Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier is one of dozens of glaciers that flow out of the Juneau Icefield, a huge expanse of ice and snow sprawled across the mountains behind the city. Snow that falls high on the icefield compresses over centuries into dense glacial ice, which flows slowly downhill under its own weight, carving the valley as it goes and finally reaching Mendenhall Lake.

The deep blue color visible in parts of the ice comes from how tightly the ice is packed: the dense glacial ice absorbs most colors of light and scatters back blue. On the lake, chunks that calve from the glacier's face float as small icebergs, sometimes showing that same startling blue.

Beside the glacier, Nugget Falls tumbles down the mountainside into the lake, a powerful waterfall fed by a hanging valley above. A mostly level trail leads out to its base, where the roar of the falls and the wall of ice beyond make one of the most memorable easy walks in Alaska.

Mendenhall has been retreating for well over a century, and the pace has quickened in recent decades as the climate warms. The ice that once reached close to where the visitor center now stands has pulled back up the valley, and Mendenhall Lake exists largely because of that retreat, filling the basin the glacier has vacated.

The changes are easy to see and even to measure over a human lifetime. Photographs from past decades show the glacier's face much closer and higher than it is today, and land that was under ice not long ago is now open ground slowly being colonized by plants.

The Forest Service visitor center at the glacier tells this story directly, using the very landscape outside its windows as the exhibit. Few places make the reality of shrinking glaciers as clear, or as immediate, as standing at Mendenhall and seeing how far the ice has withdrawn.

Despite the ice, the Mendenhall area is rich with life. Steep Creek, right by the visitor center, fills with spawning salmon in late summer, and the salmon draw black bears down to fish in full view of the boardwalks, along with bald eagles and gulls. The Forest Service manages viewing carefully so that people and bears stay safe, and visitors are asked to follow the bear-safety guidance closely.

The surrounding rainforest and wetlands host beavers, porcupines, Sitka black-tailed deer, and a variety of birds, from waterfowl on the lake to songbirds in the trees. Arctic terns nest near the lake, having flown an astonishing distance to get there.

All of it sits within the Tongass National Forest, the great temperate rainforest of Southeast Alaska, so the glacier is framed not by bare rock alone but by deep green forest, mossy trails, and abundant wildlife.

Summer is the main season, when the visitor center is fully open, the trails are clear, and the salmon and bears are active near the creek. It is the busiest and easiest time to visit.

Spring brings lengthening days and greening forest, with the glacier and falls fed by early melt and fewer visitors.

Fall carries late salmon, bear activity, and quieter trails, along with cool, wet, atmospheric weather.

Winter transforms the area into a snowy landscape where, in the right conditions, visitors can even explore the frozen lakeshore and ice caves near the glacier, though this is serious cold-weather travel that demands caution and current safety information.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Mendenhall Glacier, near Juneau in southeastern Alaska, is a beautiful and famous glacier flowing down to a lake just outside the capital city, one of the most accessible and visited glaciers in Alaska. This stunning river of ice descends from a vast icefield to Mendenhall Lake, where it can be admired from an excellent visitor center, trails, and viewpoints, with a lovely waterfall nearby and the glacier's blue ice and calving on display. Its beauty and easy access from Juneau make it a beloved highlight of southeastern Alaska. A gorgeous and accessible glacier, it delights visitors. With its ice and setting, the Mendenhall Glacier offers a spectacular destination in Alaska.

You can admire the glacier from the visitor center and viewpoints across the lake, walk trails to overlooks and to a beautiful nearby waterfall, learn about glaciers at the center, watch for wildlife including salmon and bears in season, and, on guided tours, explore the ice up close. The glacier views, the visitor center, the trails and waterfall, and the wildlife are the draws, making it a wonderful and accessible glacier experience. The view across the lake to the ice is a highlight. With its ice and trails, the Mendenhall Glacier offers a rewarding experience in Alaska.

The Mendenhall Glacier is accessible, but glaciers and their surroundings can be hazardous, so staying on marked trails, obeying signs and barriers, and not attempting to walk on the glacier without a qualified guide are important, as are caution around the cold lake and ice. This is bear country, especially when salmon run, so being bear-aware and keeping your distance from wildlife matter. Checking current conditions and any trail closures before you go helps. Staying on trails and being bear-aware ensure a safe visit to the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska.

The summer months are the prime time to visit, when the visitor center is fully open, the trails are clear, the weather is mildest, and salmon and wildlife are active, though the glacier can be admired in other seasons with more limited services. Because hours and access are seasonal, checking current information before you go is wise. For the fullest access and best conditions, aim for summer at the Mendenhall Glacier in Alaska.

The Mendenhall Glacier is near Juneau in southeastern Alaska, within reach of downtown Juneau, the Alaska state capital, the Inside Passage waters, and Glacier Bay National Park to the west. That makes the Mendenhall Glacier a spectacular stop to combine with the attractions of Juneau on a visit to Alaska.