Trips to Mendenhall Glacier
Shore excursions
Trips to Mendenhall Glacier
- Exclusive Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Tour $86 a person · 2 hours 45 minutes
- Whales and Mendenhall Glacier $259 a person · 4 hours
- Best of Juneau $298 a person · 6 hours 15 minutes
Booked with our partner Shore Excursions Group
Mendenhall Glacier
A massive glacier calving into its own lake, and Juneau's most popular attraction. Most visitors look at the face from the visitor center, then walk the trails to Nugget Falls.
About Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Glacier sits about 13 miles north of downtown Juneau and calves into its own lake. It is the only glacier in Southeast Alaska reached by road, and it lies within Tongass National Forest. The glacier has pulled back about 1.75 miles since 1929, when Mendenhall Lake formed.
A visit centers on the Forest Service visitor center, which started as an observatory where people could get out of the rain and look at the ice. From its overlook you see the glacier face and the lake. The trails nearby explain glacial change and wildlife. Ice in crevasses shows the deepest blue, and the glacier shifts with the seasons, so no two visits look the same.
- About 13 miles north of downtown Juneau
- 1.75 miles glacier retreat since 1929
- Half a mile wide at the face
What you can do at Mendenhall Glacier
Trips that go to Mendenhall Glacier
Booked with our partner Shore Excursions Group. Prices are per person.
Exclusive Juneau City and Mendenhall Glacier Tour
Whales and Mendenhall Glacier
Best of Juneau
Mendenhall Glacier Float Trip
Glacier View Sea Kayaking
Juneau City with Glacier View and Hatchery
Mendenhall Glacier Trek
Helicopter Dog Sledding Extended Tour
Goes to Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Lake Kayak Adventure
Mendenhall Lake Canoe Adventure
Mendenhall Lake Kayak and Salmon Bake
Alaska Hike and Canoe Paddle
Juneau Sights and Sips by Jeep with Lunch
Private Glacier Trek Hiking
Getting there, cost and time
Bus or taxi from the cruise docks, with several bus services running about every 30 minutes during the summer visitor season.
A fee applies to enter the visitor center from May to September.
Good to know
- Visitor center admission is charged for adults from May to September, and children under 16 enter free.
- No food or soft drinks are allowed in the recreation area, and dogs must be on leash.
- Visitor center hours are reduced in April and October and it has fewer days in winter, so check before you go.
- Accessing the glacier itself takes real effort, so many visitors combine the visit with Nugget Falls.
Near Mendenhall Glacier
Mendenhall Lake
Mendenhall Lake is a glacial lake at the foot of Mendenhall Glacier, where paddlers in kayaks and canoes head out past the glacier's face. Guided trips and rentals both operate here.
Nugget Falls
Nugget Falls is a 377-foot waterfall that drops into Mendenhall Lake, reached on a short, flat trail from the Mendenhall Glacier area. It is one of the most popular walks in Juneau.
East Glacier Loop Trail
East Glacier Loop Trail is a moderate forest hike above the east side of Mendenhall Lake. You get good glacier views and a chance at black bear sightings.
West Glacier Trail
The West Glacier Trail runs along the west side of Mendenhall Glacier, skirting Mendenhall Lake and climbing to bare rock above the ice. It is a strenuous hike, best done with a buddy and with care on the rocks.
Sailings that stop in Juneau
2,816 sailings on 18 cruise lines call here in the next twelve months. Totals are for two guests, taxes included.
Carnival Legend
Koningsdam
Norwegian Jade
Sources: ALASKA.ORG · Helicopter Trips · Juneau Hiking Trails · Mendenhall & Taku Glacier · Outdoor Activities Guide · Top Juneau Attractions
Photo: Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0