Misty Fjords - Misty Fiords - Ketchikan, Alaska Kayaking Tours

Guided Trips
Misty Fjords sea kayaking and camping trips provide a unique way to spend time immersed in the magnificent wilderness of the Misty Fjords National Mounument. Our guides reveal the best of Misty Fjords by sea kayak: paddling beneath 3000 foot rock walls, hiking rainforest trails to spectacular alpine lakes and relaxing with delicious meals at secluded campsites.

Trips place an emphasis on wilderness and wildlife and are designed to suit both novice and experienced paddlers.All participants should be physically fit and active. For groups of 4 or more people, we run private trips with departure dates and paddling plans tailored to the group's interests and abilities. Please call or email for more information.

Misty Fjords 5 Day/4 Night Adventure $1399 per person. Departs at 3pm on day one and returns by 4pm on day five. See itinerary below.

Misty Fjords Weekender $899 per person. Departs at 3pm on Friday afternoon and returns Sunday evening. Our itinerary is the same as for days one and two of the 5 day trip.

Day One: Meet your guides and Captain and depart for your Misty Fjords sea kayaking adventure! The journey to Misty Fjords by boat is about two hours. We drop our gear at our campsite and paddle to Nooya Creek where we will watch for bears and enjoy a packed lunch. Paddle back to camp and relax or explore the cove while your guides prepare a delicious meal.

Day Two: After a hot breakfast we head up the trail to spectacular Punchbowl Lake. The hike through the rainforest leads us amongst towering old growth trees and alongside dramatic waterfalls. The hike is challenging but more than worth the effort. We explore the lake by rowboat and eat lunch on the shore. After descending from the lake there will be time to relax and for an evening paddle.

Day Three: After breakfast we pack our kayaks and head out of Rudyerd Bay. Paddling in the Behm canal provides panoramic views of New Eddystone Rock and the chance to encounter marine mammals. We arrive at our new campsite with time to take a hike or to relax and read a book.

Day Four: After a leisurely breakfast we depart for a day paddle around Winstanley Island where there is the opportunity to hike or visit the pictographs at the southern end of the island. Return to camp for a dinner and campfire and optional evening paddle in the beautiful Behm Canal.

Day Five: Sleep in and enjoy brunch before packing up camp. There is the chance for one last paddle or to just relax on the beach before our boat picks us up. We aim to return to Ketchikan by 4pm.

“Trips conducted on USFS land under special use permit.”

Self-Guided Trips
The Misty Fjords are remote. Kayakers should be proficient paddlers and experienced in back country camping and survival skills. The Fjords of Rudyerd and Walker offer protected paddling and are suitable for novice paddlers with self rescue abilities. The Behm Canal can get rough and paddlers should possess open water skills. Access to the Fjords is by boat or floatplane only.

Kayaking from Ketchikan is a forty mile paddle and requires rounding Point Alava, exposed to open water to the southeast. Experienced paddlers will not have any trouble if you choose your weather days accordingly, but you will have to budget in two days extra for the trip each way. If you are short on time transportation is available to the Fjords by power boat. For 2008 Southeast Sea Kayaks is providing water taxi transportation to Misty Fjords on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday afternoons. Rates for different pick up and drop locations are listed under Kayak Transportation. Space is extremely limited and should be booked early.Time frame for paddling should be a minimum of three days to explore Rudyerd Fjord with up to 10 days to cover Rudyerd and Walker Fjords. Many renters choose the option of booking the Forest Service Cabin at Winstanley Island for $45 per night to use as a base for their first or last night. Indeed you can book the cabin for a week and explore from here. To check cabin availability go to www.recreation.gov In recent years Rudyerd Bay has become a popular destination for flightseeing trips by float plane. These trips are fueled by the cruise ships arriving in Ketchikan. The traffic can be avoided by choosing to paddle this area on days when few cruise ships are in town. For 2008 this will be on the weekends.

With a time frame of three weeks you could do a 120 mile circumnavigation of Revillagigedo Island that would include the Fjords, the hot springs at Bailey Bay and the Bear Observatory at Naha. Truly this is an exceptional adventure for those with time to spare.

The Misty Fjords Planner is an excellent resource guide for kayakers wishing to plan their own trip. The Planner is available for $20 and includes the official National Forest Service map of the area, information on trip planning, Forest Service cabins, hiking trails and best destinations to paddle and camp. It also includes the ‘Leave No Trace Outdoor Skills and Ethics. Temperate Coastal Zones’ published by the National Outdoor Leadership School.