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We arrived by cruise boat, we took the public bus which dropped us off about 1 mile from the entrance to the Visitors Center. The walk has a paved sidewalk and we felt safe. Due to the delayed arrival of out cruise boat, the Visitors Center was closed by the time we arrived but we were still able to make the most of our adventure. We took the 2 mile round trip path to see Nugget Falls. The path, though muddy was mostly flat. The base of the falls was sandy, but you can get fairly close the falls and the water. Not the best view of the glacier from here. On our return, we took the 0.3 mile path to Picture Point to better view the glacier. There were bathrooms available but once the sun sets, it gets dark quick. We waited at the share ride pick up spot for our Lyft to take us back. Uber is not available here
What can I say! I'm a sucker for beautiful waterfalls, and this was no exception. We canoe'd our way through the lake where the Mendenhall glacier is located, and on our way to the glacier, we saw this. You can also view these falls from the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center, but we chose to do it by canoe cause it was going to be a more unique (and tiring) experience. If you're in Juneau, this is a must see.
When visiting Juneau, Alaska, one of the most popular activities is to visit Mendenhall Glacier. But yet, Nugget Falls is now the main attraction of it all. Let me explain... First off, together Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls are located 12 miles north of busy downtown Juneau and the cruise ship pier. Most visitors sign up for a tour and take a coach bus to arrive here. I actually drove to Skagway, AK and then took a car ferry from Skagway to Juneau. But, people coming here are cruise ship passengers. - Nugget Falls is located right next to Mendenhall Glacier. Though, as goes with the hands of time, Mendenhall Glacier is a shell of its former self. The glacier melting and receding year after year makes it no longer that dramatic landmark tourists come to expect. Yes, there are viewpoints of it and I believe you can take private tours (like helicopters) on it for $$$. For the average viewer or cruise ship day-tripper, you take a few photos of Mendenhall Glacier and then what? There's more to do, right? Yes, lol, and this is where Nugget Falls comes into play. Most folks will stop in at the Mendenhall Visitor Center when first arriving. Then they'll maybe buy some souvenirs and gifts, watch a film about the glacier and leisurely walk the grounds while stopping at a few different viewpoint lookouts. What's next? It's Nugget Falls. The trailhead sits right behind the visitor center. You walk a simple paved pathway 1 mile through the forest and end at a beach shore where the 377 foot waterfall sits. Then explore at your own accord. It's a nice looking waterfall, but it's not that one sheer drop from high above. You stand at the base looking up as it trickles down the mountainside. I've seen more rewarding looking waterfalls, but still, Nugget Falls has a very positive reputation. An extra note... - One of my struggles with visiting overly crowded and touristy attractions is having strangers standing in my photos. I guess that's just me being a perfectionist, lol. But for early afternoon at Nugget Falls, I had to push myself in front of other people and sort of box them out to have first priority with Nugget Falls. The closer I walked to the falls, the less people I had to content with. The whole process was frustrating at times. Finally, I took a few photos just by myself. Point is...the waterfall can get crowded and it's hard to appreciate the moment with a lot of people around. In total, coming to Mendenhall Glacier and hiking the pathway to Nugget Falls is okay. But my advice to cruise ship passengers who have to pick only 1 activity to make their most worthwhile Juneau memory, I'd suggest an alternative... And that is taking Mount Roberts Tramway (located right beside the cruise ship dock) to the summit of Juneau. You get fantastic views looking down on the Inside Passage of Alaska. Plus, after exiting the tram, the 4 mile (roundtrip) hike to Gastineau Peak has stunning sceneries. And...especially if you luck out with a clear and sunny day (which rarely happens) in Juneau. I believe it surely beats Nugget Falls. In the end, most people eagerly anticipate getting up close to an Alaskan glacier. But in my opinion, Nugget Falls has now become the new "main event" attraction because of Mendenhall Glacier's inevitable recession. If you as a cruise ship passenger choose to come here for your day trip excursion, I would temper expectations.
An easy hike from Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Recommend taking the less traveled, beach access trail. It was quiet and secluded compared to the main trail. Mobility impaired folks may want to skip the beach access trail as there are a few areas that were wet but was able to navigate by hopping from rock to rock. When we arrived at the fall, the rangers were assisting a gentleman that injured his leg. There were several folks climbing a steep hill so not sure if that was related.
Nugget Falls and its trail is a great place to hike to from the Mendenhall Visitor Center. It's a brisk 30 minute hike 1 way on a pretty flat trail that takes you directly to the falls. The sheer force of the falls can be felt wherever you're standing when you get there. Formed by the creek from the Nugget Glacier, the waterfall drops 377 feet in two tiers of 99 feet and 278 feet onto a sandbar in Mendenhall Lake, which is the freshwater pool at the face of the Mendenhall Glacier. The lake then drains via Mendenhall River into the Inside Passage. This is a MUST SEE fun activity if you're coming here and well worth the hike! Wear your hiking boots to avoid slipping as the area is a rain forest after all!
Gorgeous 1 mile in and 1 mile out trail to the stunning falls! Very easy walk and suitable for all ages. I was lucky to see a porcupine both times I did this trail :)
We took a canoe tour on Mendenhall Lake to Mendenhall Glacier. It was amazing but along the way we went to Nugget Falls. Seeing this waterfall from the lake was so unique and couldn't be done without doing this activity. Our tour guide shared that during the winter the falls freeze and ice climbers like to climb it. The height of Nugget Falls is slightly taller than Niagara Falls. That was surprising since only a portion of the Falls are visible. It's one of my favorite waterfalls I saw on the entire trip!
Located in Mendenhall Glacier National Park Nuggets a falls is a must see. While the path is paved it is about a two mile in and out little hike. The rain can be heavy at times so it is slippery in certain areas, some bumps and such so watch your step. While you could probably do in a wheelchair; you'd definitely need assistance. The views the entire way are amazing and there are so many picture opportunities. Ms y families with kids enjoying the scenery. Once at the falls it's even better. Definitely an easy hike for most. Even those in less than perfect shape can do within an hour or so. Just go at your one pace and enjoy. Great view of the glacier as well.
Excellent experience. Was a lovely and easy walk from the trail head. Saw a guy get in (mostly naked) and a lady smoking at the final destination, which was unfortunate - but the rangers can't police it all. The visitor center was cute and informative. A nice addition to our Alaska trip.
It was such a beautiful experience. It was about 20-30 mins hike to get to the waterfall . We could feel the nature and got showered with negative ions .
Nugget Falls Trail is a popular trail at Mendenhall. A visitor take this trail to the water falls. It is about 1.5 hour round trip. It is along the Lake Mendenhall. It is easy access and easy to manage trail for all ages. The trail has view point at the end. The giant waterfall just rewarded for your hard work on the trail. It is beautiful and very close proximity to the Mendenhall Glacier. This is closer you can get without long walk to glacier. If you decided to walk a different trail, there beach access trail will connect to your the nugget falls at the begin of trail head. So you can do a loop.
I've done a few Alaskan cruises in the past and this year was lucky to do one at the very start of the cruise season. It was only the 2nd day of ships being in port and in Juneau, there was only 1 other ship in port. This really made for a more intimate feel of the city with so few tourists walking around. This also made for an empty Nugget Falls which made the experience much better. I've been here when it was full of tourists and this time having only a very small handful of people was great. Take some time at the visitors center to learn about the Mendenhall Glacier area then take the easy walk out to the Falls. You can get right up to the base of the falls! It's about a mile each way on a level, graveled path. One thing to remember is you're walking through a wilderness area with various wildlife like bears so don't take any food with you, even things like flavored water wouldn't be a good idea. They'll let you know this at the visitors center as well. It's about a 25 minute bus ride from the dock with many private companies offering transportation. An easy must do in Juneau.
18 days ago
18 days ago
After debarking from the ship, I took public transportation to Nugget Falls, and it was one of the highlights of my trip. The waterfall and glacier views looked like they were straight out of a travel book. Every step of the hike offered incredible scenery, and the views were absolutely breathtaking. It's a nice walk from the bus stop, but it's 100% worth the effort. If I had the chance, I would make this trek all over again. The unforgettable views of the waterfall, glacier, and surrounding landscape are something I'll remember for the rest of my life. read more
2 months ago
29 days ago
We arrived by cruise boat, we took the public bus which dropped us off about 1 mile from the entrance to the Visitors Center. The walk has a paved sidewalk and we felt safe. Due to the delayed arrival of out cruise boat, the Visitors Center was closed by the time we arrived but we were still able to make the most of our adventure. We took the 2 mile round trip path to see Nugget Falls. The path, though muddy was mostly flat. The base of the falls was sandy, but you can get fairly close the falls and the water. Not the best view of the glacier from here. On our return, we took the 0.3 mile path to Picture Point to better view the glacier. There were bathrooms available but once the sun sets, it gets dark quick. We waited at the share ride pick up spot for our Lyft to take us back. Uber is not available here read more
2 years ago
What can I say! I'm a sucker for beautiful waterfalls, and this was no exception. We canoe'd our way through the lake where the Mendenhall glacier is located, and on our way to the glacier, we saw this. You can also view these falls from the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center, but we chose to do it by canoe cause it was going to be a more unique (and tiring) experience. If you're in Juneau, this is a must see. read more
When visiting Juneau, Alaska, one of the most popular activities is to visit Mendenhall Glacier. But yet, Nugget Falls is now the main attraction of it all. Let me explain... First off, together Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls are located 12 miles north of busy downtown Juneau and the cruise ship pier. Most visitors sign up for a tour and take a coach bus to arrive here. I actually drove to Skagway, AK and then took a car ferry from Skagway to Juneau. But, people coming here are cruise ship passengers. - Nugget Falls is located right next to Mendenhall Glacier. Though, as goes with the hands of time, Mendenhall Glacier is a shell of its former self. The glacier melting and receding year after year makes it no longer that dramatic landmark tourists come to expect. Yes, there are viewpoints of it and I believe you can take private tours (like helicopters) on it for $$$. For the average viewer or cruise ship day-tripper, you take a few photos of Mendenhall Glacier and then what? There's more to do, right? Yes, lol, and this is where Nugget Falls comes into play. Most folks will stop in at the Mendenhall Visitor Center when first arriving. Then they'll maybe buy some souvenirs and gifts, watch a film about the glacier and leisurely walk the grounds while stopping at a few different viewpoint lookouts. What's next? It's Nugget Falls. The trailhead sits right behind the visitor center. You walk a simple paved pathway 1 mile through the forest and end at a beach shore where the 377 foot waterfall sits. Then explore at your own accord. It's a nice looking waterfall, but it's not that one sheer drop from high above. You stand at the base looking up as it trickles down the mountainside. I've seen more rewarding looking waterfalls, but still, Nugget Falls has a very positive reputation. An extra note... - One of my struggles with visiting overly crowded and touristy attractions is having strangers standing in my photos. I guess that's just me being a perfectionist, lol. But for early afternoon at Nugget Falls, I had to push myself in front of other people and sort of box them out to have first priority with Nugget Falls. The closer I walked to the falls, the less people I had to content with. The whole process was frustrating at times. Finally, I took a few photos just by myself. Point is...the waterfall can get crowded and it's hard to appreciate the moment with a lot of people around. In total, coming to Mendenhall Glacier and hiking the pathway to Nugget Falls is okay. But my advice to cruise ship passengers who have to pick only 1 activity to make their most worthwhile Juneau memory, I'd suggest an alternative... And that is taking Mount Roberts Tramway (located right beside the cruise ship dock) to the summit of Juneau. You get fantastic views looking down on the Inside Passage of Alaska. Plus, after exiting the tram, the 4 mile (roundtrip) hike to Gastineau Peak has stunning sceneries. And...especially if you luck out with a clear and sunny day (which rarely happens) in Juneau. I believe it surely beats Nugget Falls. In the end, most people eagerly anticipate getting up close to an Alaskan glacier. But in my opinion, Nugget Falls has now become the new "main event" attraction because of Mendenhall Glacier's inevitable recession. If you as a cruise ship passenger choose to come here for your day trip excursion, I would temper expectations. read more
2 years ago
An easy hike from Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Recommend taking the less traveled, beach access trail. It was quiet and secluded compared to the main trail. Mobility impaired folks may want to skip the beach access trail as there are a few areas that were wet but was able to navigate by hopping from rock to rock. When we arrived at the fall, the rangers were assisting a gentleman that injured his leg. There were several folks climbing a steep hill so not sure if that was related. read more
3 years ago
Nugget Falls and its trail is a great place to hike to from the Mendenhall Visitor Center. It's a brisk 30 minute hike 1 way on a pretty flat trail that takes you directly to the falls. The sheer force of the falls can be felt wherever you're standing when you get there. Formed by the creek from the Nugget Glacier, the waterfall drops 377 feet in two tiers of 99 feet and 278 feet onto a sandbar in Mendenhall Lake, which is the freshwater pool at the face of the Mendenhall Glacier. The lake then drains via Mendenhall River into the Inside Passage. This is a MUST SEE fun activity if you're coming here and well worth the hike! Wear your hiking boots to avoid slipping as the area is a rain forest after all! read more
We took a canoe tour on Mendenhall Lake to Mendenhall Glacier. It was amazing but along the way we went to Nugget Falls. Seeing this waterfall from the lake was so unique and couldn't be done without doing this activity. Our tour guide shared that during the winter the falls freeze and ice climbers like to climb it. The height of Nugget Falls is slightly taller than Niagara Falls. That was surprising since only a portion of the Falls are visible. It's one of my favorite waterfalls I saw on the entire trip! read more
3 years ago
Located in Mendenhall Glacier National Park Nuggets a falls is a must see. While the path is paved it is about a two mile in and out little hike. The rain can be heavy at times so it is slippery in certain areas, some bumps and such so watch your step. While you could probably do in a wheelchair; you'd definitely need assistance. The views the entire way are amazing and there are so many picture opportunities. Ms y families with kids enjoying the scenery. Once at the falls it's even better. Definitely an easy hike for most. Even those in less than perfect shape can do within an hour or so. Just go at your one pace and enjoy. Great view of the glacier as well. read more
2 years ago
Excellent experience. Was a lovely and easy walk from the trail head. Saw a guy get in (mostly naked) and a lady smoking at the final destination, which was unfortunate - but the rangers can't police it all. The visitor center was cute and informative. A nice addition to our Alaska trip. read more
3 years ago
It was such a beautiful experience. It was about 20-30 mins hike to get to the waterfall . We could feel the nature and got showered with negative ions . read more
Nugget Falls Trail is a popular trail at Mendenhall. A visitor take this trail to the water falls. It is about 1.5 hour round trip. It is along the Lake Mendenhall. It is easy access and easy to manage trail for all ages. The trail has view point at the end. The giant waterfall just rewarded for your hard work on the trail. It is beautiful and very close proximity to the Mendenhall Glacier. This is closer you can get without long walk to glacier. If you decided to walk a different trail, there beach access trail will connect to your the nugget falls at the begin of trail head. So you can do a loop. read more
2 years ago
This is an amazing place. Ever changing. Ez hike. To by the visitor center and watch a video and see the history of the area. It is beautiful there. Have fun read more
I've done a few Alaskan cruises in the past and this year was lucky to do one at the very start of the cruise season. It was only the 2nd day of ships being in port and in Juneau, there was only 1 other ship in port. This really made for a more intimate feel of the city with so few tourists walking around. This also made for an empty Nugget Falls which made the experience much better. I've been here when it was full of tourists and this time having only a very small handful of people was great. Take some time at the visitors center to learn about the Mendenhall Glacier area then take the easy walk out to the Falls. You can get right up to the base of the falls! It's about a mile each way on a level, graveled path. One thing to remember is you're walking through a wilderness area with various wildlife like bears so don't take any food with you, even things like flavored water wouldn't be a good idea. They'll let you know this at the visitors center as well. It's about a 25 minute bus ride from the dock with many private companies offering transportation. An easy must do in Juneau. read more
6 years ago
Absolutely gorgeous spot, you can walk right up to the waterfall!!! The trail is smooth and semi paved, and shaded. You can see Mendenhall Glacier, as well!!! Must See! read more
8 years ago
This was AWESOME! I highly recommend hiking to the falls, it's worth it. Pictures do not do the falls justice, it's very impressive. The walk is fairly easy, just take your time, you won't be sorry. read more
8 years ago
An adventure I will never forget! My second time to the Mendenhall Glacier and hiked the two mile trail but this time was totally caught off guard and experienced nature at its finest!! We came across a black bear family, appeared to be a mama bear and her two cubs making their way across the trail! Absolutely beautiful to see, they were so calm and couldn't careless about all the photographers!! Think we were so shocked and just pulled out our cellphones to capture the unforgettable moment! I loved it, couldn't be more excited and happy to see nature at its best!! read more
8 years ago
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1 year ago
Nugget Falls - hiking - Updated August 2026
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