A quick look at the port itself — the two docks, the mountainside gondola, and the century-old cannery the whole place is built around — before you head into Hoonah for the rest of your day.
What is Icy Strait Point, exactly?
Icy Strait Point is a private cruise port on Chichagof Island, built around a restored 1912 salmon cannery. Ships dock at one of two piers, a gondola carries visitors up the mountainside above the port, and the old cannery buildings anchor the waterfront. It's a different place from Hoonah, the actual town about 1.5 miles away — see our Icy Strait Point vs. Hoonah comparison for that distinction.
The layout
Two piers, one strait
Icy Strait Point receives ships at two separate piers along the shoreline: Wilderness Landing, the newer of the two (completed in 2021), and Ocean Landing, the original dock. Which one your ship uses depends on the cruise line and sailing — Norwegian, for instance, holds a preferential berthing agreement for Wilderness Landing. The two piers sit close enough together along the shore that you can often see one from the other, especially from partway up the mountainside.
Looking down over Icy Strait Point's two piers from partway up the mountain.
Up the mountain
The gondola ride
A gondola runs from the port up the mountainside, giving riders a wide view back down over both piers, the boardwalk, and Icy Strait itself. It's also how visitors reach the property's zipline course near the top of the ride. You don't need a ticket to see it in action — the lift towers and cable are visible from the boardwalk and from the shoreline path toward Hoonah.
Before it was a port
The cannery the port is built around
Long before it welcomed cruise ships, this stretch of shoreline was the Hoonah Packing Company, a salmon cannery that opened in 1912 and ran for decades, employing generations of local and seasonal workers processing salmon caught in the surrounding waters. When the cannery closed, the buildings sat until Huna Totem Corporation — owned by Hoonah's Tlingit shareholders — redeveloped the site as Icy Strait Point in the early 2000s, restoring several of the original cannery structures rather than tearing them down. For more on the Tlingit history behind that redevelopment, see our guide to the real history of Hoonah.
The weathered wooden buildings you'll see along the boardwalk today are largely those same structures, repurposed rather than rebuilt — a working piece of Hoonah's cannery-era history, now sitting at the center of the port.
For an outside visitor's take on a full day at the port, see Your Alaskan Adventures' Icy Strait Point port day guide, covering the piers, the gondola, and the cannery from a visitor's perspective.
Freestyle Travelers also publishes a thorough Icy Strait Point port guide with ship, shuttle, and attraction details, plus a section on visiting Hoonah.
The boardwalk at Icy Strait Point, built along the site of the historic cannery.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
What is Icy Strait Point?
Icy Strait Point is a private cruise port on Chichagof Island, built around a restored 1912 salmon cannery. It's owned and operated by Huna Totem Corporation, a Tlingit-owned corporation based in Hoonah.
How many piers does Icy Strait Point have?
Two: Wilderness Landing and Ocean Landing. Which one your ship uses depends on the cruise line and sailing — see our cruise line guides for specifics if your line is listed there.
What is the history of the Icy Strait Point cannery?
The site was the Hoonah Packing Company, a salmon cannery that opened in 1912 and operated for decades before closing. Huna Totem Corporation redeveloped the property as Icy Strait Point in the early 2000s, restoring several of the original cannery buildings rather than replacing them.
Is Icy Strait Point the same as Hoonah?
No. Icy Strait Point is the cruise port; Hoonah is the actual town, about 1.5 miles away. See our full Icy Strait Point vs. Hoonah comparison for the difference.
Is there more to do beyond the port?
Yes — the town of Hoonah is a flat, walkable 1.5 miles away, with independent restaurants, tours, and shops run by the people who actually live there. Start with our things to do in Hoonah guide.
Ship by ship
Who is in port: every ship we track
Find your ship and you have your port day at a glance. Tap a ship name for its full guide.
Passenger counts are maximum capacity at double occupancy. Landing piers and times come from the port's published schedule and can change, so confirm with your cruise line before you go. Wilderness Landing is the direct walk-off pier; Ocean Landing and tendering vary by ship.
One printable page with walk times, shuttle tips, landmarks, and a back-to-ship clock so you never cut it close. Join The Shore Crew and it lands in your inbox. One email a month, no fluff.
Ready for the real Hoonah?
Once you've seen the port, the town is a flat 1.5-mile walk away — independent restaurants, tours, and shops run by the people who live here.
