ByEmma Gregg
Published October 14, 2023
• 6 min read
With bald eagles and bears for neighbours, the mighty Mendenhall Glacier to the north and the Tongass National Forest — the largest national forest in the US — at its feet, Juneau may, at first glance, seem a daunting destination for hikers. Look closer, however, and the rugged wilderness of southeast Alaska reveals itself in stages. In the foothills and valleys just beyond the city, waymarked trails suitable for a wide range of abilities bring Alaska’s wild landscapes to life. Here are three to try.
1. Downtown Juneau: Perseverance Trail
Distance: 7.5 miles
Time: 3.5 hours
Start/end: Basin Road, Downtown Juneau
The best way to immerse yourself in Juneau’s steep, richly forested backdrop is to follow Basin Road as it curves uphill from Downtown Juneau’s northern fringes. One of Alaska’s oldest roads, it’s as historic as the state capital itself. It originally led to Silverbow Basin where, in 1880, mining prospectors stumbled across something that put Juneau on the map: gold.
The route is now part road, part footpath. Leaving the city behind, Basin Road soars through a canyon lined with misty, temperate rainforest which is emerald green in summer and snow dusted in winter. When the road ends, Perseverance Trail begins in earnest, climbing three miles into the rocky, tree-clad wilderness northeast of Downtown. The main trail follows an old miners’ rail route, with Gold Creek below and tempting diversions along the way. Cool subterranean breezes waft from disused mineshafts, water thunders over Ebner Falls and, for hardcore hikers, there’s a leg-burning side route to the summit of Mount Juneau, high above the Gastineau Channel.
2. Mendenhall Glacier: Nugget Falls and the Trail of Time
Distance: 3 miles (total, both trails)
Time: 1.5 hours
Start/end: Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
What could be more epic than a waterfall crashing into an Alaskan lake, with a glacier’s blue-cored bulk just beyond? The Nugget Falls Trail, a hugely popular, gently undulating out-and-back gravel trail, offers exactly that. Around a mile each way, the route leads north east from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Centre, along the shore of Mendenhall Lake and onto the beach at the foot of the falls. Arctic terns nest around the lake and mountain goats sometimes graze on the cliffs.
To learn about the history of the Mendenhall landscape, hikers could also follow the Trail of Time, a short, scenic loop that heads south from the Visitor Centre, away from the lake and glacier. As the trail progresses, walkers will spot evidence of changes that have taken place over the years. The glacier’s relatively recent retreat has scattered granite erratics around and scraped the rocks nearest the lake bare, but further on, you’ll enter areas that have had time to recover, supporting lichens and mosses, as well as a cottonwood forest, Sitka spruces and western hemlock trees.
3. Douglas Island: Rainforest Trail
Distance: 0.8 miles (circular)
Time: 0.5 hours
Start/end: North Douglas Highway, Douglas Island
Short but hugely atmospheric, Juneau’s Rainforest Trail loops through a mossy pocket of native spruce trees near the northwestern tip of Douglas Island, around 11 miles from the Juneau-Douglas Bridge. Beyond this precious Southeast Alaskan forest habitat, the path opens onto an unspoilt beach with views over Admiralty Island and the distant Chilkat Mountains. Humpback whales sometimes appear offshore; if you’re unlucky, seek consolation when you return to Downtown Juneau by viewing Tahku, the magnificent whale fountain near the bridge.
Those in search of a more sizeable challenge should attempt the Treadwell Ditch Trail, which follows the course of an early 1900s hydropower channel, dug for John Treadwell’s hard rock gold mine, the largest in the world. Starting near the Gastineau Channel, the path climbs steadily through a forest where, in late summer, you can grab mouthfuls of wild blueberries. Depending on where you start, it’s a round trip of up to 29 miles and one of the longest hikes in the Tongass National Forest.
Plan your trip
Two commercial airlines, Alaska Airlines and Delta, fly from London to Juneau via Seattle or Anchorage in 14.5-17.5 hours. Juneau is also accessible from the US and Canada by boat, via the Alaska Marine Highway System — a ferry service that covers 3,500 miles of coast in Southeast Alaska and along the Gulf of Alaska. Once you’re in the city, taxis, rideshares and car rental services are all available. For more information and inspiration, visit traveljuneau.com
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