Hoonah, Alaska
A Tlingit‑heritage harbor town where temperate rainforest, whale‑rich strait waters, and soft northern light create one of Southeast Alaska's most atmospheric wilderness coastlines.
A Tlingit‑heritage harbor town where temperate rainforest, whale‑rich strait waters, and soft northern light create one of Southeast Alaska's most atmospheric wilderness coastlines.
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Overview
Hoonah sits on Chichagof Island along Icy Strait, the largest Tlingit village in Alaska and the cultural heart of the Huna Tlingit people. Just north of town, the restored 1912 salmon cannery has become Icy Strait Point—a community-owned cruise port of museums, restaurants, and adventure rides. Movement flows between town and port: a 1.5-mile shoreline path, a $10 shuttle, and excursion boats heading for whales and bears. The setting is classic Inside Passage—temperate rainforest, snow-streaked peaks, and nutrient-rich waters. Humpbacks feed here all summer, and brown bears roam the backcountry.
What defines Hoonah is its balance of living Tlingit culture and frontier adventure. You move from totem poles and carving sheds to the adrenaline of the world's largest zipline, from the quiet of the cannery museum to the thrill of a breaching humpback, and from misty morning rainforest to sunlit strait waters. The welcome is genuinely local—the port is owned by the community it serves. It's a destination where Indigenous heritage isn't a performance but the foundation of everything.
The world's largest zipline—5,330 feet long with a 1,300-foot vertical drop from Hoonah Mountain to the beach.
Tip: Book early—this sells out on busy ship days.
The restored 1912 Hoonah Packing Company cannery with fishing-industry exhibits and Tlingit cultural displays.
Tip: Allow 45 minutes before your excursion departs.
Humpbacks bubble-net feeding in one of Southeast Alaska's richest whale waters.
Tip: Bring a windproof jacket—the open water runs cold.
Traditional dance, song, and stories performed by Huna Tlingit cultural bearers.
Tip: Check the daily schedule—performances run at set times.
A flat 1.5-mile waterfront path past totem poles, the harbor, and carving sheds.
Tip: Walk it in the morning for the calmest water and best light.
Guided trips into the backcountry to watch coastal brown bears fishing for salmon.
Tip: Late July through August offers peak bear activity.
