Red leafed trees and bright floral displays look glorious against Glacier Gardens’ green rainforest backdrop.
landslides in Southeast Alaska. In 1984, one such mud slide occurred at Glacier Gardens’ current site. It flooded the valley below Thunder Mountain, leaving sludge, uprooted trees, rocks and general mayhem in its path. Gardening entrepreneurs Steve and Cindy Bowhay purchased the landslide- damaged property in 1994 and embarked on clean-up efforts that stretched over several years. Steve, Cindy and their six children worked together to expand and improve their family enterprise. In order to reclaim the onsite stream to prevent future landslides, the Bowhays redirected the stream’s flow by constructing settling ponds and a series of waterfalls. Each step in the process was designed with care to mesh perfectly with the existing natural landscape. Following restoration, the family acquired more acreage, developed two miles of paths, and partnered with the U.S. Forest Service to plan their guided tour. In 1998, the Bowhays launched Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure—their family’s exceptional way of highlighting Juneau’s natural wonders. A leisurely go round at Glacier Gardens takes up to two hours, but your admission pass is good for the whole day—in case you decide to stroll through the lovely lower gardens at your own pace. You can wait for a
Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure Story and Photos by Paula Loehr As the weather starts sizzling this summer, consider beating the heat by visiting three fabulous gardens in the Pacific Northwest. If you decide to tour these cool botanic gems, you can expect breezy afternoons, lots of deep shade and energizing fresh air. First up is Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure—a 50-acre floral oasis in Southeast Alaska’s temperate rainforest—within the 16.9-million-acre Tongass National Forest. Located in Juneau on Glacier Highway (the original connector road from Juneau to the Mendenhall Valley), Glacier Gardens is just 7 miles from downtown Juneau and 1 mile from the city’s airport. Juneau records an average 65 inches of rainfall and 85 inches of snow each year. That translates into 240 rainy days annually. The steady level of precipitation combined with steeply sloped mountainsides, a lean layer of topsoil and fierce ‘taku’ winds cause frequent
PACIFIC NORTHWEST GARDENS
COAST TO COAST SUMMER MAGAZINE 2017
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