This is more than a hike — it’s a journey into the living heart of Alaska’s Tongass National Forest. In a small group of no more than six to seven guests, you’ll walk through one of the planet’s last great temperate rainforests, where ancient Sitka spruce and western red cedar rise above creeks laced with waterfalls and moss.

The trail begins in a quiet Alaska State Park before crossing into the Tongass — a 17-million-acre wilderness that still breathes with the rhythms of the old world. Over the next few miles, the path follows a winding creek through fern-covered slopes and soft light filtering through the canopy. We move at a steady, mindful pace — active enough to feel the terrain, yet slow enough to notice the small miracles around us: lichen patterns, raven calls, the cool scent of cedar in the air.

Midway through, we reach either a stone bench at a graceful bend in the river — a natural cathedral of calm — or a bridge in a forest clearing. Here we pause to rest, reflect, and simply be. On the return, we visit a waterfall where fresh water meets the ocean — a symbolic reminder of how everything in this forest is connected.

Led by an Alaska-based guide who knows these trails intimately, you’ll learn about the forest’s ecology, the region’s complex logging history, and what it means to protect old-growth ecosystems today.

This is not a high-speed adventure or a crowded tour. It’s a purposeful, personal experience — for travelers seeking movement with meaning, connection with place, and a few quiet hours that will stay with you long after you leave the forest.