Mendenhall Glacier
4.8(533)google
4.8(254)yelp
Nature
Overview
Mendenhall Glacier is a breathtaking, 13-mile-long river of ice located just a short drive from downtown Juneau, acting as one of Alaska's most accessible and heavily visited glaciers. Flowing dynamically from the massive Juneau Icefield down into Mendenhall Lake, the glacier presents a stunning landscape of deep cerulean blue crevasses and jagged ice ridges. Outdoor adventurers can embark on guided trekking excursions to witness the spectacular, shifting blue ice caves underneath or kayak across the iceberg-dotted lake to get closer to its thunderous calving face.
Practical Info
Suggested DurationAbout 2-4 hours
Best TimeRecommended during daylight hours from May to September. While sunny days are beautiful, overcast or drizzly weather makes the deep, ancient ice fissures refract the most intense, glowing sapphire blue colors. Ensure you dress in layers for changing mountain weather.
Getting ThereLocated just 12 miles north of downtown Juneau. Accessible to its public base via driving, ride-sharing, or dedicated tourist shuttles. To physically stand on the ice or enter the changing ice caves, you must book an official guided helicopter or a rigorous back-country trekking tour.
Travel Tips
- The West Glacier trail to the ice caves is a grueling 4.5-mile trek over slick bedrock; attempting it without a guide is highly dangerous.
- Accelerated melting creates critical overhead collapse and rockfall hazards; heavy-duty climbing helmets are mandatory inside ice tunnels.
- Kayaks must maintain a strict 300-meter safety zone from the face; underwater calving triggers displacement waves that flip hulls.
Reviews
Positive
- The millennial glacier emits a dreamy deep-blue glow, paired with the thundering Nugget Falls in front—a combination of world-famous scenic value.
- The trail to the glacier-front waterfall is fully paved with gentle slopes, offering flawless accessibility for seniors and strollers to finish easily.
- All outdoor trash cans along the way are specialized bear-proof steel bins, and signs feature clear diagrams, maximizing tourist safety in bear country.
- Driving there requires only a very low park parking fee to get close to the glacier; outdoor trails are free, sending value sky-high.
Heads up
- Stepping on the ice or entering ice caves is unreachable via regular trails; you must spend hundreds on private guides or kayaking, which is highly costly.
- Without high-priced private tours, regular tourists can only gaze across the massive lake, unable to touch the ice, leaving a gap for high expectations.
- During rainy summers, water levels surge, leaving waterfront stretches slippery and muddy, and there are zero rain shelters along the outdoor paths.
- Between 10 AM and 3 PM, thousands of cruise passengers and tour buses completely choke the Nugget Falls trail, making clean photos without people tough.