Sitka Scenic Tour $50, 2- Hour Tour; Fortress of The Bear, Totem Park, Scenic Silver Bay and Theobroma Chocolate Factory

Sitka National Historical Park

A walk on the trails of Totem Park is a walk of history. Totem Park was established in 1910 to commemorate the 1804 Battle of Sitka. All that remains of this last major conflict between Europeans and Alaska Natives is the site of the Tlingit Fort and battlefield, located within this scenic 113 acre park in a temperate rain forest. Along the trails, you'll find carved totems that tell stories of the battle and of the Tlingit Indian's life. Interpretive boards along the way tell you their meaning. Encased in a kaleidoscope of greens, few can help but feel their blood pressure dropping and their worries slip away. Tall spruce and hemlock come together overhead, providing a protective covering for the plants below.

Ravens, hidden in the branches overhead, call out cackling and warbling songs. As you listen to the sounds and hear stories of their cantankerous personallities, you'll be suprised by their intelligence and . understand why the natives chose them important enough to be in their legends and their carvings.

You'll be amazed at the life below the evergreens on the forest floor. Salmonberry, blueberry and many more grow freely in the forest. Even in the dead of winter, when all else is covered with snow, blueberry and huckleberry bushes liven your stroll with their greenness.

salmonberry	blueberry	huckleberry

Indian River runs through Totem Park and in late summer is filled to the rim with salmon bumping and jumping their way upstream to lay their eggs. In the picture at right you can see hundreds as they gather in a shallow area.

Wild Geranium	Slug breaks up fallen debris	Buds of the Spruce

A walk along the coast in Totem Park reveals many wonders of the shore. Starfish, crabs and shells can all be found, not to mention beautifully sanded stones, finely shined by the churning of sand and sea. Along the spruce-covered trails mosses, lichens slugs and more are uncovered.

Devil's Club	View of Sitka from Totem Park

Whatever your interest, be it the salmon that run upstream, the mysterious raven, or the rich under life of lichens, slugs and mosses, no one ever leaves disappointed with Sitka's National Historical Park.