Between Downtown Juneau and the Mendenhall Valley, residential neighborhoods are mostly in the Salmon Creek and Lemon Creek valleys, with an offshoot of homes at Sunny Point. Only about 16% of Juneau’s population lives in this area, mixed in with commercial and industrial properties. But the central location with easy access throughout the borough makes it a convenient option.
Salmon Creek
Known for the Twin Lakes nestled between Egan Drive and the hillside, the Salmon Creek residential area is a little over 4 miles from Downtown Juneau. Located just past Bartlett Regional Hospital, homes spread across the hillside along Glacier Highway and up into the Mountainside subdivision. The subdivision offers a mix of single-family homes and attached homes, many with large yards. Homes along Glacier Highway overlook the lakes, Gastineau Channel, the Mendenhall Wetlands, and North Douglas. Some of the homes higher up Vanderbilt Hill have a view of the Chilkat Mountain Range and the planes taking off and landing at the airport a few miles away.
Recreation & Hiking
Along the edge of the Twin Lakes is a park that is popular for running, dog walking, and family events. With a paved walkway, a large play area, picnic tables, lake access, a fishing pier, and seasonal sledding and ice-skating this public park offers year-round recreation. The play area at the heart of the park is Project Playground, a community-built playground that was recently honored in the Best 50 Playgrounds in America.
Lemon Creek
Just past Twin Lakes, Lemon Creek begins five miles Northwest of Downtown Juneau at Vanderbilt Hill Road. The area is booming with retail stores, restaurants, drive-through coffee stands, and a variety of local businesses. It is also home to Costco, Home Depot, the Alaskan Brewing Company and a few food markets and convenience stores. Homes in Lemon Creek are mainly single-family houses and mobile homes, with some attached homes and condominiums. This dynamic neighborhood is compact and accessible, with express public transit offering quick connections to Downtown Juneau and the Mendenhall Valley.
Recreation & Hiking
Switzer Creek Trail can be accessed from the Mountain Avenue trailhead, or connect to it from the Richard Marriott Trail segment near Dzantik’i Heeni Middle School at the end of Lund Street. Popular as an educational trail, the area is great for watching birds, picking blueberries, identifying wildflowers, viewing fish habitats, and exploring the old-growth forest.
At the end of Commercial Boulevard, just past Home Depot, is the trailhead for the 4.3-mile Lemon Creek Trail. This trail cuts through brush and mature forest, leading all the way to the ice fields and even past a Juneau Icefield Research Program camp. It is a moderate to rough hike, for those prepared for a challenge.
Sunny Point
Past Lemon Creek on Glacier Highway, an underpass leads to Sunny Point. This neighborhood juts out above the Gastineau Channel tidelands. The small peninsula gets its name for its pointed shape and location with lots of south-facing exposure to the sunlight. Once the entire area was the Sunny Point Dairy. After the dairy closed, the property was sold and subdivided into the neighborhood that is now a mix of paved and unpaved roads connecting wooded lots. Sunny Point is slightly removed from the bustle of Lemon Creek but with the same central access.
Recreation & Hiking
Right before turning from the underpass to drive into Sunny Point’s residential neighborhood, there is a pull off with access to the Mendenhall Wetlands State Game Refuge. Although there are no maintained trails, at low tide you can walk across the wetlands and explore the tidal flats. Creeks from Thunder Mountain flow into Gastineau Channel in this area and are home to salmon and Dolly Varden.
