Paddle
Season: May–Sep
Mendenhall Lake canoe & kayak
- Paddle between icebergs towards the glacier
- Guided trips suit first-time paddlers
A young lake
Mendenhall Lake did not exist a century ago: the glacier filled the basin. As the ice melted back, water filled the hollow it left behind. The lake keeps growing as the glacier retreats, and the icebergs you see broke off the glacier face.
Paddling the lake
Guided canoe and kayak tours paddle across the lake towards the glacier, keeping a safe distance from the ice face. Guides provide dry suits or waterproof gear, and no experience is needed.
Do not paddle close to the glacier face or to large icebergs. Ice can fall or roll without warning and create large waves.
Walking the shore
The lake can be reached on foot from the visitor center, the Nugget Falls Trail, the campground and the west side of the lake. Stranded icebergs on the beaches are fun to look at, but do not climb on them.
In winter
The lake sometimes freezes in winter. Ice thickness is not monitored and conditions change quickly, so do not walk on the ice unless local authorities say it is safe.
