Juneau Attractions

Fed by the Juneau Icefield, Mendenhall Glacier is 12 miles long and 1 1/2 miles wide. It is only 13 miles from Juneau by road, making it an easy glacier to visit. Trails run up either side of the glacier offering great views.

There is also a Visitors Center, the oldest one in the National Forest System. It sits up high, with curved windows which provide an almost 180 degree panoramic view over the glacier. The entrance to the exhibit gallery takes visitors through a simulated ice cave and then on to animated views of Mendenhall Glacier advancing and receding.

Some of the best views are from the walking trails in the area. The Photo Point Trail is very short and offers, as the name suggests, a great vantage point for photos. Other relatively short trails include the Trail of Time and the Moraine Ecology Trail. For those who have a little more time and want to get active there are a few longer trails ranging from approximately 3 to 7 miles in length.

Glacier Bay is located 60 mi. north-west of Juneau. It is an inlet between two promontories where 16 glaciers reach down to the sea. There are cruises to the bay which consist of day trips and longer or if you prefer, in the course of which whales are sometimes seen. Flights to the area are also available.

The area that is now Glacier Bay was once a huge glacier in the mid 1800's. Ice was everywhere, and in some areas it was thousands of feet thick. As the climate has evolved so has the glacier and visitors today can see the effects on the surrounding environment. Glacier Bay is a major feeding ground for humpback whales, Minke, and killer whales. Other sea life includes Dall's porpoises, harbor seals, sea otters, and sea lions. Land animals are also frequently sighted and these include moose, bear, wolves, coyotes, mountain goats and marmots.

Thousands of sea birds also visit Glacier Bay. They come here to feed and breed and thousands of them nest on the steep hillsides and rocky shorelines. Geese, sea ducks, bald eagles, arctic terns, nesting songbirds, and jaegers have been observed.

Located in a building of the former Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company, the Last Chance Mining Museum displays mining equipment and rail cars. Of particular interest is one of the world's largest air compressors, built in 1912, which is on display. Also on display is an electric locomotive. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and Alaska Gold Rush Properties.

The Alaska Juneau Gold Mining Company operated on this site from 1912 until 1944 and the location truly looks like an old mine. Uneven ground, rusting buildings, and old equipment decaying quietly in the trees all add to the experience. The museum is operated by the Gastineau Channel Historical Society, the same group that cares for the Sentinel Island Lighthouse.

The museum is up on a rise and sturdy footwear is advised for the short climb up to the buildings. The museum is closed during the winter months.

The Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure provides a great way for visitors to see and learn about the rainforest in this part of the country. An open sided shuttle takes visitors through the 50 acre property on Thunder Mountain in the Tongass National Rainforest. This is not a garden, but an area of forest, which has been left largely in its natural state. Tour guides discuss the various species and workings of the forest to give a better understanding of what you are seeing. The tour stops at various locations. Viewpoints along the way, with raised boardwalks, include views of the Mendenhall Valley, Chilkat Mountains, Gastineau Channel, and Juneau.

Tourists are also given the chance to see ponds, waterfalls, streams and a variety of flora while on this awe-inspiring tour.

The Juneau-Douglas City Museum offers exhibits on the Tlingit culture, the early gold mining days, and the history of the Juneau-Douglas area. A video presentation, Juneau City Built on Gold, is presented during the summer months.

The Macaulay Salmon Hatchery raises chum, pink coho and king salmon. On display are a number of aquariums with salmon and other sea life native to the area.

The life of the Pacific salmon and the daily workings of the hatchery are explained on the guided tour.

The Mount Roberts Tramway takes visitors to an elevation of 2000 feet. At the top are an observatory, nature center, restaurant, theater, two gift shops, and nature trails with views over the Gastineau Channel.

The theater presents a movie about Alaskaá native Tlingit people and visitors can also catch a live bald eagle display in the nature center.

Tracy Arm Fjord Glacier Cruise consists of a marine mammal friendly boat, without propellers, takes visitors through the fjords that are not accessible to larger ships. The tour offers views of glaciers, waterfalls, and wildlife.