Wildlife Observatory — Tongass National Forest, Alaska
Live Stream from the Heart of Alaska
This webcam online opens up a view of one of the most impressive natural landscapes in North America — Tongass National Forest in Juneau, Alaska. The panoramic view of a large glacier ending at the water's surface allows you to observe wildlife in real time. Icebergs float on the calm water, while mountains with snow-capped peaks rise around them, their slopes covered in dense coniferous forest. The water reflects the mountain landscape, creating a mirror image that changes depending on the time of day and weather conditions.
Mendenhall Glacier — The Heart of Tongass
The webcam frame is dominated by Mendenhall Glacier — one of the most accessible and well-studied glaciers in Alaska. Its length is about 21 kilometers, and its area exceeds 90 square kilometers. The glacier descends from the Juneau Icefield — a glacial field that feeds more than 30 large glaciers in the region. The glacier was named in 1891 after Thomas Corwin Mendenhall, who served as superintendent of the Alaska Territorial District and actively studied the region's glaciers.
Mendenhall Glacier is a dynamic system that is constantly changing. Between 1946 and 2018, it retreated more than 4 kilometers, making it one of the most visible indicators of climate change. However, during the winter months, the glacier continues to accumulate mass thanks to heavy snowfalls on the Juneau Icefield, creating a balance between advance and retreat.
Wildlife of the National Forest
Tongass National Forest is the largest national forest in the United States and the largest intact temperate rainforest in North America. Its area is about 69,000 km², which exceeds the territory of most European countries. This forest was established in 1907 by President Theodore Roosevelt as the Alexander Archipelago National Forest, and was expanded and renamed Tongass in 1908–1911.
What makes Tongass unique is that it is one of the last places on the planet where primary temperate rainforest has been preserved on an industrial scale. Rare animal species inhabit the forest, including the Alexander Archipelago wolf — a regional endemic, a subspecies of gray wolf that is endangered. The forest is also home to the Kodiak brown bear — one of the largest subspecies of brown bear in the world, whose weight can exceed 600 kilograms.
Salmon spawn in the waters of the glacial lake and fjords — a crucial element of the ecosystem that links marine and terrestrial food chains. During the spawning season from July to September, bears, eagles, and other predators gather near rivers and streams, creating a unique opportunity to observe wildlife.
Tongass Landscapes: Fjords, Mountains, and Islands
The landscapes of Tongass include fjords, glaciers, rocky mountains, and more than 1,000 islands of the Alexander Archipelago, covered in dense evergreen coniferous forests. The Alexander Archipelago is a chain of more than 2,000 islands stretching along the southeastern coast of Alaska. Many of these islands are uninhabited and have preserved their pristine appearance.
The mountains near Juneau reach heights of 1,500–2,000 meters and are covered with snow year-round. Their slopes are covered with dense coniferous forests that descend right down to the water. Fjords — narrow, deeply indented bays with steep rocky shores — form a unique relief created by ancient glaciers. Seals, sea otters, and whales can often be observed in these fjords.
Climate and Flora
Tongass has a humid maritime climate with enormous precipitation: up to 2,000 mm or more per year. Frequent fog and mild winters (average January temperature around 0...-1°C) create ideal conditions for the growth of giant trees. The flora is represented by Sitka spruce, western red cedar, and western hemlock, which can reach 800 years of age.
Blueberries, huckleberries, ferns, and mosses grow in the understory, covering not only the ground but also tree trunks, creating the characteristic green carpet of the rainforest. In spring and summer, the slopes are covered with flowering plants, and in autumn, the needles and deciduous shrubs give the forest golden and crimson hues.
How to Get to Tongass from Juneau
Juneau is located within Tongass National Forest and has no road connection to the rest of Alaska. It is the only U.S. state capital that cannot be reached by road. Travelers can reach remote areas of the forest from Juneau via state ferries of the Alaska Marine Highway system or by seaplane with local airlines.
The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system connects Juneau with other cities in southeastern Alaska and provides access to remote areas of the forest. Seaplanes offer a faster but more expensive mode of transportation, allowing you to reach remote glaciers and fjords in a matter of minutes. To visit Mendenhall Glacier, it is enough to drive about 20 kilometers from downtown Juneau along Glacier Highway.
Best Time for Observation
The Tongass webcam operates around the clock, but the best time for observation depends on what you want to see. The summer months (June–August) offer the longest daylight — up to 18–20 hours of sunlight, allowing you to observe wildlife almost all day. During this period, bears, eagles, and other animals are active.
In winter (December–February), daylight is reduced to 6–7 hours, but the landscape is transformed: the glacier takes on a rich blue color, mountains are covered with fresh snow, and the chances of seeing the northern lights increase significantly. Spring and autumn are transitional seasons when you can observe bird migration and the changing colors of the forest.
Ecological Significance of Tongass
Tongass National Forest plays a key role in global ecology. Its forests absorb enormous amounts of carbon dioxide, making it one of the planet's most important carbon reservoirs. According to scientists' estimates, Tongass stores about 8% of all carbon accumulated in U.S. forests.
The forest is also home to Alaska Natives — the Tlingit and Haida peoples, who inhabited these lands for millennia before the arrival of Europeans. Their culture is inseparably linked to the forest and the sea, and many traditional conservation practices are still used in forest management.
What You Can See on the Camera
This online camera shows a panoramic view of a large glacier ending at the water's surface. Several icebergs — chunks of ice that have broken off from the glacier — float on the calm water. Mountains with snow-capped peaks rise around, their slopes covered in dense coniferous and mixed forest. In the foreground is green vegetation: shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants.
The water reflects the mountain landscape, creating a mirror image. In the distance, the snowy peaks of the Juneau Icefield are visible. This is a typical glacial landscape of Alaska's national forests with glacial lakes and fjords. Depending on the time of day and weather conditions, the lighting changes, revealing new details and shades of this unique landscape.
