The Port of Ketchikan is the southeastern-most city of significant size in the State of Alaska. Located about 380 kilometers south of the State's capital, Juneau, the Port of Ketchikan covers southwestern Revillagigedo Island and part of the Alexander Archipelago.

The Misty Fjords National Monument is east of the Port of Ketchikan. The local economy depends on tourism and fishing, and the Port of Ketchikan is sometimes called the "Salmon Capital of the World." In 2000, about 7900 people lived in the Port of Ketchikan.

The site of the Port of Ketchikan was originally settled for fishing by the Cap Fox and Tongass Tlingit who named a nearby creek "Kitschk-hin."

In the 1880s, white men built a cannery there. The Port of Ketchikan became a supply center for gold miners during the 1890s.

Over time, fish canning became the Port of Ketchikan's main economic activity, although logging and lumbering also occurred, particularly during the Second World War. The pulp mill closed in 1997.

Today, the Port of Ketchikan has a more diverse economy based on fishing, fish processing, timber, and tourism. It is a popular stop for cruise ships traveling the Inside Passage.

Most of the city is at the waterfront, and many buildings are above the water on pilings. The Port of Ketchikan is the site of many fishing tournaments, with catches of salmon, cod, snapper, trout, and halibut). The Deer Mountain Hatchery releases huge numbers of salmon each year, and tourists enjoy visiting it.

The Port of Ketchikan is Alaska's gateway to the "Inside Passage," the coastal route ocean-going vessels take through a series of passages between coastal islands and the mainland. It is, therefore, a popular tourist stop, especially for cruises.

The State's Port and Harbors Department operates six boat harbors, including the Port of Ketchikan, and three launch ramps. The Harbormaster is on duty every day from 6am to 10pm from May through September.

The Port of Ketchikan has three fuel docks, two at the south side of town and one to the north. The harbors are near public facilities including parking lots, showers, laundry, restrooms, and grocery stores.

Dockage rates apply for passenger wharfage, a charter vessel loading zone, as well as for cargo vessels carrying bulk and breakbulk, timber, liquid cargoes, and containers. The Port of Ketchikan can accommodate vessels to 213 meters long.

More than 800 thousand people visit the Port of Ketchikan each year on cruise ships, although most spend only a few hours in town. Other visitors arrive by air, highway, or private vessel. The Port of Ketchikan is in the coastal rainforest of Southeast Alaska, and it is one of North America's rainiest cities. Rain is lighter during the summer and sporadic, although anyone planning to be outdoors should carry proper raingear. Average temperatures in the summer are around 20 ºC (the high 60s F), and winter is a season of cold, heavy, wind-driven rain and temperatures around 4 ºC (the high 30s F).

For visitors planning to stay a while, the Port of Ketchikan is about 35 kilometers (22 miles) by air west of the Misty Fjords National Monument. The national monument covers almost 600 million hectares of land, including almost 555 thousand hectares of wilderness. The Misty Fjords is accessible by boat and floatplane. The area contains long deep fjords and tall sea cliffs carved by glaciers some 10 thousand years ago. The area's main waterway, Behm Canal, is over 160 kilometers long.

The Tongass Historical Museum contains exhibits telling the story of the Port of Ketchikan and southeast Alaska. Artifacts from the indigenous people, who make up 16% of the city's population, can be found at the Ketchikan Totem Heritage Center which also houses several 19th Century totem poles.

The Alaska Rainforest Sanctuary south of town blends a walk through the forest with a stroll along the shoreline. Hikers also get a review of the timber operations in the early Port of Ketchikan. The sanctuary borders the Tongass National Forest, the nation's largest, where trails offer magnificent experiences of the rainforest ecology.

Travelers who want to enjoy an Alaska cruise and a visit to the Port of Ketchikan can find a long list of scheduled cruises on the Cruise Compete website.