Juneau, the state capital of Alaska is located on the Gastineau Channel of the Inside Passage. In addition to being the state's seat of government, Juneau is a popular destination for cruise ships traveling the Inside Passage including routes in the Lynn Canal to Haines and Skagway, and Glacier Bay National Park.

One popular destination for tourists is the Mendenhall Glacier located in the Tongass National Forest. The generally retreating glacier which has it's origin in the...
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Juneau, the state capital of Alaska is located on the Gastineau Channel of the Inside Passage. In addition to being the state's seat of government, Juneau is a popular destination for cruise ships traveling the Inside Passage including routes in the Lynn Canal to Haines and Skagway, and Glacier Bay National Park.

One popular destination for tourists is the Mendenhall Glacier located in the Tongass National Forest. The generally retreating glacier which has it's origin in the massive Juneau Icefield is located 12 miles from downtown Juneau. Here visitors have access to hiking trails including a trail to Nugget Falls, and camping at the Mendenhall Lake Campground. From the visitor center visitors can view the icebergs that calve into Mendenhall Lake. The visitor center was the first US Forest Service visitor center built in the U.S. Wildlife seen in the area include black bears, mountain goats, wolves and salmon. Photographers wanting to take pictures at the glacier should be aware that the area can be crowded during the summer with nearly 500,000 visitors a year, many of whom come by way of cruise ship.

Another popular destination is the Mount Roberts Tramway, which travels from the downtown cruise ship docks to the southwestern ridge of Mount Roberts.

The Alaska Marine Highway System Auke Bay Ferry Terminal serves as a connecting point for many southeast Alaska communities. On the ferry, visitors might see humpback whales.

Juneau is larger than the state of Delaware and is the second-largest city in the U.S. by area (Sitka, Alaska is the largest).
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