Inside Passage

The Inside Passage is the coastal waterway connecting Puget Sound to southeastern Alaska, threading between the mainland and a chain of islands for nearly 1,600 kilometers. The route is sheltered from open Pacific swells by the barrier islands and passes through glacially carved fjords, old-growth temperate rainforest, and waters rich in humpback whales, orcas, porpoises, and bald eagles. Alaska Marine Highway ferries serve coastal communities along the route, and the passage is a primary corridor for Southeast Alaska cruise ship traffic.