Bear Viewing Flight to Prince of Wales Island

Prince of Wales Island Bear Viewing Flight Day Trip from Ketchikan, Alaska
Excursion Highlights:
  • Experience an exhilarating flight to Prince of Wales Island, getting up close with bears in the wild.
  • Ride in a quintessential Alaska bush plane, providing every passenger a window seat for breathtaking views.
  • Touch down on Polk Inlet, visit a legendary spawning site attracting salmon and black bears, guided by an experienced local expert.
  • Watch the thrilling spectacle of bears and salmon in nature from the safety of a U.S. Forest Service maintained platform.
  • Spot bald eagles, ravens, and more while your guide shares insights about the flora and fauna in this rainforest ecosystem.
Price: $460.00
PLEASE NOTE: There is an additional fee for individuals weighing more than 250 lbs, fully clothed.
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Summary
Shore Excursion Size ? Small
Shore Excursion Type Active, Scenic
Shore Excursion Duration 3 Hours
Activity Level ? Moderate
Shore Excursion Leaves From ? An approximately 5 to 10 minute walk from the cruise ship pier.
Food/Beverage Provided Beverage (Bottled Water)
Recommended Dress For all tours in Alaska, we recommend dressing in layers with the top layer being waterproof. Sensible walking shoes that may get wet are also suggested.
Restrictions Persons over 250lbs. must purchase an extra seat. Guests must be able to navigate a steep ramp to the floating dock, pull themselves up into the plane via a pontoon and small metal step and be able to walk a quarter of a mile over a path with inclines, steps and some uneven terrain.

Bear Viewing Flight to Prince of Wales Island

This exciting Ketchikan excursion brings you up close and personal with bears on massive Prince of Wales island, the third-largest island in the United States. The tour combines forest flightseeing with a wildlife encounter and is offered from August through mid-September.

Departing from the harbor in your quintessential Alaska bush plane, the legendary Dehavilland Beaver, you will fly westward out of Ketchikan toward Prince of Wales Island. The aircraft seats up to 6 passengers, with each passenger having a window seat. During the panoramic 20-minute flight, you will see the islands and waterways that make up this section of the Inside Passage. You will touch down on Polk Inlet, a long finger of saltwater where Dog Salmon Creek meets the sea. Four species of salmon come home to spawn in this creek, drawing the black bears you're hoping to observe.

You will be met at the dock by an experienced and knowledgeable guide and you will walk about an eighth of a mile to the viewing area. Your guide will provide a natural history course on the plants and animals found in this lush rainforest ecosystem, from berries to bears. During this scenic nature tour, watch for bald eagles and ravens and scan for the bears we sometimes see while in transit to and from Dog Salmon Creek.

At the creekside viewing platform maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, you will safely witness bears and salmon in nature's vital contest - salmon running a gauntlet of waterfalls and predators to spawn upstream, and bears feasting and fattening before their long winter hibernation. This is one of the most popular bear viewing sites on Prince of Wales, with good chances to spot a bear when the salmon run is high. Throughout the excursion, naturalist guides will answer your questions about the wildlife and flora of this rich temperate rainforest.

This exciting Ketchikan tour is offered through a permit with the U.S. Forest Service, and opportunities to visit Dog Salmon Creek are limited. Book your seat as soon as possible, as space on this tour is very limited and sells out quickly. Sign up today!