Ward Lake is a small, still lake in a wooded valley about eight miles north of downtown, just inland from Ward Cove. The US Forest Service manages it as a recreation area, and it is where Ketchikan people go to picnic, fish for trout and walk the dog. For visitors it offers the simplest way to stand in old-growth rainforest: a broad, level gravel path circles the shore beneath Sitka spruce and western hemlock several feet thick.
The area has a longer history too. A Civilian Conservation Corps camp stood here in the 1930s, and during the Second World War it was used to house Unangax̂ (Aleut) families evacuated from the Aleutian Islands — a sombre chapter commemorated by an interpretive sign.
Top things to do: Ward Lake Recreation Area
Ward Lake Nature Trail
A 1.3-mile loop around the lake, almost flat, with benches, interpretive signs on forest ecology and constant views across the water. Allow 30–45 minutes at a stroll.
Watch salmon in Ward Creek
In late summer salmon run up Ward Creek through the recreation area; a trail follows the creek down towards the cove. Where there are salmon there may be bears — stay alert.
Perseverance Lake Trail
A longer walk of about 2.3 miles each way, largely on boardwalk and steps, climbing gently through muskeg and forest to a quiet mountain lake.
Picnic, paddle or camp
There are covered picnic shelters with fire grates, a small beach, and the Signal Creek campground among the trees by the shore.
How to get there
- By road: drive north on the North Tongass Highway to Ward Cove and turn inland on Revilla Road; the lake is about 20 minutes from downtown.
- From the Ward Cove cruise dock: the recreation area is only a mile or two away — a short taxi ride.
- By bus: public buses run along the highway to Ward Cove; from the stop it is a walk of a mile or more to the lake.
- By tour: some rainforest and e-bike tours use the trails in this area.
Insider tips
- There is no entrance fee for day use. Campsites are reserved through the US federal recreation booking system.
- Bring insect repellent on still summer days.
- The loop is suitable for pushchairs and, with care, wheelchairs.
- In winter the lake sometimes hosts trumpeter swans.
- Combine it with Totem Bight, a few miles further north.
Best tours for this sight
These bookable Ketchikan excursions fit best with a visit to Ward Lake Recreation Area:
Bike & hike from $164 Ketchikan: E-Bike and Hike Tour
Explore beyond town on an electric bike, then leave the saddle for a hike through the rainforest with local guides. The motor takes the sting out of the hills, snacks are included and reviews are consistently excellent.
- Guided e-bike ride through Alaskan scenery
- Rainforest hike with a local guide
- Snacks included
Guided tour from $129 Premium Rainforest Experience in Ketchikan
A guided tour from Ketchikan into the Tongass National Forest, visiting waterfalls and salmon spawning streams and watching for black bears, eagles and seals along the way. A compact way to see the forest without a long hike.
- Guided exploration of the Tongass National Forest
- Waterfalls and salmon spawning grounds
- Look for black bears, eagles and seals
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
