Sightseeing
Season: May–Sep
Glacier & wildlife sightseeing
- Visitor center, Photo Point and Nugget Falls
- Black bears at Steep Creek in salmon season
About the falls
Nugget Creek drops 377 feet in two tiers down the mountainside beside Mendenhall Lake. You can hear the falls long before you see them, and on a breezy day the spray reaches the beach.
Within living memory the glacier reached much closer to the falls. Today the ice has pulled back up the valley, but the beach at the foot of the falls still has one of the best ground-level views of the glacier face.
The trail
The trail starts near the visitor center car park and follows the eastern shore of the lake. The first section is paved; the rest is packed gravel with a few soft, sandy patches near the end. There is very little climbing.
Tips
- Wear a waterproof layer: you will get wet if you stand close to the falls.
- Stay off icebergs stranded on the beach. They can roll or break apart.
- Watch for bears near the trail, especially in late summer.
- High lake levels during a glacial outburst flood can close parts of the trail.
