Tongass National Forest Reviews

Our guide led us on a short narrated walk through a small portion of the 19 million (!) acres of this largest of national forests. It was almost as if Hollywood positioned the trees, logs, ferns and mosses and painted them varying shades of green ... yet it is all natural and breathtakingly beautiful. We stopped to take photos in front of the largest silver birch tree (if I remember correctly) then went further along the easy trail that opened to a shallow stream at the very end. It was very quiet, peaceful and solitary.

I was lucky enough to live here and experience the beauty of this forest for 6 months. I could never get enough of being in the forest hiking and taking in the beauty!! You will gain a greater appreciation for nature here.

Great little half day boat ride with a walking tour. Amy our guide did a great job as did Amy our boat captain. Good pics of some Eagles too boot. Good time and well worth the money.

We had 2 hours at the Mendenhall Glacier and decided to walk the East Glacier Loop. The ranger advised us to walk clockwise and it should take about 1 hour 45 minutes. After walking up hill via various step walks for what seemed like for ever, getting hotter and hotter in the rain forest, we arrived at the summit. A guide that was with another party suggested it would take 45 minutes to get down. It turned out we had walked 2 miles uphill! As the tour bus was leaving in about 45 minutes we had to rush all the way down. I would suggest that 2 hours is a minimum for the east loop and more if you want to take photos or stop for a rest.

Moderate trail that follows the glacial trimline
Length - 3.5 miles
Time - 2 hours
Elevation gain - 400 feet

East Glacier Loop branches off from the Trail of Time. Visitors starting the Trail of Time from the second parking lot will intersect the East Glacier Loop at a Civilian Conservation Corps shelter. Visitors starting the Trail of Time from the Visitor Center will intersect the East Glacier Loop

For those on a cruise this is a wonderful escape from th hustle and bustle of the crowded town of Ketchikan. Not to mention, a wonderful way to ge those daily steps in with a hike.

This national forest was fun to walk through. I will not say it is really an attraction, however if you like to walk through nature this is the place to do it.

We enjoyed our Nature Hike through part of the National Forest, starting in Sitka. Our guide was amazing, so knowledgeable about the flora and fauna (yet having no problems in stamping out the invasive slugs!). The forest was peaceful and some of the trees were incredible. Well worth the visit, whatever the weather

This tour of Tongass is so beautiful and rich. The vegetation is green and prominent. They point out the stinging plants and uses of the other vegetation. It is peaceful to progress through the areas with quiet and fog. You hear Eagles but can't see them due to the fog. Let's you know your place int this beautiful, wild , wonderful world!

One of the largest forests in the world. A classic temperate rain forest so come prepared, it rains a lot! Stunningly beautiful.

This place is amazing even in the rain. We loved the canoeing and jeeps that took us through the forest.

I'd live there if it weren't so far from my kids and grandkids. It is an incredible place! All of the locals we met were warm, kind and friendly.

We rented a motorcycle and rode through here during a short cruise ship stop in Ketchikan. It was a beautiful forest and we plan to return to camp there. We saw lots of birds and bear tracks.

Be sure to make arrangements in advance to hike through at least part of the Tongass forest near Ketchikan. It is especially beautiful in the rain because everything smells fresh and clean and there is a real sense of why forests are so important to preserve.

We enjoyed a nature hike through part of the forest. Saw a porcupine sitting in a tree! Lots of streams, incredible greenery and the air was so clear. Wonderful way to spend an afternoon or morning.

We did this forest on a Juneau and Glacier Tour. It was fun and informative. The forest was beautiful and we were on the outlook for black bears but unfortunately didn't see any.

We were driven through it on our way to our Tour. The forest is lush and beautiful. We were not lucky to see any large wild animals but we saw magnificent eagles.

Coming from the desert you forget that some places can be so green and colorful even in winter! So pretty and full of fresh air everywhere. The moss is so extensive and aromatic.

The area is very beautiful. It is in a rain forest and the weather will change while on your tour. It is rich in wild life and you can see deer, seals, bald eagles, and sea otters, and occasionally a bear. If you are very lucky you might see a whale. It is a place you should make time and see. The younger your are the more you can enjoy Alaska. I did it as a senior and it was great.

We took an easy hike that went past salmon creeks and waterfalls and ended up a shoreline at low tide. There were tidepools full of starfish and urchins.

While we only saw a tiny corner of Tongass on our excursion that took in a 1 mile easy guided walk and the Raptor centre, we gained an appreciated of the impressive richness of the forest and some of the creatures that inhabit it. While we never saw bears etc, we saw seals by the salmon hatchery, bald eagles, banana slugs and more. Informative guide and moved at a perfect pace.

Another great excursion in the books from our Grand Princess Alaskan cruise August 2014. Granddaughter Maggie and I met up with 6 other eager riders and spent 2 hours navigating the largest moderate rainforest in the world! The stables, the trail guides and the horses were fantastic! The ride: wet, a bit cool but all surroundings were over the top visually awesome! Great trip, no riding experience required...

The Tongass National Forest is a verdant temperate rain forest in Southeast Alaska that is home to many endangered species of flora and fauna. It gets its name from the Tongass Clan of the Tlingit Indian Tribe that inhabits the area. The forest encompasses islands, glaciers, coastal mountain chains and egress of rivers into the sea.

This is true Alaska in the wild and is open for hiking, camping and other high adventure activities. The trees representing new and older growth change color with age and provides a ripple effect that's pleasing to the eye rather than a "oneness" of color that one would expect. This is the largest forest in the U.S. administered by the National Parks Service. Go, enjoy it from near or afar.

We took a private hummer tour around Ketchican and the last stop was the Tongass National Forest. I wish we had started here. We walked the "lunch" trail which was a well cared for trail that went over streams full of salmon, through deep old growth forests and brought us to a rocky "beach" on the water's edge. It was just beautiful and If I'm ever back in Ketchikan this will be my first stop.

We had Brianne the tour guide for our walk. She was funny and informative. Saw salmon, harbor seals, heron, banana slugs, owls and hawks. The sawmill and raptor rescue were great.

My wife and I would like to commend our guide Kelly for her passion and enthusiasm on taking us on this 3 hour hike through the rainforest. She is a grade 6 teacher and generalist who provided us very informative about the flora, fauna and native culture.

Had a couple of nice cruises through this forest. It's massive, with many old growth trees, many waterfalls, and an impressive number of eagles. Even saw a bear.

Beautiful country.

The use of the word 'forest' may be too humbling for the Tongass National Forest - it's more like a wilderness expanse. Considering it covers 17 million acres, I think any review will be of a particular sub-slice, so here's mine...

The resplendent beauty of southeastern Alaska is exemplified in the Tongass National Forest. As a guy from the Chicago area, I was blown away with how clean the air was and how quiet a space could be in the middle of Mother Nature. There is so much wildlife around and the forest itself, regardless of which island you are on, is enthralling.

We booked a kayaking trip through our cruise. The company and our cruise line did a horrible job getting us to where we needed to go but once you are there it nothing but shear beauty. There are eagles everywhere. The waters were clear and peaceful. We saw a jellyfish, deer and a seal. The tour guides didn't do a good job giving us any historic information. Our actual kayaking part of the trip was only 1.5 hrs. Go for longer if possible. It's beautiful!

We went on a guided tour of the part of the Tongass National Forest near Juneau Alaska and the Mendenhall Glacier. A beautiful area with a lot of old growth trees. After a short hike you wind up at an area near the visitors center with great views of Mendenhall glacier. On the day were there, there was a huge Black Bear near the visitor center.

What can you say about a forest that is a thousand miles long. Wildlife, trees, 12 kinds of ferns, berries galore and mushrooms. A wonderful example of God's creation.

A nice little hike. There a lots of wooden steps installed to keep the trail accessible to all but the mobility impaired. I might of like a few more informational placards to help you know what all you were seeing, but then again it is nice not to have a lot of clutter along the way. Nice hike

Went here as part of an excursion package from our cruise and unfortunately it didn't live up to expectations. Our guide started off being informative but after the turnaround point we might as well have been invisible.
Yes the fauna is impressive but I for one can only look at the same sort of trees, grasses etc before becoming a bit bored. Perhaps if we had seen bears my view might be different but with the number of people trudging along the paths the possibility of seeing bears was negligible.

amazing rainforest, moss everywhere, you'd never guess you were in the U.S. Gorgeous, and so informative to learn the history with the glaciers.

We went on this hike as part of a shore excursion while on a cruise. It was advertised as medium level difficulty and we found it to be just about right. You will need comfortable shoes and water for the hike because the trail to Mosquito Cove has several rising and falling trails and all of the trail is through some incredibly dense rain forest. Every turn and twist of the trail reveals great views of mountains, lakes, rivers and streams. Our tour guide Emily was very well informed on the native flora and fauna and very understanding and patient while I paused repeatedly to take pictures. We took a short break at Mosquito Cove and finished our hike early so Emily took us over to the Starrigavan Recreational Area trail where we walked through a much more open space and an estuary area. Along this section we got to see several Bald Eagles in flight and perched in the trees just off the trail. Overall the experience was just wonderful though tiring. This tour is the one that we talked about the most after our cruise.

Great experience. Saw a small black bear scurry up a tree. Saw schools of salmon. A beautiful waterfall and a glacier. Gorgeous place.

Visitor Center smack dab in the middle of Ketchikan, the Salmon Capital of the World. Neat exhibits and a film, plenty of artifacts. Parking lot across the street, $5 admission. Worth a visit to see the local story. And, if you collect them, they have 3 stamps!

You can book a local guide and tell them just what you really want to see and he is yours for what ever time you arrange with him. Our local guide was Stephen through the web site, tours by local.com. We wanted to see the Tongass National Forest and Stephen picked us up and that's where we went on a approximately 4 hour stroll through the forest. Stephen was very knowable of the flora and fawna and of other sites along the way. He also took us through the town and showed us other interesting sights along the way and even stopping to let us get something at the local drug store. What a treat to have your own guide all to yourself. Highly recommend Stephen.
The Tongrass Nat Forest path was quite wide and well suited for a wheelchair and easy walking for at least the 2 miles in that we walked. It however goes on and there are other paths in there with the same type of paths. Many flowers and other fauna of what is in season and a brook the meanders emptying into Ward Lake. They have built overlooks on this brook for views and also for fishing as there are trout in the stream. Peaceful walk and a great way to spend a few hours as we only met one other person the whole time we were there. Great Take in in ketchikan

The forest and lake combine for a still and peaceful experience at Carlanna Lake after a steep 15 minutes hiking on the old access road.

Our friend took us out to Ward Lake while we were visiting Ketchikan from a cruise ship. The lake was like glass the day we visiting and the hike around the lake was perfect. Really well maintained trails too. It was a perfect like walk to see the beautiful scenery in the area.

Best to wear hiking boots and a poncho in this temperate rain forest. The vegetation is amazing, and the wildlife love the area. We didn’t actually see bears, but our guide showed where they had recently slept. The trees, lichen, fungi, devils club, etc are amazing!
Be sure to shop for devils club salve made locally. It’s supposed to heal burns, help with arthritis, etc.

This temperate rain forest stretches from the southern border with British Columbia to the northern border with Glacier Bay Nat'l Park and covers nearly 17M acres making it the largest of our national parks. Cruisers to Alaska have numerous opportunities to experience this amazing wilderness park as ships stop in many ports located within park boundaries (Juneau, Hoonah, Wrangell, Sitka...). We took a tram ride through the forest at Icy Straits (Hoonah) along with several wildlife excursions in Sitka and Juneau in waters contained inside the park . The wildlife and scenery, both marine and land based, were spectacular. Truly a national treasure.

Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the U.S.A.
One must see it to appreciate the beauty of this awesome place as words cannot explain the lovely greenery & beauty of this amazing place.
It was a great experience.

To find out this is the largest Natural Forest in the United States was unbelievable! It is beautiful with so many different activities to choose from to see it. We went to a secluded lake out of Ketchikan and canoed over to an area to explore. Huge, beautiful trees, plants, flowers, bear caves, to just mention a few.

We joined Conan for a great walk through the rainforest in the Ward Lake area. He met us exactly where and when we were told which was fabulous since it was a bit rainy. The drive to the trail head took about 30 min but Conan told us about Ketchikan and pointed out sights along the way. He was very knowledeable about the forest and answered our questions to our satisifactions. If he didn't know the answer he was up front about it. Since there were only 2 of us in the group and we were able to keep a good pace, we had lots of time to stop and look at stuff. He didn't rush us at all. On the way back to the ship he took us back a different way and did a driving tour of the Ketchikan. We were very happy with the tour and especially Conan. 4 thumbs up. Tthis was a cruise ship excursion booked through Shoretrips)

On our last day in Ketchikan, we returned to Ward Lake to hike around the lake. We walked through the camping areas, which are well maintained and can be secured the same day, if available. We stepped into one of those areas, and it was like looking at a postcard - picture perfect! Along the way, we read informative signs, telling us about the flora, fauna, and history of the place. We saw a few squirrels, heard some birds, admired the old, towering trees, but unlike a visit a year ago, we saw no ducks or large birds. We did enjoy the vista, seen from the bridge over a small waterfall, halfway into the hike. When we arrived back at the parking area, we saw about four family groups picnicking, enjoying the beautiful day. I’d give Ward Lake 5 stars, but the two basic toilets over holes in the ground are in 2 separate locked rooms, with toilet paper, but no running water or soap. They are clean, and didn’t smell, but that’s because people using them were respectful of the property. They are similar to toilet facilities in other national parks we have visited, so we had our antiseptic gels for good hygiene.

We sailed through this national forest and the scenery is serene and spectacular. It's hard to grasp how huge it is!

We did the Rainforest Canoe and Nature Walk excursion (see other review), but we also visited the Tongass NF Visitor Center in downtown Ketchikan. Friendly staff and very interesting displays of the natural and human history of the area, including geological and biological (flora and fauna) displays, and the settlement of that area of Alaska from pre-historic transplants from Siberia, to the Tlingits, Haida, and other indigenous people thru American fishermen and timbermen. Art by local artists was also displayed. The Visitor Center was worth the time and walk from the port area (only a couple blocks away).

This rain forest extends from Ketchikan to the top of California. We just saw a few acres in Ketchikan. It was gently sprinkling and we enjoyed the mossy trees and empty bear dens. We ended our walk with a chance to pet and feed reindeer, see some wild birds, watch a totem pole carver, visit an old log mill and eat more crab legs than I could imagine at the George Inlet Lodge. We saw two black tail deer along the side of the road and an eagle nest half way up a tall tree. There was even a bright coral jellyfish in the water just outside the George Inlet Lodge.

I enjoyed wandering around here, but my eight-year-old son was bored. The grounds are beautiful and well worth a visit.

This forest is huge!! There are great hiking trails for every level--easy to superhard--rafting is available too. Beware of the bears!

We were on an Alaskan Cruise and one of the many stops we made was Tongass. What a beautiful place and well worth the time to explore. While did did not get enough time to explore everything we did get a chance to get a feel for the park. Well worth your time to explore if you love nature

When me and my family went there we were walking into the place to see the movie when I see this huge crowd of people. I rushed down their and I see a black bear with her two little cubs. The park rangers got all of the bears to walk across a little path and we got to see them walk across the sidewalk. It was awesome.

This is so beautiful in Indian summer. Over 17 million acres, it’s the world’s largest rainforest. It is so peaceful and calm. Well worth your time to tour, hike, or kayak.

Went through part of the forest in Juneau Alaska. Very interesting learning about the different stages of growth and formation.

We visited the Tongass on a flightseeing tour and want to come back via boat to rent a cabin to just breathe, listen, smell and taste. This is a pure area. You can smell the purity - a crisp mix of minerals and herbs. You can hear it - wind hushing the trees and tripping across the lake surface. You can taste it - water so clear you cannot tell where it and the air begins and ends. Your soul is going to understand what your mind may not. Our visit brought us to tears.

We loved seeing the nature. Everything was so beautiful! We enjoyed seeing a baby porcupine. We wish we had more time to walk around here.

Separate from the everyday world--a wonderful reminder of all that is the best! Close to nature and all of its sights and sounds!

We had a nice leisurely walk in the small forest. The trees and bushes were interesting to see. My young adult children were excited to see the different colored slugs.
Worth a visit

The name TONGAS kept featuring all along the length of our northbound Alaska cruise and we had a chance to explore a part of the otherwise huge Tongas national forest.

We drove thru the Tongass National Forest as part of our Adventure Kart Off Road Driving. The forest was beautiful and the surrounding scenery was amazing.

Beautiful haven for all creatures and I recommend a trip into this rainforest for everyone! I saw eagles swooping down from the sky over the Herring Cove! Local culture is also available to experience!

We rented some jeeps in Juneau from Hoonah Travel Adventures and drove out to Bear Paw Lake and out to Freshwater Bay. It was raining on and off and the road is dirt so you can't go more than about 30 MPH, so it took us about 2 hours each way, we saw lots of Grizzly Bear scat on the road but they kept eluding us until it started raining harder, then we bumped into a huge one on the road. It was a great trip, we were very careful about getting out of the car and not wandering into the woods without the bear spray they gave us (there was a lot of bear scat!) Beautiful Woods! Stop at the ranger station right on the way out of town and get a free road map!

Karen gave us a wonderful tour of Ketchikan's rain forest, beach, and wonderful local places. Karen is very knowledgable and funny!
We have a great time with her.
I highly recommend Chris and Karen!

The Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the United States. Completely wilderness area.

We were on Celebrity Cruises and took the Tongass Rainforest Hiking Expedition tour. The tour was somewhat boring. We did learn about a lot of the trees and plants in the forest. We did see the waterfall and bear markings there too. We did not see any wildlife (unless you count a banana slug). Trails are pretty and it is a very leisurely hike - if you want to spend a few hours enjoying nature this might be a good tour for you to take.

Amazing forest to visit. Go with a guide to explain the wildlife and trees. Very atmospheric and peaceful.

Outstanding scenery for miles, always different each visit. You never know what wildlife will appear or what you will see, or what might be in bloom depending on the time of year that you visit.

This is the way to really see Alaska. Our seaplane flew over at an altitude that allowed me to spot a bear. The trees and mountains are beautiful.

Went here on a trip you need a couple of hours here the trees are glorious and you can see the fish in the streams look out for wildlife we saw huge eagles and they tell you all about the trees and wildlife .

Was on land tour and traveled here - beautiful. Could spend a long time here - so very peaceful., will go back.

A beautiful and huge place to visit! We went on 2 bear viewing tours, 1 from Ketchikan by seaplane and 1 from Hoonah into the Tongass and both times saw bears! But also stunning nature and waterfalls

Hike and boat too much to see. Whales to seals to deer and bears. The forests are amazingly diverse from the floor to the tallest trees.

The Tongass Rain Forest is the largest forest in the United States with 17 million acres of land. It covers just about all of the panhandle of Alaska from Hianes all the way down to Ketchikan, so when you are in the Inside Passage, you are surrounded by it. It is one of the last intact sub polar temperate rain forests, with millions of Sitka spruce, red cedars and hemlock, some of it still old growth. It contains fjords, glaciers (like Mendenhall), mountains, inlets and islands and is the ancestral home of the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian Native American people. The forest is richly populated with amazing wildlife like beaver, bear, otter, moose., salmon, orcas and seasonally whales. Passing through the forest and personally seeing all if this was an experience we shall remember for the rest of our lives. It is that impressive.

Looking for a easy hike/walking trail then this one is for you. It's gets humid therefore make sure you bring enough water with you.

Saw the forest with Ketchikan Kayak Company tour. It's a must see! I would love to go back some day to see it again especially when the Salmon are sponning.

The Tongass National Forest is the nation's largest national forest. It covers not only the section in Juneau, but also Ketchikan and most of Southeast Alaska, surrounding the Inside Passageway to Alaska.

It is beauitful. There is a wide range of activities in the Tongass National Forest. We have enjoyed seeing it, taking boat rides, enjoying it while fishing, or watch bears. Its fun to watch the bears run around.

The Tongass National Forest has breath taking vistas of Alaska. One can often see eagles, bears, and spawning salmon. We have enjoyed seeing bears fishing for salmon.

One can take sled dog rides to nearby glaciers. There are also many rustic cabins to stay at throughout the Tongass National Forest.

We have enjoyed taking rainforest hikes in the Tongass National Forest in Ketchikan.

This Rainforest in no sissy! the pure size of the plant was shocking. Giant Skunk Grass and Devil Claw towering at least 8 ft! The wildflower were so colorful and the history of the plants use in Native culture was fascination to learn.

I very much enjoyed trekking through the Tongass National Forest. The flora and fauna is incredible.. it's a beautiful rainforest! If you get a chance to go, it is definitely worth visiting!

This is the largest National forest in the US. Covers most of SE Alaska and well into the interior. Home of the Alaska wildlife and native Americans. Beautiful to behold

Ok, now........we saw a ton of birds, salmon in the brooks, and even some black bears.
They were hundreds of yards away.............so having packed the binoculars paid off!!!
Wear comfy shoes that you don't mind getting wet. There were parts of the trail full of uneven patches of large and small rocks...so be aware and then moss covered twigs / rocks and a little bit of sand. Some older ladies on our tour would stop and grab some seashells......it was cool to see them be lil kids again!

Pack a lightweight coat, a snack or two and some water - we did.

Our tour guide was a funny fellow...and would often reach down in the brook, and hand-fish out a salmon or two......and urged me to try it....they felt icky.

Overall, it was a fun time...and it was just so GREEN......it was almost breath-taking.

Fabulous history lesson -- National Forest Service has done an admirable job in bringing early Alaska to life. Visitor Center is a must.

Very relaxing visit. View of the water was amazing. Coming from FL quite a different beach. Beautiful views.

Did rain bird trail hike while in port on an Alaskan cruise with by two teenage daughters. Would rate hike as moderate. Very beautiful views of port from peak. Took approximately 45 minutes. Took a taxi to the trail head as we had very limited time in port but could easily have walked to trail head from downtown and walked back afterwards. Only about 20 minutes to walk back.

I am so glad I get to visit and explore the Tongass National Forest. it is a World treasuer and one the most beautiful places I have ever been to.

When in Ketchikan you can get a quick, free, view of the Tongass Forest by hiking the Rainbird trail.
It is a little over a mile, and is accessable from 3 downtown trailheads. There are 2 giant old growth cedars near the North end of the trail. There is not too much elevation gain, but the path can be slippery and rocky. You feel like you are really in the forest, but you're not really far from town. A nice morning or afternoon activity.

This hike was part of our tour and loved it. We started with a small and easy hike through the rainforest. We were introduced to many interesting parts of the land. The hike ended at the glacier and were definetly blown away by it's beauty.

Bus tours available I don't know if this is the norm but we saw lots of wildlife very close to the bus, made for great pictures. Lovely scenery all about. Given a choice between the Tongans forest or the Totem pole park you pick the Tongass for sure you will not be disappointed.

We hiked through the Tongass National Forest on well-maintained paths. Our guide pointed out different trees, lichens, mushrooms, and the bog. She said that animals avoided the bog because the surface could not hold their weight. Our grandsons were especially enthralled with the large banana slugs and the more unsightly black slugs, which she said were an invasive species. The hike was relatively easy, although one needs to be able to handle hills.

The last frontier is apparent and attainable here... you'll see everything from bald eagles to native flora and fauna. It's a do no miss.

Outside of the Amazon Rain Forest, Tongass is the next largest and it is indeed beautiful. We stopped at Icy Strait Point on a cruise and tendered in. We walked pass the shops and came upon the entrance to the National Forest. We took the short nature trail path onto the beach path and were thrilled with the beautiful forest.

Note: Our Celebrity cruise offered an optional tour and the people on it did not seem as impressed compared to our free walk.

Wish we had more time for further exploration.

That's right, you never know what you will get. Wildlife have a schedule all their own, so keep that in mind if your tour operator claims he/she will guarantee wildlife. On this trip the salmon were running and we saw eagles; better than a day at work. @cruiseplannersjbr

My husband and I took the 2 1/2 hour hike through Tongass National Park in Ketchikan. Although our guide Matt did a nice job telling us about things in the forest we were disappointed to pay $150 per person to basically take a walk. We saw very little wildlife and had hoped to see salmon spawning but it was a little too early for that. (August is best). Way overpriced for what we experienced.

This was a very informative and beautiful hike through the Tongass National Forest with our guide. Unfortunately we were too early for any sightings of bears..... they hadn't come out from hibernation yet.

Upon arrival you see the most beautiful upside down tress brimming and blooming flowers inside. When you get on the tram tour it is so breathtaking and incredible to be in such a beautiful place!! The forest is amazing and the guides are very knowledgeable and friendly. You must go here if you love flowers and nature!!

I was left speechless over the nature beautiful of this park. Gorgeous trees everywhere you look. A national treasure.

At 16.7 million acres (68,000 km2), this beautiful temperate rainforest is the largest National Forest in the United States. Covering nearly all of the southeastern Alaskan panhandle, stretching from its southern tip below Ketchikan, north to Yakutat and only broken by Glacier National Park, Tongass National Forest is available for recreation at all ports of call during an Alaskan Inside Passage cruise.

With is many trees, pristine lakes, salmon rivers, mountains, glaciers and abundant wildlife, the opportunities for excursions that Tongass National Forest affords, which range from relaxing sightseeing to active wilderness adventures, is what makes an Alaskan cruise so special; even the famous Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau is part of this amazing rainforest.

Bears - 3 of them. One sleeping. One eating a salmon. And a baby in a tree. We walked to the waterfall and got pretty close to the glacier. The boys climbed a rock slide and had a ball. There were opportunities for long and short hikes. A $16 bus ride there and back from Juneau. Nature, clean air, wild life, walking ... what more can you ask for? Wish I could go back. :-)

Loved the beauty and health of this forest. Spotted bears, mountain goats, eagles and caribou while visiting. Puts the material world in perspective being surrounded by so much natural beauty.

Went fishing, and flew over only a small part of the forest. Beautiful area. Highly recommended to get away from it all.

I love this forest, so many places to hike, fish, camp, hunt, think, and be silent and observe wildlife. Please tell the so-called "forest industry" to stop clear-cutting it.

Fabulous. Plenty of Bears seen in the forest and the guides were very pleasant and Knowledgeable. A great day out.

Nice park with many trails. If you are a nature lover or a Botanist, this will be a great place. Ample parking, well labeled trails, mature trees, a large variety of berries and other plants, and streams.

I felt honored and humbled to spend time in Tongass National Forest. We spent many days in AK exploring all different parts of the forest and each is truly breathtaking. We took our 9 year old to see it as it is- hopefully their generation will be able to keep it from being trashed for everyone else.

We had a Tongass Rainforest Hiking Expedition shore excursion through Royal Caribbean and a driver brought us to a guide that guided us on a couple of trails near Ward Lake. We were warned of what to do if we saw any bears, but never encountered any. We learned about the trees and the plant life and took some beautiful pictures. We saw many mushrooms, banana slugs and Alaskan plants. They gave us bottled water and granola bars. It wasn't a challenging 3.5 mile hike (some uneven ground), but very enjoyable.

Stunning, a vast and majestic place filled with wildlife. We had an amazing time exploring this national park and saw tons of wildlife on our journey.

We did a 3 hour hike in the Tongass near Ketchikan. Our daughter is starting a Plant Sciences major in the Fall and this tour fascinated her, as it did us. The area is just so green and lush, with a multitude of trees, plants, fungi and lichen.

We love this beautiful forest, the air is pristine, the trees are superb and if you are a nature lover you will never want to leave. We have been lucky enough to visit this forest twice. The first time was in the Ketchikan region in September 2014 and we saw lots of black bear, this time we were in the Haines region.

Went for a great hike here on well marked trails! No one else around since we came alone by motorcycle. Lots of fun, right on the ocean, plenty of places to picnic but we were told to watch out for bears so we didn't risk it. Love the old growth trees! Enjoy!

I talked with a ranger at one of the state parks telling her we wanted to avoid the cruise ships crowds. Not to worry, she assured me, most of them do not go more than a few blocks from the ship.

We got up and were out on trails before sunrise. The moss and trees are magnificent. On Sunday morning we hiked the trail at Lunch Box and hiked three miles and were the only ones on the trail. To see the beauty that is Ketchikan, visit by plane or ferry and stay a few days.

Spent 3 weeks cruising the South-east Alaska and also spent quite a bit of time bush whacking or walking through this public area. Going from island to island, variety exists at every turn. Impressive, vast, simple, peaceful are some of the many words to explain this unique area. Wildlife can be spotted - but not so easy when in amongst the trees, shores are rich in sea life and waters filled with fish, birds and a variety of animals. Well worth exploring, one could spend many months even years to see everything.

We spent about 2 weeks in Yakutat, Alaska. The Tongass National Forest is right there. We took one of our days - a day it wasn't raining - and drove 30 miles out of Yakutat through very remote landscape which was sometimes forest, sometimes marsh. You are pretty much on your own out here. I read one article that said take a spare tire, and leave word where you are going and when you'll return. Although the road is not paved, it is still well maintained. We reached the Dangerous River and crossed the one lane bridge where the road ENDS. The trail begins there. We took the 3/4 mile trail to Harlequin Lake. Let me back up. Overlooking the bridge into the Dangerous River you can already see the ice floating in the river. The trail through the forest to the lake is pretty well maintained. We saw it is also used by wildlife. We saw moose tracks along a portion of the trail. And we saw some tracks that looked like large dog tracks. We did not see bear tracks or I would have turned back! We had our can of bear spray and called out "Hey, Bear" as we were instructed to do so we didn't catch a bear by surprise.

A word about the forest - this is rainforest. Thick moss clings to trees and look like creatures. So eerie yet beautiful. The forest floor is covered in sphagnum moss. Really different.

Finally the trail opened out onto the beach of Harlequin Lake. It is quite breathtaking when you first see it with the large blue ice floating on the water. You can just see Yakutat Glacier in the distance. Bring binoculars. We stayed a while just because it was so hard to leave. So peaceful, quiet, remote. We did hear one shot - probably a hunter (it was moose season) - in the distance. There were portions of the trail with water on it, but we had waterproof hiking boots and I highly recommend that as foot wear. It was worth it. So glad we did this. Not a difficult hike, other than some hills and uneven terrain, and may be water on the trail. Be bear aware - moose aware, too, I guess.

On an Alaskan cruise in May 2017, we visited the Tongass National Forest numerous times in in the areas around Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan. It is the largest national forest in the United States at 17 million acres. There are also 19 designated wilderness areas within the Tongass National Forest, more than in any other national forest. The Tongass National Forest is also a temperate rain forest. As in most national parks, there are a variety of recreational opportunities from hiking, camping, and even dog sledding on a glacier with access by car, boat or float plane. We recommend visiting the Tongass National Forest if you are in southeast Alaska.

Anywhere you go in the Tongass National Forest you will be amazed at the enchanting scenery. There are great hiikng trails that ALWAYS lead you to a magical place of nature... a lake... a waterfall.... a breathtaking view.... The people you meet on the trails are friendly.... Stop at Knudson Cove (you just may catch a whale feeding) and have lunch at Dockside Galley (their burgers and shakes are yummy).... what an adventure I had.... Enjoy yours!!!!

The Tongass National forest is the nation's largest at 16.9 million acres, bigger than ten of the smallest states, more than 7 times larger than Yellowstone National Park. A treasure of 14,000 miles of shoreline, dense forests, estuaries, lakes, heavy rainfall and snow, ice fields, >450 miles of hiking trails, over 5000 brown bears, average of 48 million wild salmon caught annually, stretching about 450 miles from Yakutat to Ketchikan with only about 75000 people living in or nearby, but about 2.8 million visitors per year that see only a tiny portion of the Tongass!

Tongass national forest is huge and the description refers only to the part that we have managed to visit. We were lucky to walk through it during a sunny day and a rainy day (pretty common) may offer a different view. It is amazing how easy it is to spot wild life and beautiful trees on the area. I did few trails and I didn’t regret any of them.

Ok place. Not to great and not boring. The flat mud are risky unless you stay on trail with guide. You need to take a boat and catch some wild life like bald eagle and sea lions.

They say you don't know what you have until you lose it. We can't lose the Tongass National Forest. I will never forget being surrounded by beautiful trees and nature and learning that I was breathing air that is 98% pure. If you can visit, don't hesitate. At approximately 17 million acres, the Tongass National Forest is America’s largest national forest, encompassing the majority of the Alaska Panhandle in Southeast Alaska.

We were in Ketchikan and took a boat ride to Annette Island where we went for a small hike through a part of the Tongass National Forest in the pouring rain. The greenery was beautiful and so lush. It was worth the trip to go to a part of the forest that is away from most tourists.

I think we passed this area on our cruise- it was lovely that day as the skies were clear and we saw birds flying and eagles and more-

I highly recommend visiting the Tongas National Forest Visitor Dennett
Center when they open at 8:00 am. See the 8:30am movie regarding the regional native Alaskan tribes. This is a great history of the region to be followed by the Totem Pole Museum. The Rangers at the facility were great and very informative. Great way to begin your Ketchikan adventure.

Beautiful hike along pathway taking you through four different ecosystems. Guides were very knowledgeable about fauna, flora and local geography.

The Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the country (by far!) at 17 million acres, covering most of southeast Alaska. Fabulous forests, glaciers, fiords, islands, and mountains, with an abundance of wildlife. An outdoor paradise!

Hard to write a brief review on something that is 17 million acres. But here goes. The national forest is the reason why more than 1 million visitors come to Southeast Alaska every summer and there are 17 million reasons to enjoy it. Wilderness, wildlife, an area that is largely unchanged since ice sheets began rolling back thousands of years ago. It must be seen to believed.

The Tongass National Forest is over 17 million acres of pure magic ! The trees of the Tongass tower over you, surround you, and spread their magic. Red cedar, yellow cedar, Sitka Spruce, hemlock, and pine all can be easily seen through out the Tongass. If you travel to Prince of Whales Island, you make prior arrangements with US Forest Service to arrange taking a tour of one of the more recently discovered underground caves. Throughout the Tongass National Forest, you will see lakes with trout along with salmon spawning creeks. There is a very large population of wildlife. Black bears, Mountain goats, wolves, beaver, ermine,otter, seals, Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, and massive runs of salmon, crab and shrimp.

rain or shine it is a beautiful place to see, such old growth and beauty, peaceful. Nice hiking trails easy to navigate with tennis shoes, but if it is raining you will want waterproof sturdier shoes.

Nature never lets me down, this temperate rain forest was wonderful, beautiful, and stunning all at one time. Spend some time just strolling around and enjoying nature, it does a body good.

On our return trip to Ketchikan, we enjoyed seeing the wild life and trees in Tongass National Forest, which is primarily a rain forest.

Loved all the sights and scents of the old-growth forests. Huge, towering trees. Moss-covered trees and plants, and many trees/plants growing out of old tree trunks. Waterfalls and streams in the dense forests.

We took a tour through Tongass with a very knowledgable guide. The history behind the forest is absolutely fascinating, and the forest itself is breathtaking.

I had never done zip lining and was a little apprehensive. However, our two guides, Aleque and (I forget the other guides name but he was from New York) were fantastic. They took care of all the equipment, gave us easy to understand safety instructions, told us ow to sit in the harness, how to brake, and off we went. It was exhilarating. There are 7 separate zip lines to soar on and you cross 3 trestle bridges. It was like flying from one station to the next. The Company that runs the tour is called Alaska Canopy Adventures and they are first rate. Don't miss it as it is definitely worth doing.

This is a very large area. I feel like that our cruise ship was touching many ports along it. The falls and glaciers, amazing snow capped mountains and peaks. The area is breathtaking!!

Nature at it’s best! Beautiful plant life...Green and lush. Tranquil and peaceful place to visit. We went from the ship and only had a limited amount of time to spend here but you could spend days in this National Forest Wilderness.

The scenery was a visual and sensual delight! The air was crisp and we were continually amazed by the splendors of nature as we effortlessly glided past the scenery on our cruise ship! What a boon to our collective spirits! The beauty of nature was in full display and we were ecstatic! The trees, the quiet of the forest, and the splendor was amazing!

Expansive forest of trees which is one of the largest national forest in the United States. Home to a lot of wildlife,

If you are in southeast Alaska, make time for the Tongass National Forest. It is unique. The rangers are excellent guides and full of information. The excursion I took was a gentle walk. It is excellent for those with less active trips in mind. The amount of learning in a short period of time was amazing, and painless. And I used all of the information on a later wildlife excursion. Can you identify bear bread and bear scat and devil's claw and.... ?

A very beautiful canoe experience on the Harriet Hunt lake in the Tongass National Forest. Went with my girlfriend and her family. The guide was awesome and provided a great deal of the native American history of the area. A short hike in the forest followed. The air and scenery are very refreshing. Be sure to bring your water proof camera as the picturesque scenes are breathtakingly beautiful! A must do while in Ketchikan!

This temperate rainforest makes this one of the most peaceful and picturesque places that make the Inside Passage magical.

The nation' s largest national forest seems to cover most the state. Not really, but at least most of southeastern Alaska. Enjoy the scenery, quiet, beauty and a temperate
rain forest. Whether this is your destination or simply a drive-by, it is special.

"Simply stunning." Strongly encourage visitors to spend time walking through parts of rain forest, either on your own or with a guide. This is a very, different, remarkably beautiful place.

Really a beautiful place, great hikes, picturesque views, sunsets, and waterfalls! A fantastic few days....

We visited the Mendenhall Glacier National Park as part of the Tongass National Forest. It is great for everyone, especially families. The visitor center has exhibits and presentations for all ages. The walks are carefully groomed and the boardwalks are in good repair and give amazing views of wildlife in their natural habitats.

There is so much to see with great photo opportunities. I saw so many eagles there. And camping and hiking too.