Hoonah

With a population of 900, Hoonah is Alaska's largest Tlingit Native village. Located on the north end of Chichagof Island west of Juneau, the town faces Glacier Bay, and is backdropped by the steep cliffs of Elephant Mountain. A lovely old cannery (built in 1912 and operated until 1953) at Port Frederick on the edge of Hoonah has been transformed into a popular cruise ship stop called Icy Strait Point. Cruise passengers take part in a variety of activities, including kayaking, Native stories, charter fishing, whale watching, bear viewing, mountain bike treks, and flightseeing to Glacier Bay, along with shopping and dining. The main ...

With a population of 900, Hoonah is Alaska's largest Tlingit Native village. Located on the north end of Chichagof Island west of Juneau, the town faces Glacier Bay, and is backdropped by the steep cliffs of Elephant Mountain. A lovely old cannery (built in 1912 and operated until 1953) at Port Frederick on the edge of Hoonah has been transformed into a popular cruise ship stop called Icy Strait Point. Cruise passengers take part in a variety of activities, including kayaking, Native stories, charter fishing, whale watching, bear viewing, mountain bike treks, and flightseeing to Glacier Bay, along with shopping and dining. The main attraction is ZipRider, the world's longest zipline — more than a mile — with a vertical drop of 1,320 feet. Despite the developments at nearby Icy Strait Point, Hoonah itself is rustic, unpretentious, and quiet. State ferries and air taxis from Juneau provide almost-daily service.

About the Expert

Don Pitcher has written or photographed 10 travel guidebooks to Alaska, Wyoming, Yellowstone-Grand Teton, and the San Juan Islands for Avalon Travel Publishing, Random House, and Sasquatch Books.