Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier
4.5
Points of Interest & LandmarksGeologic Formations
About
Mendenhall Glacier is one of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in the U.S., loved for its dazzling blue glacial ice that stretches for 13.6 miles. Start at the Visitor Center to learn about the area's ecosystem and wildlife, then follow the Photo Point Trail up to an overlook for the best views of the glacier, before heading on a hike to the popular Nugget Falls. The glacier is accessible all year round, but is best visited from May to October for the most pleasant weather. Visit the glacier as part of a tour, which can include a whale-watching cruise, a glacier hike, and canoeing at Lake Mendenhall. – Tripadvisor
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  • mightymomom
    Midland, Michigan
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Hiking options from easy (paved paths) to challenging! Beautiful views!
    Beautiful scenery & great hiking trails! If you’re staying locally in Juneau try to get there before 10 am and beat the cruise ship buses. You can buy your day pass or season pass at a kiosk or at the visitor center. We headed right up to Nugget Falls (a 1 mile walk on a paved path) and there were only a few people there. We were able to get great pics. If you’re more adventurous the East Glacier Trail was amazing! It’s 3.5 miles and an ~800ft climb. The trail is well maintained but some places are rocky. The signs say 2.5 hrs but we did it in just under 2 hours. The visitor center has a great view and free telescopes you can use to see the glacier in more detail. There is also a cute little gift shop.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written May 5, 2024
  • Qn4lyf
    Richmond, Virginia
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Natural beauty a must see
    Great view! This was my first time seeing a glacier. It was beautiful and the mountains were simply beautiful. There’s no other word I can use to describe it other than beautiful. We didn’t see any animals and I really wish they had guided tours to explain the trees and plants that’s why I’m eating a 4 not a 5. The ladies that works there were kind and knowledgeable about Juneau in general. They were very welcoming!
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written May 11, 2024
  • ken k
    Onsted, Michigan
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful but Melting
    This is beautiful but it is getting very crowded from our last trip here two years ago. The transportation has also doubled to $90 per person round trip. It’s about s 1/2 hour walk to the falls which is a must, but you can see the glacier better from the gift shop. This is a must see in Juneau.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written May 20, 2024
  • Ronnie B
    Glasgow, United Kingdom
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastic scenery.
    We got a taxi from Auke bay where we had been on a whale watching trip. The taxi provided the passes for the glacier and all in was about 40 dollars. The scenery is stunning even when it was pouring with rain. We walked to nugget falls for photos, the falls are beautiful and not to be missed. We also made a stop to the visitor centre, it has great information on the glacier. We also returned to Juneau by taxi for another 40 dollars, suggest you book this yourself as the people selling the tours to the glacier when you get off the ship as much dearer.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 2, 2024
  • Sarah C
    Ashtead, United Kingdom
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome glacier
    We did a cycle tour (Bike and Brew) and saw some incredible views of the glacier from across the water. It's so majestic, beautiful too. Cycling was a great way to consume the miles, most of the tracks were actually designated so we were rarely in the traffic and our guides were brilliant at navigating us across the tricky parts
    Visited September 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written June 18, 2024
  • 5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing experience
    The Glacier was stunning! Nothing like it, to get there we took a taxi for $50 for four of us and he dropped us near the park where public bus stops too but still 15-20 mins walk, which was an incredible walk. Taxis can take you all the way to the visitor center but they will charge extra $20 per person. On the way back there were no taxis back so we called a taxi from the visitor center and it came within 15 mins and it was also about $50 to get to cruise ship dock. You can also take a public bus, which is cheap and a great way to get there. Many people assume you should not be taking buses in Alaska since it hinders transportation plans for locals. Its so not true! We took buses in Ketchikan, Anchorage and most of the public buses are empty and only quarter full. There is a misconception spread by possibly tour and cruise ship businesses that you should not take public buses, please do, its the least expensive and least impactful on Alaska' s beautiful nature.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written July 2, 2024
  • Kevin B
    Denver, Colorado
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Huge glacier with unobstructed view
    Stopped here a tour including the salmon hatchery in Juneau. Great views from the visitor center and you can walk up to the shoreline for the best photos. Great view of a huge waterfall as well. Walk out to waterfall was going to be like 40 minutes so we did not have quick enough time on tour but seems like it would be worth it. Little gift shop and bathrooms available. I would probably due the float option next time.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written July 5, 2024
  • knnjones
    Corona, California
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    So beautiful!
    We booked with Juneau Shore Tours. The pick up point was right under the tram way and the ride was 15 minutes each way. The husband & wife duo guides were so helpful. We hiked to Nugget Falls. We casually walked the trail and it took 20-30 minutes. The views were postcard perfect and the weather was blue skies. We did not have to deal with rain. We only had about 30 minutes at the visitor's center, so we took in the movie. If we would have walked a little faster, we would have had more time. The bus was prompt in picking us up to get back. We were gone exactly 3 hours with no worry to get back on the ship.
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written July 31, 2024
  • Kim N
    United States
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Don't miss this local glacier!
    Do not miss this opportunity to see a glacier so up close from a park-like setting! We loved touring through this relatively small park with a beautiful glacier and lovely waterfall (a short walk through the park path to get to the base of the waterfall). Awestruck beauty!
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written August 8, 2024
  • Carla E
    Caloundra, Australia
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Awesome inspiring
    What a privilege to see this Glacier. I'm so happy to see it now before it recedes any more. Quite a hike to get to the best vantage point and to see the waterfall but we'll worth the effort. Well run tour with a great driver Robert who had lots of local knowledge to pass on. This is a stunning experience capped off with a visit to the information centre and museum
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written August 15, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles844 reviews
Excellent
655
Very good
158
Average
26
Poor
2
Terrible
3

LLiberty4
Austin, TX30 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Solo
I recently took a bus tour to Mendenhall Glazier. The bus driver dropped us off for 1 1/2 hours to explore on our own before he came back to pick us up. I hiked the 2 miles trail to Nugget Falls. Nice paved trail. I loved the waterfall but the area was very crowded so hard to get a picture of the falls without strangers in your photo. Mendenhall Glacier is a distance away. The part you can see from the trail or visitor center is small but still worth visiting. I saw kayakers on the lake by the glacier but I am not sure where they rented the kayaks? I did not see a rental place.
Written August 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GoVols79
Chattanooga, TN4,150 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Family
Mendenhall Glacier was our first stop in Juneau during our cruise. We took a tour bus that featured commentary of the city and a brief drive through downtown before heading out to the park. There is a cheaper public transportation option but we liked knowing we had a guaranteed seat and a predictable schedule. The park was crowded as expected but it didn’t hinder our first of many glacier experiences. We hiked out to Nugget Falls and spent some time in the Visitor Center. It was a little rushed but it also gave us time for other activities while in Juneau.
Written September 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Leslie Y
Winter Garden, FL28 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023
The best bargain is the $2 (cash) per person each direction city bus tour to the bus stop 1 mile and 1/2 from the entrance to the Visitor Center. The bus runs every 30 minutes and the ride gave us an opportunity to see local Juneau residents and a basic tour of the area on our way to the glacier. We took family pictures with the glacier as our backdrop, and we had a drink of the glacial water. Our adult daughters are experienced hikers and brought their water sterilizing filters for this purpose!
Written August 31, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

sdurkin24
St. Petersburg, FL161 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Family
We got off the cruise ship, and chose one of the many local buses that take a bunch of people to drive out to see the visitor center and glacier. You really don't need to buy an excursion and I recommend you don't. We took our time at the visitor center - enjoyed the beautiful views. My grandmother waited at the visitor center while I walked the short path up to the glacier's waterfall, which I highly recommend doing as the views are even better there than at the visitor center.
Written August 7, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ann H
York, UK2,606 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Having never been near a glacier in real life, we didn't really know quite what to expect but as we came round a bend in the road in our tour bus and it was pointed out on the left, it was an incredible site. The blue hues of the ice against the sun were stunning and we were lucky to have been there on a day when it was not raining. There is a visitor centre and walks to view points so some great photo opportunities. We went as part of an excursion from our cruise ship so had a limited amount of time. So beautiful!!
Written September 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

P Bailey
Manchester, UK901 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2023 • Couples
There are a number of tours from Juneau to Mendenhall Lake and Mendenhall Glacier; we took a half day tour from the Queen Elizabeth that gave us 2 to 2-1/2 and hours at the venue.

The view of the glacier is ever present, don't worry about getting a good photo with no-one else in sight as there are dozens of great photo opportunities. Walk to Nugget Falls first for a truly amazing view of the falls from the beach - yes the beach.

On the walk back to the visitor centre you will probably take a thousand pictures of the glacier.. that is magnificent. Scary to think it was a mile longer a hundred years ago. The lake is beautiful; all in all a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Written July 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Stewarts Vacation
1,532 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
This is a brilliant glacier to visit, easily accessible from Juneau. There is a large Visitor Centre with a small charge to enter, however, we skipped this in order to spend our time outdoors: 1) walking to view the glacier from all angles, 2) walking to Photo Point, 3) doing the loop walk to Nugget Falls and 4) walking the Steep Creek Trail boardwalk. Sadly, as with many of the glaciers worldwide, Mendenhall Glacier is also receding at an alarming rate. Well worth a visit while it is still so clearly visible. Apparently by 2050, it might no longer be visible from the Visitor Centre!
Written November 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Previa1994
Chicago, IL6,615 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022
Wow!!! Why isn't this gorgeous place a National Park! We visited Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau on a 3+hr excursion from our cruise ship in June. The bus ride from the port to Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center was very informative. The bus driver was very humorous and very upbeat about Alaska. The weather was great and provided clear views everywhere.

One could easily spend several hours here hiking all the trails. We walked to the base of Nugget Falls (1 mile one-way easy walk). The huge waterfall is awe inspiring. The water spray is cold though, so be prepared. On the return walk, we took the short trail to the Photo Point which provides a much better view of Mendenhall Glacier. Finally, we walked through the excellent visitor center and watched the movie. The walk down from the visitor center to the parking lot is quite interesting by itself as a nature trail. If you have time, walk the easy Steep Creek boardwalk trail.

Mendenhall Glacier is indeed a gem not to be missed when visiting Juneau. Make sure enough time is available at least to hike to Nugget Falls and Photo Point. I saw some international travelers who turned back half-way on their hike to the falls because they had to get on their tour bus; they certainly missed out on a great experience.
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

thetravelorganizer
Tega Cay, SC616 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Mendenhall Glacier is accessible via public bus but it’s a 1.5 walk from the closest stop on line #3 or #4. Juneau Tours operates the Glacier Shuttle ($45 for 13+, $40 for ages 3-12) departs from in front of the Mt. Roberts Tramway (right where your ship docks) at least twice/hour and drops you off at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, the admission ($5) to which is included in your ticket. The only path to the edge of the glacier itself is via the moderately challenging West Glacier Trail which is reached only by taxi or rental car. If your aspiration is to walk on the glacier, you’re looking at a strenuous, professional guide-led, full day trip ($200-$400/pp + tax
Written June 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ebru A
Ankara, Türkiye1,097 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022
If you like to walk and discover some natural beauties, please visit the Mendenhall Glacier. You can take many nice photos. I did not have much time to spend at the visitor center for getting more info about the Glacier and potential trails for walking. However, if you reserve 1-2 hours, you would spend more comfortable time over there.
Written January 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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