MendenhallGlacier.com
The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center on a forested ridge below misty mountains

Visitor center

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

Perched on a rocky ridge above Mendenhall Lake, the visitor center is where most people get their first close look at the glacier, and where every trail in the area begins.

Why visit

Large windows face straight across the lake to the glacier, so even on a wet day you get a clear view without leaving shelter. Exhibits explain how the glacier formed, why it is retreating and how plants and animals move into the land the ice leaves behind.

The center opened in 1962 and was the first visitor center built by the US Forest Service. It is run as part of the Tongass National Forest.

What is inside

  • Observation windows and spotting scopes facing the glacier
  • Exhibits on glaciers, wildlife and the Tlingit history of the valley
  • A short film about the glacier and the Juneau Icefield
  • A shop and an information desk staffed by rangers

Tips for your visit

  • Ask the rangers where bears and mountain goats have been seen that day.
  • Visit early or late to avoid the busiest cruise-ship hours.
  • Keep your entry receipt if you plan to come back inside later.
  • Opening hours and fees change by season, so check the Forest Service before you go.

Trails from the visitor center

The Photo Point Trail, the Nugget Falls Trail, the Steep Creek boardwalk and the East Glacier Loop all start within a few minutes’ walk of the building.

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Visitors on the Photo Point walkway as a double rainbow arcs over the glacier and lake Accessible path

Photo Point Trail

The classic glacier photo

A short, paved path from the visitor center to a lakeshore viewpoint facing the glacier. Come early or late in the day to avoid the busiest cruise-ship hours.

Nugget Falls pouring into Mendenhall Lake below a steep forested mountainside Easy walk

Nugget Falls

A 377-foot waterfall beside the ice

A flat, easy walk of about two miles there and back from the visitor center ends on a gravel beach at the foot of the falls, with one of the best ground-level views of the glacier.

A black bear wading through Steep Creek among green plants Wildlife

Steep Creek

Black bears and spawning salmon

A raised boardwalk follows the creek near the visitor center. When the salmon run in late summer, black bears often fish just below the walkway.

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