Sport & Outdoor
IconicGlacier Bay National Park and Preserve
FreeCruise past tidewater glaciers by tour boat or kayak, and watch for humpback whales, sea otters and brown bears.
Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Sport & OutdoorIconicOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite
Mendenhall Glacier
End of Glacier Spur Rd, Mendenhall Valley · Juneau, AK
Why you should go…
Mendenhall Glacier sits about 12 miles from downtown Juneau in the Tongass National Forest. The Forest Service visitor center looks across Mendenhall Lake to the ice and has exhibits, a 15-minute film and rangers on hand. Short trails lead to Photo Point and Steep Creek, where salmon run in season and black bears turn up. The Nugget Falls Trail and East Glacier Trail need no pass. The glacier has been retreating for more than two centuries.
- #glacier
- #visitor center
- #waterfall hike
- #wildlife viewing
- #national forest
Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.
What's around here?
The closest stops to Mendenhall Glacier, ordered by straight-line distance.
48 mi awayMore like this