The Mendenhall Valley is home to the great Mendenhall Glacier. During the mining days, the valley was the farming community which fed the miners downtown. There were dairies, mink farms, vegetable gardens, and a chicken farm. At this time there was only one road from downtown to the valley, named Glacier Highway. It is on this road you'll find Glacier Gardens Rainforest Adventure.

In 1984, a landslide came down the mountain with tremendous force, uprooting everything in its path and wiping out the stream which now runs through the gardens. Ten years later Steve and Cindy Bowhay purchased the six-and-a-half acres of land and started to reclaim the once beautiful stream. They decided to use the water in the stream for hydro-electricity, so they put in ponds with waterfalls cascading down the hillside.

The ponds were landscaped with Rhododendrons and Azaleas for their spring flowers. Japanese Maples were added for brilliant color and contrast with the lush evergreen background. Native Devil's Club and Elderberry shrubs spill over the edges reflecting their lush foliage in the ponds below.

Steve and Cindy own and operate a nursery and landscaping business in Juneau since 1984. It was one year after starting the reclamation of the stream they decided to open the gardens for everyone to enjoy. Since that time they have expanded another 45 acres installing pathways through the forest to reach the 580 foot level of Thunder Mountain with scenic overlooks. Every effort was made to make the area easily accessible to all of our visitors, and to provide a unique natural experience in one of the world's last, pristine rainforests!