Creek Street Ketchikan Alaska
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WHY VISIT CREEK STREET KETCHIKAN
In Ketchikan Alaska, visit Creek Street to learn about the town’s Native Alaskan culture, local wildlife, and rollicking prohibition-era history. Built on wooden pilings over Ketchikan Creek, the boardwalk neighborhood was once a rowdy, red light district. Now home to a fun collection of curio shops and museums rich in local lore, the antique footpath in a must-see attraction.
From your first to last step on Creek Street, enjoy the boardwalk’s rugged beauty. Visit Dolly’s House (a former brothel), sample smoked salmon, and shop for Native Alaskan art. Best of all, Creek Street Ketchikan is free to enter and only a 10-minute walk from the cruise port. Learn about the Married Man’s Trail, the Salmon Ladder, and other iconic spots in our post.
KETCHIKAN ECO-ADVENTURE TOURS
KETCHIKAN CREEK STREET HISTORY
Salmon played an integral role in the creation of Creek Street. The location first saw development when the Tlingit Indians put a fish camp on the spot. European settlers, who traded with the tribes, came in the 1800s.
These settlers built Creek Street on pilings above the stream because it was easier than blasting away the rock in the surrounding hills. In the 1800 and 1900s, the town flourished with booming fishing, logging, and mining industries.
In the Prohibition era (1920s), Creek Street became infamous as Ketchikan’s Red Light District. To support the town’s population of mostly single men, some 20 saloons and brothels sprang up along the boardwalk.
During these years, at high tide, bootleggers would smuggle Canadian liquor into the bars and brothels through trap doors in the floor. Customers would use a trail (the “Married Man’s Trail”) to slip from town in and out of these establishments – escaping raids (and their spouses).
KETCHIKAN CREEK STREET TODAY
Today, Ketchikan is Alaska’s fifth largest town. Fishing and tourism are its major industries (nearly 1 million visitors arrive via cruise ship every year). Creek Street with its brightly painted houses and colorful history is a major tourist draw.
The walkable district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Over wooden piling, its well preserved buildings hold an interesting array of shops, breweries, and galleries. During salmon runs (July-September), visitors can watch fish jumping upstream – as well as the seals, birds, and bear that come to feed on them.
KETCHIKAN ALASKA EXCURSIONS
WHERE IS CREEK STREET
Ketchikan is located on Revillagigedo Island in Southeast Alaska (USA). The town is only accessible by air or boat. Ketchikan is a popular port on the Alaska Inside Passage cruise route.
Creek Street is located in downtown Ketchikan adjacent to the waterfront. If you are arriving by water, Creek Street is about a 10-15 minute walk from cruise ship berths 1-4; or a shuttle bus ride from Ward’s Cove.
Downtown Ketchikan is well-signed with wide sidewalks and many crosswalks. There is also a town bus (“The Bus”) and seasonal free shuttle that includes Creek Street as a stop.
THINGS TO SEE IN CREEK STREET KETCHIKAN
Cape Fox Lodge Funicular
A tram operates between the Cape Fox Lodge and Creek Street. The short ride provides panoramic views of Ketchikan and the waterfront, and quick access to the restaurant and pub.
Chief Johnson Totem Pole
The Chief Johnson totem pole is located near the Creek Street entrance the boardwalk. Carved in 1902, the pole was raised in honor of Chief Johnson’s mother. It is one of the most photographed totem poles in the world.
Creek Street Boardwalk
The boardwalk is roughly the length of one city block (about 600-800 feet) on pilings over Ketchikan Creek. The promenade connects the Salmon Stairs, Married Man’s Trail, and other streets in the historic district.
Creek Street Signs
Great for photos. Find one at the main entryway (near the Chief Johnson Totem Pole) and one by the Stedman Bridge.
Dolly’s House
A museum housed in a building that once operated as a brothel. Artifacts in the museum tell the story of the brothel’s owner, Dolly Arthur, and the other women who worked there. (Entry fee)
Ketchikan Salmon Walk
A 1.5 mile marked loop trail that follows Ketchikan Creek and Salmon Ladder. The trail follows the route that the native salmon swim during their seasonal migration. Good opportunities to see native wildlife (salmon, seals, bears, eagles) July to September.
THINGS TO DO IN KETCHIKAN AK
Married Man’s Trail
A twisting staircase and boardwalk that runs from Creek Street up a hill to Park Avenue. Was once a muddy path that men would use to discreetly travel from town to the Creek Street brothels and saloons.
Stedman Bridge at Creek Street
Antique red trestle bridge at the waterfront entrance to Creek Street. Known for the anglers that use it to fish for salmon.
Self-Guided Walking Tour
The Creek Street district and Salmon Ladder are well-signed with directions and educational plaques including historical and cultural facts and legends.
Yeltatzie Salmon
Located on Ketchikan Creek near the fish ladder, the sculpture is a 10 foot long mosaic of a salmon. The piece was created by local artist Terry Pyles to commemorate Ketchikan’s stats as the “Salmon Capital of the World.”
Tongass Historical Museum
The museum is on the opposite bank of Ketchikan Creek from the salmon ladder. The collected memory museum uses artifact and archives to tell the story of Ketchikan’s fishing, logging, and mining heritage.
KETCHIKAN ALASKA MAP – CREEK STREET
KETCHIKAN ALASKA HOTELS
Ketchikan has a number of hotels downtown that are within walking distance of the Creek Street district. Consider one of these well-reviewed Ketchikan Alaska Hotels:
Cape Fox Lodge - Resort with restaurant and lounge. In hills above town; short walk to Creek Street.
Inn at Creek Street - Restored historic rooms in the heart of downtown Ketchikan.
Black Bear Inn - Elegant waterfront lodge with B&B suites outside of town.
KETCHIKAN ALASKA WEATHER & BEST TIME TO VISIT
Located in the Tongass National Rainforest, Ketchikan Alaska has a cool, rainy climate. Expect lots of precipitation with summer temperatures (June, July, and August) around 55-60’F; and winter temperatures (Nov – Feb) around 35-45’F.
June, July, and August are the best time of year to visit Ketchikan and Creek Street. Although it is peak cruise and tourist season; during these months the galleries, curio shops, and cafes on Creek Street are open – and the salmon are running. For less crowded experience, but with most businesses still open, travel to Ketchikan during the months of May and September.
KETCHIKAN ALASKA EXCURSIONS
You can easily see Creek Street and the Salmon Ladder in a few hours. If you have a whole day in port consider complimenting your time on Creek Street with another half-day excursion of the area’s vast natural and cultural attractions.
Here are some of the very best things to do in Ketchikan Alaska:
Lumberjack Show & Axe Throwing Challenge: At the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show cheer on your team in chopping, sawing, and log rolling challenges. Then, take an axe-throwing lesson. (2 hours, 15 minutes)
Ketchikan Fishing Charter: On this private salmon fishing charter, fish for one of Alaska's 7 species of salmon. Private group and guide. All fishing equipment and rain gear provided. (4 hours)
Misty Fjords Seaplane Tour: See remote, roadless Alaskan wilderness flight-seeing on a floatplane. Includes a water landing. Six passenger plane with window seat. (2 hours, 30 minutes)
Saxman Native Village & Ketchikan City Tour: Explore Native culture and Ketchikan history on luxury coach. Includes Eagle Point (smoked salmon tasting), Saxman Native Village (totem poles), historic downtown Ketchikan, and Creek Street. (2 hours, 30 minutes)
CREEK STREEK KETCHIKAN SHOPPING
The Creek Street historic district is a great place to shop for that special Alaskan keepsake to take home. Here you will find galleries featuring Native Alaskan art, locally made crafts and textiles, and regional souvenirs.
Most shops will accept cash and credit cards. Many businesses offer shipping services home. When shopping for authentic Alaskan goods, look for these symbols:
Silver Hand: guarantees an authentic, original work created in Alaska by an Alaska Native artist who resides in the state.
Made in Alaska: State certification indicating a product was handcrafted or manufactured in Alaska.
Alaskan Grown: Identifies agricultural products that are grown in Alaska and meet safety standards.
TRUSTED TRAVEL RESOURCES
CREEK STREET ACCESSIBILITY
The Creek Street district offers an accessible route (look for blue markings) for those with wheelchairs and walkers. This route takes in the main areas of the boardwalk. However, this historic district may present challenges for the mobility impaired.
Off of the main flat boardwalk there are stairs leading to the Salmon Walk, Married Man’s Trail, and into many of the shops and restaurants. Additionally, it rains often creating slippery conditions on the wooden boardwalks and stairs.
Hope you enjoy the Creek Street shops and salmon, Laura and Randy
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