Located on Sitka Sound, the city of about 8,500 residents is known for its Tlingit culture and picturesque remnants of its Russian heritage, including the onion-shaped domes and gold-colored crosses of the beloved Saint Michael’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral. The city and borough limits include most of Baranof Island, where the city of Sitka is located, along with south Chichagof Island and many other small, forested islands along the coast.

Sitka is not on the road system and is therefore accessible only by air or water. Alaska Airlines offers daily flights from Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Ketchikan, and Seattle. In the summer, many visitors come to Sitka on large and small cruise ships exploring the Inside Passage. Sitka is also a year-round port of call for the state ferry on the Alaska Marine Highway System.

Sitka offers superb hiking with dozens of trails that begin in the lush rainforest that surrounds the city and often end up high in the mountains. Many of these trails are located in the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States. Trails for all skill levels explore the area’s forest, coves, lakes, and alpine areas. The Tongass National Forest Sitka Ranger District Office can provide information and maps for hiking trails and camping.