We arrived at the park on foot and short of time. We bypassed the inside museum in favor of seeing the totems and walking through the park. The park consists of 15 different poles including totems and memorial poles. Totem poles are carvings that tell a story. I read somewhere that the old phrase "low man on the totem pole" is inaccurate because the lowest spot represents the most strength. The beginning of the story is the bottom of the totem and the top is the end. The totem trail leads from the visitor's center outward along the coastline. Even on a rainy day it is possible to see the cruise ships docked in the bay. It provides a good photo opportunity if you are a cruiser. The path continues from one totem to the next. You will also find a plaque with information about the battle that took place on these grounds. The Tlingit tribe fought with the Russians in 1804 to retain their lands. The Tlingits were initially successful but in the end the Russians gun power from ships in the bay destroyed their chances. At the end of the totem trail, we watched some a totem being carved and spoke with the people doing it. In their conditions, it takes 4 months to complete a totem. All the totems that are carved are replicas of ancient designs. Also, an interesting fact is that the tree may have been sitting for 10 years or more before it is carved. We also learned from the men carving that they used to be loggers but that business has been stopped due to stricter environmental laws and now they make their livings carving totems. It was a great place to visit but unfortunately we didn't have time to enjoy it to the full extent.

You go in two-man kayaks after brief instruction from the guides. There will be a guide with your group. Kayaking is not hard to do and not strenuous. We saw eagles and the best part was when we paddled right up to the bank where a bear was walking around. What a sight. At the end, they give you hot cider and a speed boat ride back to harbor.

The Sitka National Historic Park is located in a beautiful coastal rainforest that remains much as it did in the time of the Battle of Sitka. The Tlingit Indians were defeated brutally by the Russians when they retook the Indian town site to make it their own.

The reason most people visit the site is for the Trail of the Totems. This is one of the best collections of totems in Alaska and they are surrounded by forest and coastal views. Many of the totems were original to Prince of Wales Island and were brought here after being shown in the Louisiana Exposition. Some were reproduced by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1940s, and some were made much more recently at the Native Arts Center. (The life of a totem is about 80 years.) The Indian Creek trail bridge is perfect location to watch the salmon run.

The visitor center contains ethnographic exhibits and houses the Southeast Alaska Indian Cultural Center, where visitors can watch Native artists at work.