Trips to Mendenhall Lake
Shore excursions
Trips to Mendenhall Lake
- 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 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.
About Mendenhall Lake
Mendenhall Lake formed in 1929, when the retreating Mendenhall Glacier began to leave behind a body of water at its foot. The glacier has pulled back about 1.75 miles since then and will keep retreating, so the lake keeps growing and the paddling changes from year to year.
On the water, paddlers in kayaks and canoes work toward the half-mile-wide face of the glacier and look up at the ice. The trip is mainly about that view. Nearby, the Nugget Falls waterfall drops into the lake and the East Glacier Loop Trail runs above its east side.
- 1.75 miles Glacier retreat since 1929
- Half a mile Width of the glacier face
- 13 miles North of downtown Juneau
Trips that go to Mendenhall Lake
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
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
Mendenhall Lake lies about 13 miles north of downtown Juneau.
Guided trips include the kayak or canoe and the guiding; rentals are paid for on site.
Guided paddles run about 3.5 to 5 hours.
Good to know
- Mendenhall Glacier has retreated 1.75 miles since 1929, when the lake was created, and it keeps retreating.
- At the cruise docks, several bus services run low-cost rides to Mendenhall Glacier in summer, about every 30 minutes.
- Car rental at the airport is the way to reach areas outside town on your own.
Near Mendenhall Lake
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.
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.
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.
Auke Lake
Auke Lake is a 160-acre lake in Auke Bay, a few miles from downtown Juneau. A spartan trail wraps around its eastern side through some of the largest Sitka spruces in the city.
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 · ALASKA.ORG · ALASKA.ORG · Juneau Hiking Trails · Outdoor Activities Guide · Top Juneau Attractions
Photo by Joe Mabel, CC BY-SA 4.0