Ketchikan in November: Rain, Short Days, Totem Poles and a Quiet Waterfront

In November, the boardwalks along Creek Street are slick and shining, rain drums on the metal roofs, and clouds hang low on the flanks of Deer Mountain. The town has the waterfront to itself again, with fishing boats rocking along the Tongass Narrows and the smell of coffee drifting out of small shops. This is Ketchikan in the wet, quiet part of the year, a month for totem poles, museums, moody scenery and a slower pace.

Houses on stilts in Ketchikan in early winter · Illustration

What is the weather like in Ketchikan in November?

November in Ketchikan is cool, damp and gray, with rain falling on most days and the daylight shrinking fast. It is the town’s nickname, the Rain Capital of Alaska, in action.

Month	Average high (°F)	Average low (°F)	Precipitation (in)	Days with precipitation	Daylight on the 15th
October	51.1	41.3	18.37	18.7	10 h 36 min
November	43.7	35.6	17.07	19.5	8 h 25 min
December	40.2	32.6	16.27	17.7	7 h 09 min

Afternoons stay above freezing, chilly enough for a warm hat and gloves but rarely harsh. Mornings and evenings hover close to the freezing mark, so puddles can stiffen and a little wet snow may mix in with the rain on the coldest days.

Rain here is less a storm than a condition. Nearly every day of the month brings some, so plans work best when they assume wet weather and treat any dry break as a gift.

The light is short and soft. Days begin late and end early, which leaves a long evening for lit windows, warm restaurants and hot drinks. When the clouds lift, the water of the Narrows turns pewter and the mountainsides show fresh white lines of cloud pulling off the forest. Waterproof layers matter more than anything else you will bring.

What to do in Ketchikan in November

The best of Ketchikan in November is the part that does not depend on sunshine: carved cedar poles standing in dripping forest, a creekside boardwalk with no crowds, and the long Tongass Narrows waterfront seen at an unhurried walk. The town’s big summer cruise crowds, which number over 800,000 visitors a year, are gone from the streets, and what remains feels like a working fishing town again.

Rain suits the mood of the place. Wet bark, dark water and low cloud make the totem poles and old wooden buildings look the way they were meant to be seen. Walk with a hood up, duck into a café when the downpour thickens, and let the town come to you at a slower pace.

Totem poles at Saxman, Totem Bight and the Totem Heritage Center

Ketchikan holds the world’s largest collection of standing totem poles, spread across Saxman Totem Park, Totem Bight State Park, Potlatch Park and the Totem Heritage Center. Each place gives a different feel. Saxman sits in the small town of the same name, just southeast of Ketchikan, where the poles rise in a tidy group. Totem Bight is set among trees, which is a good fit for a misty day.

In November the carvings are often seen without other visitors around them, and the dark, wet wood shows its colors and its grain. The Totem Heritage Center is the indoor option, useful when rain turns serious. Spend time with the figures up close, and look at the faces, wings and animal forms that tell family stories in the Tlingit, Haida and Tsimshian traditions of the region.

Creek Street and the downtown waterfront

Creek Street is the old boardwalk row built on pilings over the creek, with narrow wooden houses now holding small shops and galleries. In the wet season, water runs hard beneath the planks and the street feels quiet, with few people and the sound of the creek louder than anything else.

From there, the downtown waterfront gives you fishing boats, seaplanes lifting off and landing on the Narrows, and murals and old storefronts that reward a slow look. Between showers, walk the harbor edge, then step into a café or a bakery to dry off. Seafood in a warm dining room, with the windows fogged, is the right way to spend a November evening here.

Deer Mountain and the Misty Fjords question

Deer Mountain rises at the back of town and defines Ketchikan’s skyline. Treat it as scenery, and take in the view when the cloud lifts.

Misty Fjords National Monument lies about 40 miles east of Ketchikan, along the Inside Passage coast, and the U.S. Forest Service administers it as part of the Tongass National Forest. It covers 2,294,343 acres of fjords and forest. Trips there in November are a matter for the operators, and nothing here confirms that any run this month, so think of it as a place for another season.

What stays within reach all month is the town itself, its museums and its poles. Pair a morning in the forest at Totem Bight with an afternoon indoors, and keep the evening for a long dinner with a view of the lights across the water.

A two-day itinerary for Ketchikan in November

Day 1 starts with the town on foot. Begin at the waterfront once the light comes up, since the days are short and daylight is precious, and walk the harbor edge with a hot drink. Move on to Creek Street while the boardwalk is quiet, then take the lanes behind it, where the old wooden houses climb the hillside.

Have lunch in a small downtown spot, ideally a seafood place where the windows steam up. In the afternoon, head to the Totem Heritage Center for the poles under a roof, a good use of the hours when the rain is steadiest. Finish with dinner near the water as the lights come on early across the Narrows.

Day 2 is for the poles in the open air. Go to Totem Bight State Park in the morning, when the forest is dim and dripping, and give it a slow hour or two among the carved figures. Then continue to Saxman Totem Park for a second group of poles in a different setting, the town of Saxman lying just southeast of Ketchikan.

Return to town for a late lunch, then spend the afternoon on whatever the weather allows: a walk along the waterfront if it clears, or a long stop in a bookshop, gallery or café if it does not. End with a warm dinner and an early night, because the dark arrives well before supper.

Is Ketchikan busy in November?

No, November is a quiet month in Ketchikan, a town of about 14,000 people on Revillagigedo Island that feels much emptier once the cruise season ends. The summer rush of visitors, which totals over 800,000 a year by ship, has gone, and what is left is the everyday rhythm of a fishing and working town.

That changes the pace. Sidewalks are open, the waterfront is calm and the totem parks tend to be peaceful. You are mostly sharing the town with residents, and the short days make mornings slow and evenings unhurried. Some seasonal activities may be out of reach, so build your plans around the town and its poles rather than around summer excursions.

What to pack for Ketchikan in November

Pack for rain on almost every day, with temperatures that sit a little above freezing in the afternoon and close to it at night.

A waterproof jacket with a hood, because the rain is steady and umbrellas lose to wind off the water.
Waterproof shoes or boots with good grip for wet boardwalks and forest paths.
Warm layers such as fleece or wool, for chilly mornings and evenings near freezing.
A hat and gloves for cold hands during long walks among the totem poles.
Rain pants for days of heavier downpour.
A small dry bag to protect a camera or phone.

Good to know before you go

Ketchikan lies on Revillagigedo Island, 700 miles northwest of Seattle, and the airport has a runway for planes and a water runway for seaplanes. Daylight in November is short, with about eight and a half hours in the middle of the month, so start outdoor plans early and keep indoor options ready for the rest of the day.

Ketchikan in November vs October and December

October is milder and brighter, with noticeably longer days and slightly warmer afternoons, and it is just as wet. It suits travelers who want a bit more daylight for walking and for time among the poles, while still enjoying a calm town. Going earlier gives you more hours of light for every outing.

December is colder and darker, with the shortest days of the three months and a little less rain. The town feels even more inward, with lit windows and warm interiors doing the work that the daylight cannot. It rewards people who like a cozy, wintry mood and are happy to plan around the dark.

Choose October if daylight and slightly gentler temperatures matter most. Stay with November if you want a quiet town and a moody, rainy atmosphere without the deepest dark. Pick December only if short days and a hushed, wintry feel are exactly what you are after.

Is November a good time to visit Ketchikan?

Yes, for travelers who like rain-soaked scenery, empty streets and an unhurried look at one of the great collections of totem poles. It is a month for slow walks, warm cafés and long dinners, with the town to yourself.

It is a poor fit for anyone who needs sunshine, long days or big outdoor excursions. If your heart is set on wide views and bright light, another month will serve you better. On arrival, head first to the poles, starting with Totem Bight or Saxman while there is daylight, and leave the indoor stops for the wettest hours.

What is special about November here is the mood: Ketchikan stops performing for visitors and simply gets on with life, and the dark cedar poles, the shining boardwalks and the lit harbor windows look their most natural in the rain.

Sources

NOAA NCEI, U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020, monthly (https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USW00025325), station Ketchikan Intl Ap, elevation 76 feet, checked October 11, 2026
Computed from the date and the latitude of the place (sunrise equation, solar elevation -0.833 degrees), October 11, 2026
Wikivoyage, Ketchikan (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Ketchikan), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Ketchikan, Alaska (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchikan,_Alaska), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Ketchikan International Airport (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketchikan_International_Airport), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Misty Fjords National Monument (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misty_Fjords_National_Monument), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Saxman, Alaska (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxman,_Alaska), checked October 11, 2026
Wikipedia, Climate of Alaska (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Alaska), checked October 11, 2026