Fortress of the Bear, Totem, and a Taste Tour

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Baranof Tours llc, 609 De Groff St, Sitka, AK 99835, USA

Get to know Alaska’s first capitol and experience this unique city through the eyes of a local guide.
Our tour begins at the Harrigan Centennial Hall. Here you’ll come aboard a comfortable full-size passenger van and we'll head south on Sitka's road system. Along the way we might spot bald eagles in the tree tops and Sitka Black Tail deer grazing on brush. We’ll contour Silver Bay, a body of water surrounded by high mountains. In the later months Humpback and Minke whales can sometimes be seen here. With time and weather permitting we’ll stop here for photos
Near the end of the road system we'll arrive at The Fortress of the Bear. This non-profit rescue facility is home to nine beautiful Alaskan bears. Here we'll get up close and personal (from a viewing platform at a safe distance) with our six rescued beautiful Alaskan Coastal Brown Bears and three Black Bears--the only black bears on Baranof Island.
After spending time with our bears we'll travel to Sitka National Historical Park; this protected area of temperate rain forest stretches out to a peninsula and offers multiple, easily accessible trail loops that contour Indian river and the Eastern Channel waters. Totem poles punctuate these trails. This park is also the site of a battle between the Sheetka Kwan Kiksadi Clan and Russian American troops, during the 19th century. Our guests can choose to walk through the park or a visit to the park’s amazing cultural center, which offers its own onsite interpreters, as well as exhibits and demonstrations for traditional techniques such as carving, working with fur, beading, and metal
working.
To cap off this tour our final stop will be at the Mean Queen. This locally owned and operated establishment is located right in the heart of historic downtown Sitka and boasts a variety of handcrafted and unique beers. Enjoy flavors from all around Alaska on their ever-changing taps. Depending on taste (and age ), non-alcoholic beverages are also available. Enjoy both in a family friendly tasting room.


Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Sitka National Historic Park/Totem Park, 103 Monastery St, Sitka, AK 99835-7617

On an island amid towering spruce and hemlock, Sitka National Historical Park preserves the site of a battle between invading Russian traders and indigenous Kiks.ádi Tlingit. Visitors are awed by Tlingit and Haida totem poles standing along the park’s scenic coastal trail, and the restored Russian Bishop’s House speaks of Russia’s little known colonial legacy in North America.


Duration: 25 minutes

Stop At: Fortress of the Bear, 4639 Sawmill Creek Rd, Sitka, AK 99835-9805

This center opened in 2007, and now houses 7 bears. More than 20,000 visitors per year come to experience the majesty of these amazing creatures. We’ve sent bears to the Bronx Zoo, Montana Grizzly Encounter and the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas. Our goal is to work with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to someday release rehabbed bears back into the wild. As a 501(C)3 not-for-profit organization, The Fortress of the Bears rely solely on admission fees and donations for funding.

Duration: 25 minutes