deer mountain trail

Like some others say: take a cab to the trailhead (and probably from the trailhead back to the port - assuming you are one of the MANY cruise ship folks who stop in Ketchikan). You will need your strength for the hike. Wear layers and, preferably, hiking boots (best for ankle stability, in my opinion).This trail is not easy. The elevation gain is about 2600 feet, if you start at the trailhead. Some places are really steep, some places are rocky, some places are slippery and wet. It was shaded most of the way up, with lush foliage. Our group was comprised of mostly experienced hikers from Colorado. We made it most of the way up (had to turn back a little shy of the top due to time); it took us almost 5 hours roundtrip, including stopping for water breaks, snapshots, and energy bar snacks. According to my hiking app, we hiked about 7.5 miles. There are a couple of vantage points to get great views of the town and the surrounding scenery; you don't have to go to the very top to get some good panoramas and selfies. :) Oh, and on a hike like this, COMING DOWN is the hardest part (the knees!).LOTS of mosquitoes (or black flies - something biting), especially as you get to higher ground: don't forget your bug spray, along with your SPF. You may want to check in with the tourist office in town and get a map or get your info on the internet ahead of time. I think, if you want to feel safer or are in a small group, you can actually check in with them or get some kind of beacon so you can be found if you get lost.Bottom line: if you like nature, and are in good shape, you should enjoy this hike. It's much more interesting than all the repetitive shops in town.

Deer Mountain offers stunning views of town and surrounding islands. Great in any weather (yes even rainy weather). Rain forest, sub-alpine and alpine tundra above. Stay on the trail and take your cell if you go in bad weather. People do get lost, and I mean lost for days, up there.

If you are on a cruise and looking for something unique to do away from the crowds, a hike on the Deer Mountain Trail just might be the answer. BUT, realize this is a strenuous hike unless you are a great physical specimen. If you typically do not work out on a regular basis, this hike will probably leave you quite sweaty. Also, if it rained recently, the trail can be muddy. Now, if you're still interested, you can drive, catch a cab, walk (about 1.5 miles from downtown) or catch the free public bus to the Totem Heritage Center then walk to the trailhead (about 1/2 mile uphill). From the trailhead, this hike is 2.5 miles to the summit. However, there are "lookouts" with spectacular views after the first mile. There are switchbacks going uphill through a magnificent forest all the way to the summit. If time is important or you just wanted the experience, it's still a great adventure just going one mile out and another back. Good luck!

The views do make it worth the hike to about the top, but the last mile was a so hard. For anyone with bad knees, this is not the hike for you!

If you're looking for a stroll on a paved path, this is not the hike for you. We stopped at the visitor center to pick up a locator beacon (free to sign out), and the woman working the desk talked the group ahead of us out of the hike. She called it "strenuous," and she was right. We took a cab to the trail head for $10 (including tip) and hiked up. It's definitely a workout, mostly steps of railroad ties and boulders, with loose scree in the trail as well. 3000 feet of elevation gain in less than 3 miles will take your breath away in more ways than one. Half our group made it to the top, and half of us turned around about a quarter-mile below the summit because we were out of time. The views from the summit aren't a lot different, just more open.On the way down, I twisted an ankle and took longer getting down than we had going up. We made the "all aboard" for our ship with 3 minutes to spare, and my ankle is still swollen and bruised. Even with all that drama, it was well worth it.

From the trailhead to the Deer Mountain Lookout is about 3 miles one way. You have about 2,500 foot elevation. The trail is very well maintained and has lookouts at approx. 1 and 2 miles. Of course, the view from the lookout is the best. I suggest taking a cab from the port (about 8-10 dollars) and ask to be delivered right to the trailhead. When walking back to the ship, leave extra time to walk downhill thru town and look at the salmon swimming up stream. The walk from the port to the trailhead is all uphill and not worth the effort. Walking back to the ship is a lot easier.

We visited Ketchikan as a port on our Alaska cruise. We are so glad we researched and found a hiking trail close to town, it took about 10 minutes to go through town and get to the trailhead. I had read about the hike and followed all the advise from other reviewers such as, definitely take a taxi to the trail head, take plenty of water, and hope for sunshine as the views are amazing if it is a clear day. We are avid hikers and were pleasantly surprised and impressed by the unique beauty of the rainforest, I would definitely recommend this as a great activity when in Ketchikan.

We visited Ketchikan as a stop on our Alaska cruise, we were really glad we got to do this hike, you get really nice views from town below and around. I followed others advice and took a cab there, it saved us some energy and time. The trail is well kept, fairly easy for someone in good shape. We are in average physical shape and took us 4 hours to the 2 mile view point and back. We planned on eating lunch when we got to the view point but couldn't stop there for too long, mosquitoes were all over us and apparently really hungry!! :) Mosquito repellent highly recommended!

I am a local Ketchikan resident. Deer Mountain is a great trail to hike and is accessible by a short taxi ride from downtown. Prepare for a 3,001 ft. steep climb with many cutbacks. Give yourself 3-5 hours for a round trip hike from the trail head to the top. Bring 1 or 2 bottles of water, a small snack, and your camera. There are 2 decent viewpoints during the first hour of the hike. The top is really where the views are the best though. I have attached pictures to show you at each viewpoint. Be sure to wander around the top of the mountain for a great 360 view of the surrounding area below. You can see many other islands from the top on a clear day. Think carefully about hiking if it is really foggy. The steep trek is probably not worth it if all you can see is the trail.

pack right, and plan for a few days of AWESOME VIEWS. the trail is standard gravel with stairs and odd steps, but the view is AMAZING!!!!

Definitely take a cab to the trail head. It will save you about 30 minutes of walking and you might as well save your energy for the trail. The cab cost about $11.The old forest is beautiful and every once in a while you can catch of view back towards the shore and cruise ships.The weather was alternating drizzly and just out right rainy. But none of it was enough to stop the hike. Just make sure you wear rain gear and layers. At some points, it was strenuous enough that I had to start peeling layers off. The higher I got, the colder it got though. I was disappointed that I couldn't get to the top. There was so much snow (mid May) that we lost sight of the trail and had to turn around.Still it was a great alternative to shopping in town.

We took a cab to the beginning of the trail (it’s a bit far from town). It was fun going to the great outdoors of Alaska, but if you want to get to the top be prepared for quite a long hike on a steep trail. We did walk back to town which was quite nice.

I have gone on only a handful of hikes in my life, but none as spectacular as hiking Deer Mountain. We started out from our cruise aboard the Celebrity Solstice, and went to the visitor center where we asked for and were given a beacon to take with us on our hike. Although we did not have to use it thank goodness, it is advisable that you have one of these before you set out for your hike. I had also read that you should take a cab to the entrance of the trail, about one mile from the ship, but we walked it-take a cab. The hill up to the trail's entrance is quite steep and I should've saved my legs for the hike. The views along the trail were well worth it, and the trail was very well taken care of and marked-easy to follow. We did not make it up to the summit due to the rain, but climbed about 1,600 feet, and it took us about four hours r/t.

Enjoyed this hike up the mountain-side. Fairly steep and moderately difficult at places. Not a lot of views until you get to the top after about 3 miles. One nice overlook half way up.

We had come to Ketchikan on a cruise ship and wanted something to do rather than visit all the tourist traps. We didn't manage to get right to the top as there was too much snow but we did get to the main viewing spot which overlooks the harbour and the town. We are in the 50-60 age range and although it was quite hard it took us roughly 2 hours each way, starting form the trail head. The views are superb especially on a sunny day, which I understand Ketchikan doesn't have many of. Two pieces of advice, do take a taxi to the start of the trail, otherwise you will be tired out before you get there and if you pop into the tourist office in town they will loan you a GPS which enables your trek to be monitored as you go along and it has an SOS button you can use if you have problems.