The Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei (Mendenhall River Trail) is an accessible, paved trail that follows the Mendenhall River greenbelt area for 2 miles, starting at Brotherhood Bridge off Glacier Highway and yielding great views of Mendenhall Glacier. The name is Tlingit for "going back clearwater trail."

The trail parallels the Mendenhall River, but the majority of it is in the forested riparian zone adjacent to the river. As a result, this is an excellent location for a variety of songbirds. In the summer, look for nesting Bank Swallows and Belted Kingfisher near the Brotherhood Bridge and Lincoln’s and Savannah sparrows in the meadows. Toward River Road is an older, large spruce tree forest, hosting interior conifer forest species like Townsend’s Warbler and Brown Creeper. Almost 100 species have been detected along this trail.

Directions:

To access this trail you can park at one of two trailheads. The first is located near the junction of the Glacier Highway and the Mendenhall River at Brotherhood Bridge. The second is at the end of River Road, which is located off of Mendenhall Loop Road, just past the Mendenhall River Bridge.

Trail Information:

•  Alaska.org: Kaxdigoowu Heen Dei (Mendenhall River Trail) 

Birding Resources:

• eBird Hotspot: Brotherhood Bridge Trail  

Bird Species Checklist:

• Juneau checklist