Juneau, AK
“ JUNEAU
BOASTS
SEVERAL
GLACIERS,
INCLUDING
MENDENHALL
GLACIER,
ONE OF THE
FEW DRIVE-UP
GLACIERS
ON EARTH. ”
J
uneau, Alaska is America’s most scenic state capital and the second largest U.S.
city by area—almost as big as Rhode Island and Delaware combined (but with
nearly two million fewer people). See wildlife like you’ve never seen before:
humpback whales, bears, eagles and orcas (often on the same excursion).
Or check out a local glacier. Juneau
boasts several, including Mendenhall Gla-
cier, one of the few drive-up glaciers on
earth. Alaska’s capital also features
Alaska’s most accessible wilderness, with
250 miles of trails—from relaxed nature
walks to strenuous uphill treks—and the
Tongass National Forest right in our back-
yard. This means outstanding hiking, bik-
ing and trail running; the protected coastal
waters of the Inside Passage also make
Juneau a world-class destination for
kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and
even surfing (wetsuit strongly recom-
96 | Summer 2018 | Adventure Outdoors
mended). Another popular local attraction:
dogsledding on the Juneau Icefield (the
helicopter ri de up there is an unforget-
table experience in itself). Of course, the
Capital City counts Alaska Native heritage
among its greatest strengths. The Tlingit,
Haida and Tsimshian communities have
inhabited Southeast Alaska for 10,000
years, and today, Juneau remains a cul-
tural hub, anchored by the Sealaska Her-
itage Institute’s Walter Soboleff Center, a
state-of-the-art performance, exhibition,
research and living history center for
Southeast Alaska Native culture.