The Mendenhall Glacier

About 12 miles from Juneau, in the coastal mountains of Southeast Alaska, lies the Juneau Icefield. The Mendenhall Glacier is one of the many large glaciers that connect to this vast remnant of the last Ice Age. As the only glacier in Southeast Alaska that’s accessible by road, more than half-a-million people visit yearly to see firsthand the dramatic beauty of Mendenhall Glacier, just outside Alaska's capital city.

Visiting the Mendenhall Glacier

Whether you’re spending your time viewing the glacier from a distance in Downtown Juneau or planning an expedition to get up-close-and-personal with a relic of the last Ice Age on a Mendenhall Glacier tour, there’s plenty to explore, see, and learn when visiting the Mendenhall Glacier. The best time to visit is May through September, which coincides with the cruise season.


How to Get There:

1. On a tour or shore excursion: Many people choose to visit The Mendenhall Glacier via a shore excursion from their cruise ship. This includes transportation to the glacier from your cruise ship and a guided experience, like walking on top of the glacier, canoeing Mendenhall Lake, or dog sledding on the glacier.

2. Renting a car: Aside from taking a tour through a tour company, the only other way to get to the Mendenhall Visitors Center is to rent your own vehicle.

Please note: As of the 2024 cruise season, local taxi and Uber/Lyft drivers are not permitted to drive guests to the Visitors Center. The closest they can bring you is about 1.5 miles away. Juneau's public bus will also only drop you off about 1.5 miles away. We do not advise attempting to walk this distance as it is bear country.

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is a good starting point for your visit, with an indoor viewing area and a short film about the glacier. From there, you can set out to take in the panoramic views from a variety of trails.

1. Photo Point Trail: There's a paved .6 mile trail to Photo Point, where you can see the glacier and surrounding mountains. 

2. Nugget Falls: If you have more time, take a 15-20 minute walk along the trail to Nugget Falls to reach a large and beautiful waterfall. Enjoy the spectacular sight of the waterfall spilling into an iceberg-filled lake, with the glacier in the background. This is the closest you can get to the glacier from this side of the lake. The Nugget Falls Trail is 2 miles roundtrip and takes about an hour to accomplish. It is a well-maintained, gentle trail with dirt and gravel.

3. East Glacier Trail and West Glacier Trails: If you're a more ambitious hiker, you can set out on one of Mendenhall Glacier's moderate trails. You can learn more about them at The Forest Service site. 

About the Mendenhall Glacier

The Mendenhall Glacier is within the 5,800+ acre Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area. This Recreation Area is also part of the Tongass National Forest. Called Sitaantaago (“Glacier Behind the Town”) and Áakʼw Tʼáak Sítʼ (“The Glacier Behind the Little Lake”) in Tlingit, it drops 4,500 feet over 13 miles, plunging into Mendenhall Lake, which formed at its base due to the melting and retreating ice field.

Geography & Mendenhall Lake

The icebergs crashing into Mendenhall Lake from the face of the glacier are one of the most dramatic and beautiful sights Alaska has to offer—but this beauty has come at a price. Over the 300-400 years since the last Little Ice Age, Mendenhall Glacier has been retreating. In 1929, Mendenhall Lake started forming at the base of the glacier due to runoff, and it has continued to expand as the glacier has retreated another 1.75 miles in the last 92 years.

Interesting Facts

Stopping by the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is a must when visiting Juneau and the Mendenhall Glacier. As a world-class visitor center with museum-quality exhibits, tourists can visit year-round to enjoy stunning glacial views and to learn more about the rich history and interesting facts of the area.

• Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center boasts many miles of trail systems that range from accessible, paved paths to rugged, backcountry treks.
• “Romeo” the wolf lived around the Mendenhall Glacier from 2003-2009, making friends with local people and dogs alike, until he was killed by poachers from out of state.
• There’s a strict “no food” policy in the Visitor Center and surrounding areas to minimize dangerous encounters with bears and other wildlife.
• May through September is the ideal time to visit, and the Visitor Center offers both free trails and a paid pass for full access to trail systems and exhibits.
• With glacier retreat from climate change, parts of the landscape surrounding Mendenhall Glacier have only been ice free for 50 years or less!

Why Visit the Mendenhall Glacier

There are few areas left of the world that remain untouched by humans, and Mendenhall Glacier is a relic of a time before people walked the Earth. With jaw-dropping views and opportunities for all ages to find adventure in the surrounding wilderness, a trip to Mendenhall Glacier gives visitors a chance to get a glimpse into both Alaska’s past and future. View our favorite tours here.