical Park?
Pets are welcome in Alaska State Parks and campgrounds when leashed and accompanied by the owner; unleashed dogs are allowed in the backcountry if under voice control. Individual parks can post stricter rules — check signage on arrival.
Rules verified July 2026 via dnr.alaska.gov. More: Alaska state parks guide · Dog rules in all 50 states compared
Park Map
Plan your gear for Totem Bight State Historical Park
From our editorial guides, matched to this park’s activities:
