Saxman is a small incorporated town of a few hundred people, mostly Tlingit, about two and a half miles south of downtown Ketchikan. It was founded in the 1890s by people from the old villages of Cape Fox and Tongass who wanted a new site with a school and a church, and it is named after Samuel Saxman, a teacher who was lost at sea while helping to search for that site.
Its totem park is one of the great collections: around two dozen poles lining the approach road and standing on the hillside around a clan house. As at Totem Bight, most were salvaged from abandoned villages and re-carved in a Civilian Conservation Corps project that began in the late 1930s, and carving has continued here ever since. What sets Saxman apart is that it is a living community — you may well meet working carvers and see dances performed by village residents.
Top things to do: Saxman Native Village & Totem Park
Walk among the poles
Look for the Lincoln Pole, topped by a figure in a stovepipe hat that commemorates an encounter with a US revenue cutter in the 19th century, and the Seward Pole, a “shame pole” said to rebuke the Secretary of State who bought Alaska for failing to return his hosts’ hospitality. Other poles tell clan stories of Raven, Eagle, Frog, Beaver and Bear.
The carving shed
In the carving centre you can watch master carvers and apprentices shaping new poles and canoes from red cedar logs with adzes and knives. Saxman carvers, among them the celebrated Nathan Jackson, have made poles that now stand around the world.
The Beaver Clan House
A large cedar tribal house built in traditional style with a painted front. On guided visits it is the setting for songs and dances performed in regalia by the Cape Fox Dancers, with an explanation of what the dances mean.
The village store and views
The shop by the park sells Native art and carving, and the hillside looks out over the Narrows. A guided tour usually starts with a short film and a welcome in Tlingit.
How to get there
- Location: on the South Tongass Highway, about 2.5 miles (4 km) south of the downtown berths — 10 minutes by road.
- By bus: the borough’s public bus runs south through Saxman roughly hourly.
- By taxi: a short, inexpensive ride. Agree a return pickup or ask the store to call one.
- On foot: possible along a roadside path in 50–60 minutes each way, though it follows the highway and is not especially scenic.
- By tour: guided visits with the clan house programme are sold as excursions; this is the only way to see the dance performance.
Insider tips
- Independent visitors pay a small fee to walk the totem park, usually at the village store. The clan house and dance show are normally reserved for guided groups.
- Ask before photographing carvers or dancers, and do not photograph inside the clan house if asked not to.
- Remember this is a residential community: stay on the paths and in the park area.
- Allow about an hour on your own, or two hours for a full guided programme.
- Combine Saxman with Herring Cove, which is further along the same road.
Best tours for this sight
These bookable Ketchikan excursions fit best with a visit to Saxman Native Village & Totem Park:
Guided tour from $99 Ketchikan: City Tour, Saxman Village & Salmon Tasting
A guided overview of Ketchikan’s history and landmarks, with a visit to Saxman Native Village to see its famous collection of totem poles and a tasting of smoked salmon. Reviews are more mixed than for other tours, so read the latest before booking.
- Narrated tour of Ketchikan’s landmarks
- Saxman Native Village and its totem poles
- Smoked salmon tasting
Guided tour from $84 Ketchikan: Alaska Native Cultural and Scenic Shore Excursion
A good-value introduction to the Native cultures of Southeast Alaska. You travel north along the coast to Totem Bight State Historical Park, where a guide explains the poles and the clan house, with stops for scenery and wildlife on the way. The most-reviewed Ketchikan tour on the platform.
- Totem Bight State Historical Park with a guide
- Stories of the Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian peoples
- Chances to spot eagles, salmon and bears along the way
Guided tour Ketchikan: Town Tour, Totem Heritage Center & Trail Hike
A guided tour that combines a narrated drive around Ketchikan with a visit to the Totem Heritage Center and its original 19th-century poles, and a hike on a trail in the Tongass National Forest. Check the product page for the current price and pickup point.
- Narrated tour of the town
- Visit to the Totem Heritage Center
- Hike in the Tongass National Forest
