Juneau is the U.S. state capital inaccessible by road from the rest of its state.
Juneau lies in Southeast Alaska on the mainland, but steep mountains, glaciers, icefields, waterways, and rugged coastal terrain isolate it from Alaska’s wider road network. Roads connect neighborhoods and nearby communities within the City and Borough of Juneau, yet none continues overland to the rest of Alaska or the contiguous United States.
Because of that geography, Juneau depends on air and sea transportation. The Alaska Marine Highway links it by ferry to other Southeast Alaska communities and to connections with the continental road system. Aircraft and barges also carry passengers, vehicles, food, fuel, and other supplies.
Juneau became Alaska’s capital in 1906, replacing Sitka as the territory’s administrative center. Its lack of a highway connection is sometimes misstated as meaning the city has no roads at all. The more precise fact is that Juneau has a local road system but no road link to the rest of the state. Honolulu is the only other U.S. state capital without a road connection to the contiguous United States.