Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center Reviews

I'm uncertain if the visitor center has had much updating beyond the screen display that shows the change in the glacier over the last 50 years. But you can get a pleasant view of the glacier from the deck. I did not watch any films (if any were available) as I only had enough time to make a quick 10 min run of the centre before having to go back to the tour bus.

Sign on door said opens at 2 pm. Roof being re done. But turned out closed for two days. Wished I had known. But waited and took in views. Blustery day.

Make sure you have at least an hour and 30 minutes so you can do the small hike on trail past the waterfall to the glacier.

Full services, theater and gift shop

WOW, this was an excellent experience. Mendenhall Glacier plunges from the immense Juneau Icefield, dropping 4,500 feet over 13 miles. It has been receding for 300 to 400 years, since the Little Ice Age, and has retreated another 3kms since 1929. It is now receding at an unprecedented rate due to climate change. Start at the visitor center, with an indoor viewing area and a 15-minute film about the glacier’s dynamics so that you can fully appreciate what you are seeing. Then walk the 1km trail to Photo Point with a head-on view of the face of the glacier across the lake against a coastal mountain panorama. Also check out Nugget Falls, which were gushing after the recent rains when we visited.

Beautiful park, wonderful hikes, very scenic. The park rangers were very helpful & friendly. We saw a water fall, black bear, mountain goats and bald eagles

Well worth the trip to see a big glacier as up close as you can get.
Very informative visitors center. Nice film too. Glad we went. BIG waterfall you can hike 1/2 mile too see up close too.

This is the only place one can get out of the element. On a rainy and cold day it would have been nice if the place was a little bigger where people could sit, relax, have a cup of hot chocolate.

Beautiful area. Lots of places to hike. It also shows you where the glacier was at times in the past. Must see!!!!!

Enjoyed a nice visit with a walk down to the waterfall and beach area. Not a bad place in the park to view. Boys enjoyed junior ranger program.

Visitor centre gets busy as a result of the high volume of tour groups that are brought to the glacier. Visitor centre has a small store and bathrooms as well as some exhibits. It does have an elevator for those who would struggle to walk up the ramp. Some great views of the glacier can be found within the centre.

This is operated by the Forest Service and Ranger Ranger gives a talk often and leads a tour to the edge of the lake where you can see the Glacier very close. Also, there is a 15-minute film (see it first) explaining what you are seeing. No need to take an "Excursion" here; the city bus line passes by hourly.

Came as part of a cruise excursion. Absolutely breath taking views of glacier and nugget falls. Highly recommend the visit

Great bus trip from the port we booked at the port. Lots of walking to see this Glacier. And we were glad we did. Fantastic views and trails, make sure you have rain proof clothing with you and have the ability to walk on long trails. The photos I took were from a less expensive cell phone so they came out good. Totally worth the the day trip to do this.

This is a great place to learn about glacier history and walk around. We have been to Alaska on more than one occasion and enjoy going Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.

This is a must do. To be able to get that close to the glacier as well as Nugget falls was amazing! The water is and all the surroundings are beautiful. Plenty of hiking if you would like to do so.

Nice little visitors center with lots of information concerning the Mendenhall Glacier and nugget falls. They have exhibits and videos to check out and great views from high up of the surrounding area. There is an elevator for easy access if you are unable to use the stairs or ramp. Cute gift shop and restrooms. There were also staff at an information desk ready to assist visitors.

If visiting Mendenhall a stop to the Visitor Center is worthwhile. It is very busy so have patience. There is a video room that runs every 15 minutes that is worth waiting for. It gives an interesting history and perspective of the views from the Visitor Center.

Venturing a little further along the various trails at the park is worthwhile. We were on the clock, trying to pack in the Juneau sights. Rainy day, so we had the trails to ourselves most of the time. So beautiful!

Certainly a must see, if you are in the area. Generally, you can do only a small amount of walking or a lot depending on your inclination.
Interesting from an environmental and geological perspective.

A beautiful sight but very limited facilities. No cafe/restaurant/snacks available. We went as a tour from our shop - very over priced better booking independently when you get here or take a taxi

We arrived around 10:30am on 8/24/19 and had no issues with traffic or too many people. We visited & walked through the center looking at all the displays & various things within the Visitors Center. Watch a documentary in their Theater. Good views of the glacier from within. After walking down to Nuggets falls, which is an easy mile each way. We enjoyed the view of Mendenhall Glacier as well as the massive Falls. We took in a few of the other trails also. Great area to spend some time. We had rented a car from the airport so we were not rushed. Car rental was Much cheaper there @ easy to get to by city metro.

The walking trail was easy to navigate with absolutely gorgeous views! Definitely worth checking out!

This is apparently one of the places that is loved too much. The visitor center & surrounding trails are jam packed with people, many who have no regard for the environment or the fact that this is shared National Forest. There is probably a very different experience to be had off-season, we were there in the summer.

We did this on our own as cruise boat excursion costs were very expensive but easy to get to and well worth spending few hours at. Good informative visitor centre with well signed trails and boardwalks around. Unfortunately due to bear activity some were closed.
Concerning how quickly it’s eroded and the time lapse was stunning.

We spent a good amount of time in this visitor centre learning all about the glacier which was so visible from the outside. Really interesting with a 15min film explaining the history. There is a gift shop selling nice souvenirs too. Free entry.

Picturesque setting to learn about the Glacier, Tsongas forest, and Eagles galore. Take the trek through the forest to get to the Glacier and understand our historical need to preserve.

We learned so much by visiting the visitor center. The video was amazing! From the center you can see the glacier and the information given is great.

We went by bus to this place and it was worth the drive. We took this tour through the cruise ship, but it isn't necessary to book through them. We went whale watching and then on to this glacier. It was a beautiful day and we had a great time seeing this.

Located 12 miles from downtown Juneau. the Mendenhall Glacier is part of the 5,815 acre Mendenhall Glacier Recreational Area and part of Tongas National Forest. The area is managed by the United States Forest Service. The glacier extends from the Juneau Ice field to Mendenhall Lake. AT it's end point lies the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center which provides interpretive programs, an audio-visual presentation in their theater, a book store run by Discovery southwest Alaska, gift shop, tourist information and public restrooms. It is open year round.

There are a number of trails which start at the Visitor Center but it is the West glacier Trail that gives you access to the Glacier. The Trail of Time has historical signs and is handicapped accessible. Nugget Falls Trail will lead you to Fabulous Nugget Falls.

Mendenhall Glacier reached it's recent maximum length during the Little Ice Age in the 1700's and since that time it has been retreating. it has experience accelerated retreat in the last 50 years. Since 1929, it has retreated 3.25 miles.

From Juneau you can reach the glacier by Uber, tour bus, taxis or a public transportation bus which is the cheapest form of transportation to the glacier. Be mindful of the fact that the bus stop leaves you with a mile walk to the glacier.

Two and a half hours to go to the visitor center with the film, steep crek trail, photo point trail, Nugget falls trail.
Gorgeous

There's no need to hike for a great view. You can use an elevator that's available to get a bit higher, but anywhere on the property near the parking lot is an amazing view. Handicap access is not a problem.

Go. You will learn something’s and maybe even become a little more in tune with our environment. Plus it’s a beautiful, easy walk to see the Glacier (bring binoculars) and also an amazing waterfall.

We visited the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center on a bus tour through our cruise ship. The center has so much information on the Glaciers and their disappearing through the years. There is a good short movie that you should see. There are park rangers walking about to answer questions and give historical information. The most disturbing fact is the photos they show of how much the glacier has receded. I was here in 2000 and now in 2019 they showed me a picture and the difference is unbelievable. I could see it with my own eyes from "remembering" but seeing it compared side by side in a photo was something. The center provides good views of the Glacier and trails you can walk to so you can get closer. But you need a little bit of time for the hikes. Cooler up at the top, the views are remarkable.

Very worth-while to take in. I would recommend seeing it to anyone who is interested in geology and natural history.

It is a nice view of the glacier and the staff at the visitor center gave several interesting lectures about the glacier.

If you are in Juneau, you should visit the Mendenhall Glacier. The ocean, sand, mountains, and the glacier are worth to see. It was a nice walk and great oportünist to take amazing photos.

Beautiful hike to glacier and falls. Plenty of retirees made the hikes, even an elderly woman with a walker. Well worth it, to see the glacier and icebergs. Great view from visitor center and info.

Our excursion to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center was great. We only wished we had more time. Our tour gave us about an hour and a half to look around once we arrived. We love to hike so that wasn't really enough time for us. We walked out Nugget Falls and Picture Point and took lots of photos. That didn't leave time to really go through the visitor center or check out other trails.

We have enjoyed the majestic scenery of the mountains oceans and rivers. Our canoe ride to the base of the glacier was the icing on the cake. We canoed to the base of the Mendenhall Glacier. It was a fun adventure that included an hour longboat ride a short hike through the woods and then paddling a canoe to get closer to the glacier. It was a fun excursion. You really can not capture the beauty or scale of things. The water fall looks small but is about 300 feet high.

This is a nice center. Very clean and pleasant with good viewing areas. The gift shop is smallish, but they had nice things.

We spent quite some time in the visitors centre looking at the exhibits and listening to the informative staff. Best of all on the way back to coach we saw a black bear !

The visitor's center is a must when visiting Mindenhall Glacier area. The exhibits are wonderful and the introductory film is very instructive. The talks by the rangers are fascinating. The location of the center is up on a high look-out ridge (with elevator to ground level) and is the best way to get great pictures of the glacier. And it's all FREE.

With 5 ships of cruise passengers the place was packed, couldn't really see what exhibits there were. Nice video was shown (with long line to see it). Note, trail to falls floods out if raining and creek trail is closed for spawning season starting July 15. If it is raining, don't bother.

It was a little tired looking and very small. The best thing there was the bear hide and head. Maybe there was more to see in the movie room, but it was crowded on a rainy day and we didn't care to wait.

This is a beautiful Visitor Center with loads of information. There are different Ranger talks and other displays to learn from. It is definitely worth your while to watch the movie that is shown as well. Don't forget to get your Park stamp while there.

It is not far from city center; however, it was a rainy day when we went and difficult to see but you can tell how massive it is even so. Recommend going on a clear day so you can also hike to the falls.

Paid for a private tour bus out of Juneau, saved $$$ by catching a private vehicle. Picked up from ship; driver came back at agreed time. Simple and convenient. Quiet little visitor centre, great walk out to falls. Nice little side trip.

We enjoyed the presentations at the Visitors' Center. The hike to the Falls was nice, and the photo opportunities are amazing!! I would recommend this to anyone who visits Juneau.

My wife and I recently visited Juneau with friends while on a cruise tour in Alaska. While there, we took an excursion that took us to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. This attraction is well worth the trip. The people at the center are very helpful and knowledgeable about the glacier. The facility is very clean and has a lot of great displays of wildlife indigenous to the area. There is also a short video that is very informative about the history of the glacier. We enjoyed our visit.

Takes about a hour to hike out and back but it's worth it. Trail is easy for everyone. It's a must do to see the glacier.

This is a must see in Juneau. The park is just cool. There is a nice flat hike to the falls. Place is clean and the staff are friendly. It is a busy place. The glacier is very cool and the view is awesome. Don't miss this. It is part of the Tongass National Forest.

It was exciting to see the glacier so closely. The walk to the falls was nice. Pictures were perfect. Our driver provided lots of Juneau facts and the trip was very pleasant.

Definitely a "You SHOULD DO this" attraction. Easy access to Everything. Elevator up to Visitor Center if needed. Watch the video there. Trail to Nuggett Falls is not hard. There are large boulders and a couple benches along the path if you need to take a break. It is worth the hike. Took us about 35 minutes to get there due to husband's bad hip. Staff is informative and friendly. *** Unless you are with a cruise, Cheapest way to get there is Uber. Shuttles are expensive.

Beautiful landscape, perfect view of the Glacier, Staff very friendly, lots to see and explore, Very clean it was a perfect day to visit.

Visitor Center is a must go to when visiting the Mendenhall Glacier. The staff are knowledgeable & friendly when explaining or answering questions regarding the Glacier. Lot's of interesting information & videos explaining what was happened to the Glacier. We used the elevator to get into the Center plus there are washrooms available.

This is a must-see for anyone visiting Juneau. The park is very well maintained, there are trails for all abilities. Great to see the salmon spawning in the nearby stream as well. Don't miss this one!

Our trip to this glacier was amazing and well worth it. We had layers on layers to keep warm. Great photos and what a wonderful way to see nature at its finest.
We just loved the sight and atmosphere.

My wife and I visited the Mendenhall Glacier as part of a tour around Juneau in a rental car while in port on a cruise.

Parking was easy and we managed to find one of the eight or ten spots in the forward parking lot (that weren’t reserved for various other purposes). We walked to the visitor centre and paid the park fee of $10 each. However, there was no gate or entry point and we suspect the vast majority of other visitors simply walked in without paying the fee (or perhaps they were all on organized tours where the park fee was part of the tour cost). In any event, we were happy to pay to support the visitor center regardless of whether anyone else was paying.

Unfortunately, the best views of the glacier are from the area near the visitor centre, which is 1.6 miles (2.6km) from the edge of the glacier. I hadn’t done any research in advance, but had sort of assumed that we would be able to access the actual glacier (like at the Columbia icefields).

We walked the trail to the Nugget Falls (half hoping there would be a path continuing to the actual glacier, or at least better views of the glacier). And while the falls are about 1 mile from the glacier, the angle is much worse and you don’t get a very good view. The falls are cool and we took many pictures. The lake with the “icebergs” was also really picturesque and we wished we had time (and had made arrangements in advance) to kayak in the lake.

I would recommend visiting the glacier if in Juneau, particularly on a cruise. But temper your expectations and understand that it is not a full day excursion and you won’t get to go right up to the glacier.

Take the walk to feel the power of the waterfall - trail is peaceful and so beautiful. No worries about bears.

Gorgeous views and highly recommend making an adventure of it!
My husband and I decided to skip the huge fees for tour transport and we took the city bus and a walk to get down to the visitor center. We met a great couple along the way and the 4 of us enjoyed a hike around the glacier, encountering very few people!

We took a tour through princess cruises when we came here. We loved the sights from the viewing point and we enjoyed the hike to nugget falls. The gift shop was packed and the visitor center was amazing

The Glacier was a nice place to visit. My issue is with Norwegian Cruise Lines tour. This was not a tour as they described. It was nothing for then a bus ride to Glacier and being dropped off for over two hours. Norwegian charged $150 for a basic bus ride of 15 minutes each way. There was no tour or time provided to visit Juneau. I considered this a rip-off by Norwegian. I contacted them and they said sorry you were not happy.. nothing else. You would be better off to find another mode transportation to the Glacier and to the city.

We signed up for the excursion to Mendenhall Glacier from our ship. We walked the Nugget Falls trail which is a pretty flat walk out to the waterfall which is beautiful and an awesome place for pictures of the waterfall, glacier and surrounding bay. The 15 minute movie at the visitor center was informative and worthwhile. We were very thirsty after our walk and we were a bit disappointed they didn’t have a cafe or water for purchase. Across the parking lot you will find catwalk type trails elevated for viewing salmon and other wildlife. Overall an enjoyable visit.

If you don't mind walking a little (15 minutes) to the point where the municipal buses leave that would take you to the final stop of Mendenhall Valley (lines 3 and 4) and from where they leave you another 30 minutes to the Glacier Visitor Center , you will save 88 Bellon dollars per person. The municipal bus costs 2 dollars (they don't have change!) and the trust (cartel?) that the transporters have set up 90!!! (they are all the same, long live the competition!!),
Charging $90 for a 30-minute transportation seems outrageous to me!
Also they will tell you that there are no longer municipal buses!! Partial lie, because they don't arrive but the option with those limitations exists, but they won't tell you.
The stop in Juneau is usually long and there is nothing else important to see.
With a normal physical shape it can be done (I am 75 years old) and you have the pleasure of not being hesitated.

The was a small museum there that was very interesting. We were able to get pretty close too. There was beavers and birds too.

This is a must see. The hike to the waterfall is well worth it! Absolutely beautiful. We hired a cab to take us to the site and he picked us up when we were ready to go back. It was only about 45.00 each way. He even took us to the other side of the glacier for another spectacular view! Also, the movie at the visitor center is worth seeing.

I'm so glad we took the time to watch the short video on the formation and gradual decline of the glacier. So very informative as well as the other attractions and information in the Centre. A must see while visiting this spectacular gift of nature.

We had a spectacular view of the glacier. It was very busy, but didn’t keep us from getting amazing photos. We were on a cruise and found out you cannot use Uber or a taxi. They cannot drop you off close to the center. We had to pay $45 per person to use a shuttle and it stops in the parking lot. There is some walking, but it isn’t strenuous. This was a favorite stop on our trip!

The visitor center is spacious with plenty of windows. Our group of four enjoyed the park ranger's informative talks. Nice restrooms and an elevator for those with walking issues.

We took a bus from Juneau to see the glacier and we were really impressed by the visitor center. It is very accessible for everyone, stairs, ramps, and an elevator so everyone can come in and learn. There were plenty of guides and talks about the glacier and the wildlife, and a riveting video showing how the glacier has changed over the years. There are lots of options for walks to see as much as you like of the glacier and plenty of local wildlife, including bears. Definitely worth a visit.

A must visit if you are in Juneau. A short drive from the town to see this amazing place. There are a few hiking trails of different calibers challenges. A nice short walk to the photo point. The water fall hike is nice if you have some time. The glacier is absolutely beautiful with the different shades of blue. Enjoy the whole view from the visitor center. Learn more educational how glaciers are form and the changes over years. Worth a stop.

We went to Mendenhall through NCL shore excursions. It was nice that it took us right from the ship, but we were not given enough time. From the time we got off the bus to walk to the photo vista point, take a few pics and then hike to the lake and Nugget Falls, we were rushed. We spent 2 mins. at the vista point and then maybe 10 minutes near the falls because we had to get back to the bus. Other than that, the view was incredible. The lake had a mystic turquoise color and the trail along the way was very green. I've never seen so many trees in my life. You get quite wet if you get to close to the falls from all the mist. The glacier itself is actually far away, but you get a good view. Take binoculars or a zoom lens on your camera to see the glacier better. Be on the look out for Romeo.

Riveting account of just how powerful the warming of just a few degrees can be. National Park provides artifacts and videos of the changing face of Mendenhall Glacier.

The Visitor center is a nice little place. They give you lots of information on the Mendenhall Glacier, the Falls, and the local wild life. Even with the crowds, it was not that bad at getting around. Lots of different spots to get great views.

This place is awesome. It's right in front of the glacier you can walk up to the visitor center by stair and they have huge windows to look out at the glacier and they have awesome people telling you all kinds of information about the area! Truly awesome experience.

Well worth the trek to see this glacier. Spectacular scenery and views. Visitor centre is also well worth a visit where local rangers will explain all you wished to know.

The Visitor Center added an informative dimension to our glacier hike, well timed, fun and useful (not to mention clean restrooms).

You will want to visit this beautiful spot when you stop in Juneau. We rented a car and enjoyed driving around the area in Juneau rather than doing tours. Mendenhall glacier was one of our stops.
There is a nice walk to the falls and view of the glacier. Saw a porcupine up in a tree on our walk. They don’t want you brining food into the park so we ate our lunch in the parking lot. It’s easy access and easy trails with lots of spots to stop.
Well worth seeing and great spot for pictures.
Visitor Center was crowded but we did see a film which was informative.
There was a hike to the top of the falls which looked great and strenuous but we did not have time. Would have liked to have done that hike. The view would be awesome!

The visitor center is very informative. There are also views from the building and a short film about the glacier.

Exhibits are informative, interactive, and not too much to read. Windows overlook glacier beautifully

The Visitor's Center sits on a hill overlooking the Mendenhall Glacier. The views from this perspective are gorgeous! Inside, there is a small gift shop, movie about the Glacier, and informative displays about it. I was particularly fascinated by the time lapsed video of the Glacier itself. There are quite a few rangers present to do activities with children in their Junior Ranger program and to answer any adult questions. The Visitor's Center does its job enhancing the experience.

We were in Juneau for 6 days, we went to the Glacier 4 of those days. It is breathtaking. We got to see Romeo the wolf in the visitor and his rock near Nugget Falls. If you go to Juneau read A Wolf Called Romeo! You will want to explore every inch one this beautiful glacier. I completely understand why he loved this place so much. My son loved Nugget Falls, we did that short hike 2 times. We hiked the East Glacier trail, a deck hand on a fishing trip we took advised us to start at the bottom of that trail rather than at the visitor center. It was great advice, it was a little challenging because it rained quite a bit while we hiked but we had the trail to ourselves and it was a highlight of our trip. We really wanted to explore the ice caves but were unable to hire a guide while we were there. We will definitely return!

This trip to see both the glacier and the visitor's center was good and you could get a clear view of the glacier. The information center was very informative place. You learnt about all glacial formation and movement.

What a fabulous place to see and be near. Beach available to see waterfall and glacier. HEMLOCK natural growing poisonous plant growing wide beware. Idea place for photography

If you're not going to hike the glacier trail, this is your other choice. You can see the glacier and nearby waterfall to take pictures and go inside the center to hear more about glaciers, but you'll need a mask to go inside.. Read the facts and decide for yourself, but I conclude that this glacier is a sad example of global warming.

Such a beautiful area I arrived very early and was able to have the area pretty much to myself for a large portion of my visit, trails are well marked and the rangers and staff are superb . cannot wait to bring family back next time

I took the Blue Bus here and really enjoyed my visit. I noticed everyone walking up a steep ramp, but was happy I saw a sign for an elevator. That was a treat after walking 2 of the trails. I enjoyed looking around their displays and the view of the glacier from the center was nice. The small gift show had a nice selection of items.

Enjoyed visiting the glacier visitors center. Busy place but we were there in a weekend. Felt like we got close to the glacier and did this as part of our whale watching tour.

Probably the best way to set up a visitor's center for a glacier. Great views, a few (but not too many) exhibits, and my kids loved the bear and mountain goat pelts.

Perfect place to see the glacier if you cant afford the other close encounter excursions. You can walk to the lake and also to the Nugget Falls, which were impressive. Worth your time.

They have a short film and interesting exhibits about the glacier. Lots of kid-friendly info. Worth the stop before venturing out into the park.

I went to Juneau first week of Sept with a cruise. The weather was gorgeous, T-shirt weather!
First tip - wear those ultra light down coats, the park faces the glacier and wind comes from glacier direction. So the park is much cooler than the town center.

Transportation: I find it very easy to use blue bus, $45+tax, drops you off at visitors center, and there are buses each hour to take you back to town.

A 2.5 hours stay can cover short walk to phot point, longer but easy trail to the fall, and 20 min movie at the center.

Btw, few steps away from blue bus drop off, there’s a short walk in the woods which you can see salmon.

Highly recommend to go while you are in Juneau.

A great first look at a magnificent glacier. There is a wonderful waterfall to the left of the glacier. Highly recommend hiking to it. Takes about an hour roundtrip but so worth it if you have time. Nice hike along the way and it gets you up close to the glacier rather than just looking at it from the visitor center.

If you have kids or teenagers you have to visit. It's only $5 to enter but I suggest getting two season passes for $20. We made several trips to the visitors center to walk down the steep creek trail to see if there were bears. You can access most trails without paying for a pass but you get neat little membership cards for keepsakes if you get the season pass. The bathrooms are decent too. If your in the area go now before the glacier recedes out of view of the visitors center which may happen within the next five years.

The visitor center is a great start to seeing the glacier itself. Be weary of were you are and the nature you are in. Often fresh scat can be seen in this area.

I really enjoyed the visitor center, the view out the windows, the movie, and the path from it to where we could view the glacier from a distance. We were on an organized tour that didn't give us time to walk to Nugget falls or to get closer to the glacier itself.

Completely awesome trip. we took the float? plane and flew over the glaciers for a view like no others. I think this was the most expensive excursion we took and it was worth every penny. If I ever go back to Juneau I will do it again and they can charge me more if they want to!

Beautiful view of the glacier and trail to the falls. The centre itself is also very interesting. But don’t miss the boardwalk to the left of the parking lot as we saw bears there catching and eating salmon and climbing the trees.

I loved it, it was something different, different from what I usually see/ The waterfall was unique and the glacier was impressive.

We were in Juneau a couple of weeks so we were able to schedule our visiting time to avoid as much as possible all the cruise ship excursion buses unloading. This is a beautiful place the visitor center was clean with a great view. The gift shop was tiny, crowded, and frustrating.

Absolutely an essential day trip when coming to visit on a cruise ship. It is a great place to walk around and be close to a magnificent glacier. It is also a great place for photos. The gift shop and visitor center is nice and relaxing with great views.

We walked to Nugget Falls, then followed paths that led by streams where we could see salmon using their tails to hollow out "nest" for laying eggs.Very interesting. The film in the visitors center is about 15 minutes and worth watching.

Visiting the glacier and getting walk around the bay was amazing. Snow melt was feeding a raging waterfall and you could walk down to the waterfall by trail or along the beach. It's a mile one way. The visitor center was very educational. Great information about the glacier and the wildlife in the area. Highly recommend a trip there. Lots to see and do.

My husband and I spent a morning at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and area. There are five different walking/hiking trails. We did three of them. We loved the overlook area and the walk to Nugget Falls, just be sure you go both up and down, as you see the falls from different heights! We also did the East Glacier hike, which is 3/5 miles. It is definitely one of the more challenging trails (a lot of going up and down), and while the forest area is gorgeous, we were a little disappointed by the overlook up there and the fact that you really couldn't see any part of the park. However, it is an absolutely breathtaking area. We did not encounter any wildlife while we were there, but there is always that possibility. Excellent way to spend a morning.

You've come all this way, see the short video with stunning views of the ice field, a fairly honest depiction of the 3000 year retreat of the Alaskan Glaciers. Then hike the several trails for photos to include the huge water fall at the end.

This was one of the more disappointing destinations of our Canada/Alaska trip. Although the glacier is a spectacular sight, it was less impressive than other glaciers we visited. But the main thing we disliked was how incredibly busy this place was. Very touristy, lots of push and shove inside the visitors centre, long lines for the elevator to get into the visitors centre, and we struggled to find our bus for pick-up amongst the constant procession of coaches. If visiting Juneau I would consider other attractions instead.

Beautiful visit to view the glacier and walk up to nugget falls. The visitors center was a bit crowded due to cruise ship tours, but the staff was excellent - friendly and informative. This is a place that pictures can't do justice. You just have to see it. And hurry before it melts away!!

Very small and not a lot of info in this visitor center. They do have the stamps for your passport, but get out and talk the walk to the glacier!

This was our end point for the cycling part of our Bike and Brew Tour, and we enjoyed the visitor centre, as well as the hike to the nearby falls (for which we just had time, before our ride back to town left)

The spawning sockeye salmon were awesome to see. Part of the trail was closed. Fee area, so if you have a national park permit bring it as it is accepted. Otherwise after 10 am the visitor center opens. The glacier was across the lake. Did not hike to the falls but could see them well.

Saw some wonderful sights at this location. The center was very busy but had a video theatre, cafe and welcome toilets

We came to this visitor center after taking a walking tour of the Mendenhall Glacier. The visitor center contains some awesome exhibits, a great mini-documentary, and the trails are beautiful. If you’re in the area, it is worth your time. If you’re short on time, make sure to check out Nugget falls - a very short walk away.

This is a first-rate visitor center staffed with exceptionally wise glacier specialists. And, they have some of the best gifts in Juneau in the gift shop.

The visitor Center is about 30 mins from the dock. My wife and I took the "Blue Bus" from the tram station. They have a 15 min movie. The exhibits are good. The Rangers are helpful. We hiked out to Nugget Falls. The path is paved. The falls are very impressive close up.

The visitor center is nice but it was closed while we were there. The area is still gorgeous. Beautiful views. The grounds are well kept. With the volume of people visiting then it would seem they could be open longer hours but that didn’t damper out visit.

The short hike from the visitor center to the glacier and the waterfall was beautiful. While you cannot get all the way to the glacier, it is protected at any rate, you are right next to a short but very powerful waterfall. I hiked back and entered the visitors center where there was a lot of information and photos of the glacier over the years. I consider Mendenhall Glacier and the visitor center must see activities in Juneau.

We decided spur of the moment to take a taxi here before a whale watching excursion. So glad we did! The view of the glacier from just visitors center is incredible. We also chose to take the very easy hike out to Nugget Falls on a mostly paved trail to the most beautiful beach and waterfall. Visitors center also has some great information and we learned a lot. Highly recommend while in Juneau!

We've visited here twice. Our latest trip was a stop in November 2018. The Visitor Center was closed, but we were still able to walk along the paths and get a great view of the glacier. In the summer, the center is open, but packed.

Beautiful natural wonder. Easy paved hike to Nugget Falls. $5 per person entry fee was covered by our annual National Parks pass.

If you visit Juneau this is a must! We saw so many eagles and the waterfall and glacier were magnificent. Lots of nice trails to explore. Truly a place of beauty.

Interesting information and learned a lot about the recession of the glaciers. Nice gift shop and good clean bathrooms.

Last time we were here Sandre really wanted to go to here to touch glacier ice but we couldn’t because our whale watch boat was late so we missed it. This time wemade syre to go and we did not have a good time. Sandre has always watned to touch Glacier ice and we were told by the visitor center attendant that it was not good to touch it and that is NOT the way you talk to customers. Sandre was furious and she went back to wait for the shuttle back to the downtown and so I explored a little and I found a deck in the woods and there was a little baby bear in the tree!!! (pictured) I would definitely come back to see the bear that’s for sure but don’t go if you want to touch Glacier ice because you can not.

In Alaska we are privileged to have many spectacular glaciers and mountains to view. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Mendenhall Glacier and also equally enjoyed the short hike over to Nugget Falls. This waterfall was large and spectacular. Beautiful place to visit.

I'm glad I stopped at the Center before I walked the trails, as they can give maps and advice on what to do if you have limited time. Modern building and you can take the ramp or the elevator. The movie is informative, so don't miss it. It does get very crowded. Clean bathrooms. The trails around the Center are well-maintained with lots of signs about the local plants.

Beautiful but made me sad to think how fast it was reversing. Walked to the beach...who knew a beach in Alaska! Nice trail. Friendly staff in visitors center...let husband use handicapped restroom restricted to employees!

A great starting off point. Listen to a narative of the glaciers formation and how much they have receded over time. Walk around the park they are a couple of trails to take. Perfect picture taking. You can leave from Juneau for a tour ride for 45. per person(round trip) and stay as long as you wish.

The day we went it was raining and cold so we didn't feel like doing the walk so we went to the visitors centre, it was crowded and nowhere to buy coffee or any refreshments.. very disappointing.

B & R - Australia

The image of pure blue ice and icebergs from glaciers takes a bit of knock here because pollution has left the top of the glacier with lots of dark black marks which detract from its majesty. Like most (all?) glaciers it is retreating and once virtually covered the lake in front of it. The associated park is worth wandering around but in September they wouldn't let us wander too far as the bears are eating as much as they can before hibernating and might attack visitors if they smelled foodstuffs.

We were in Juneau for work and took several hours to drive to the glacier. What beauty there was to behold. We paused and took in the site. The sound of the water, the smell of the ice, and the coolness waving over us. We walked to Nugget falls in the misting rain and gazed at the cascading falls. We visited the visitor center and enjoyed the displays. We saw a sleeping bear. We enjoyed getting a memory trinket at the visitor center store.

What a rainy day but so glad we ventured out to Mendenhall glacier Visitor center.. lots of information in the center with a nice indoor and an outdoor viewing area... It an easy Walk to Nugget falls but allow about 20 min walk each way...

We took the long walk to the falls next to the glacier. It was worth it. When we returned, we went into the visitor center where we learned about the glacier and how it is shrinking, but also, it's origin.

Impressive scenery and a very walk-able area highlight the visit. There is an interesting visitor's centre that is accessible by either a ramp or, after a short walk, an elevator. The area has lots of walking trails of various lengths which give impressive views of the surroundings.

** rather than go directly to the centre, go left to the pavilion to get a direct view of the glacier. The day we were there there were lots of 'calves' floating in the water.

Didn't take a tour. Hiked the West Glacier trail to 2011 but didn't go in the ice caves. Then went to the visitors center and walked the east trail to the falls. Awesome. And Free!

Exactly what everyone else has said. Beautiful views, easy trails. Just gorgeous and a must visit.
If you are visiting from a cruise it is not easy to get to. You will need to rent a car, go by taxi, uber or visit as part of a tour.
We traveled by uber to get there and flagged down a taxi to go back to town. It is so worth going but the transportation can be a bit of a math problem. Stay flexible and the numbers of a taxi service to call just in case you get stuck.

visited her while on a cruise and well worth it,

great views and fantastic walks to glacier and to waterfall,

If you are up to a small walk (1.5 miles) this is the best way to get to the visitors center!!! We arrived in Juneau on a cruise ship. Luckily I ran into a fellow traveler who had great advice. The cruise ship wanted $68 per person for transportation to and from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitors Center. She recommended the public bus! We hoped on at the Transportation Center downtown and took the 4 bus to Mendenhall Valley for $2!!! The bus driver could not have been more pleasant, pointing out places of interest and stopping for us to see a black bear on the side of the road. He told us how to get back to the bus after our visit to the glacier.
At the visitor center the kids earned a free ranger patch for answering questions about what they had learned. It was a great day!

A true natural beauty. Recommendable. The hike to the waterfall was spectacular. My husband and I enjoyed it very much. Thank you

Lots of interactive exhibits and ranger talks to learn about glaciers and how our climate is changing.

Enjoying a glacier that will not be around for much longer. We had visited this glacier 10 years ago and we could see a big change in how far it had receded. We enjoyed walking the trail that led up to the glacier viewing area. It was not strenuous at all.

Lots of information to gather at this wonderful visitor center. Many programs and talks throughout the day with helpful staff present to answer questions. I would highly recommend.

Good view of Mendenhall Glacier from visitor center. Not much activity to do near the Glacier or visitor center.

This visitors center is very nice. It has an excellent gift shop and awesome views of the glacier up close. wildlife can be seen at times in the surrounding area. There was plenty of parking because most people arrive by bus. It's just a short drive from downtown Juneau. It was well worth the money and time spent.

Having walked to the photo point, I then went to the visitors centre, where the view of the glacier continued. The centre was full of interesting exhibits, and the NP people held talks on the glacier, the wildlife, and the bird song you might hear.

Impressive and beautiful views of the Mendenhall Glacier both from the visitors center and from the ends of the walks thru the woods. The trail off to the right that carries you to the base of an ice cold roaring waterfall is a worthwhile 1 mile stroll. Small pieces of glacier float up to the shoreline so you can pick them up for photo opportunities. Easily reached by taking one of the many small buses from the cruise docks that will drop you off within a few 100 ft of the visitor center and return multiple times for a return trip. You can set this up yourself and save quite a bit of money from the cost charged by the cruise ships. Simply get off the boat and walk up to one of the many booths selling tickets.

We took a bus from downtown Juneau to Mendenhall glacier, about a 30 minute ride and $2 per person. We picked up the bus from the transit station which is located around the corner from the Silver Bow Inn where we were staying. I believe the buses run very frequently since there were several options that took you to the glacier. Once you get dropped off at the Dredge Lake stop, you have to walk a mile and a half until you reach the glacier visitor center. This place is a madhouse. Many buses and tours go there and it was wall to wall people. There’s a visitor center with a movie that wasn’t being shown. There are also several fun easy walks: a two mile walk to Nugget Falls, a .6 mile walk to a photo view of the falls, and .4 mile Steep Creek Walk, where you can view the salmons coming up to spawn. We also saw two porcupines, one relaxing in a tree and one eating leaves up in the branches of a tree. The glacier is impressive, although it has been receding very quickly in recent years, but the crowds are a bit daunting. There are other longer hikes available in the area but we didn’t do them.

Obviously the number one attraction, in Juneau and well deserved. Breathtaking scenery with up close viewing of the glacier as well as a huge waterfall. This will be the closest you will get to a glacier, on an Alaska cruise, as the cruise ship may not be able to get close in Glacier bay. Very nice 1 mile walking trail to get to the glacier and falls. The visitor center is just basically an interactive learning experience as well as a souvenir shop. Make this your must do activity and avoid the tourist trap town with the time you have available.

The view was amazing of course, but the staff are really what made it a great experience! The Rangers are helpful, very nice, and make sure everybody stays safe. The visitor center was a wealth of information. There was information on plants, animals, the geology, and so much more. Take the walk to the visitor center, not the elevator, if you can do it. The Bears and this morning fish were awesome too!

We visited Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau on a 3+hr excursion from our cruise ship in June. The Visitor Center is built up on a hill which makes for a picturesque setting. The Visitor Center provides a great introduction to Mendenhall Glacier and Tsongas National Forest where the glacier is located. The walk from the parking lot to the Visitor Center is lovely with far away views of the glacier and Nugget Falls. An elevator takes visitors from grade to the Visitor Center level. But, the walk up the switchback path is also very scenic and one should take this path on the way down, at least. The exhibits in the Visitor Center are very informative; the exhibit showing the progress (or regress) of the glacier through the decades is striking. They also have a movie about glaciers.

A variety of trails start from the visitor center, with the trail to Nugget Falls being the most popular. It is about a one mile trek to the amazing falls. The shorter Photo Point trial provides a great view of Mendenhall Glacier. These two trails are absolute must dos in this place. The Steep Creek trail is mostly a boardwalk trail in the creek area through the rain forest. There are two other trails, but we did not go on them.

If you are visiting Juneau, do not miss a stop at this beautiful spot.

A small center with a great view, a movie and an expalnation of glaciers in general and the Mendhall glacier in particular. You need at least an hour to read everything and see the movie but it would be well worth it.

We did a tour to the visitor's center on our recent trip and I'm so glad we did. The film which shows the regression of the mendenhall glacier was quite and eye opener, and the exhibits were very informative as well. We also walked down to Nugget Falls, which was a beautiful walk even on a rainy day. Unfortunately we didn't see any bears or other wildlife on our trek, but it was great getting close to the falls and closer to the glacier. So glad we went.

A nice visitor center before you get into the glacier view, neat wash rooms, good staff to help and address all the queries

It's been a number of years since I've been inside the Visitors Center. I usually just hike around but had my niece and nephew with us and they had not been inside. Was great to look through the high power binocular to see the sheep out on the mountain. Couldn't see them with the naked eye. Loved the short movie that was playing. I wanna see it again so I can make note of the gal that was weaving as I forgot as soon as I walked out of the theater. Hahaha! I highly recommend a visit inside if you haven't in awhile like me. A lot to see and learn

The visitors center was nice and did a fun job of explaining glaciers and the history of this glacier. If you are hoping to get close to a glacier you really won’t. I have seen or been on other glaciers so this one is not as impressive.

A lot of good information, a great starting point for hikes especially to Nugget Falls. I recommend if possible to get on a tour of that goes on the Glacier, but for a quick trip this place was worth seeing.

The Mendenhall Glacier is a stunning feat of nature and one of the best attractions near Juneau. There is an easy walk to a lookout that offers a gorgeous view of the glacier and surrounding lake, and a longer hike that leads to a waterfall and a closer view of the glacier - don't start this hike later in the day as it will likely take longer than expected.

Don't miss the boardwalk that follows a section of a creek where salmon spawn (late September to early November) and bears are frequently spotted. We saw two cubs in a tree and the mother fishing about eight feet from us. Because we were above the creek and behind mesh wiring we felt very safe - she didn't even seem to notice us. The rangers are also very present, making sure people stay safe, while offering education on the bear's activity.

The staff were knowledgeable about the area. My favorite part was the viewing area with all the windows. My tour company didn't give enough time to see much. I would not have even noticed Nugget Falls had I not gone in the visitor center. I would have loved more time to explore all of the exhibits and gift shop. Take and make the time.
There is a ramp, although steep at points. There is an elevator in the visitor center.

The rangers on staff offers a good presentation and provide information regarding this area. There are displays available and rangers that have a passion for their work and the protection of this vast environment.

Saw some awesome and beautiful sights, this was a trip of a life time.! The glacier was spectacular to see and hear. The sounds of the glacier calving is totally awesome.

This was part of an excursion from Princess Discovery. Visitors center very small, but does have an elevator; important detail. I personally feel it's time they update the visitors center. Wonderful views with a lot of historical information about the Glacier. There is a small theatre and about a 15 minute informative movie you should watch. Sadly, as I looked through the pictures, you can clearly see the glacier getting small. Heartbreaking.

The glacier was beautiful but next time I would take a kayak out to it to see it better. I really thought you could walk up to its base but it has retreated too much for that. But the short hike to the waterfall was so worth it. We stood in the rocks at the base of the waterfall and splashed in the shallow water on this pretty beach. This was a pleasant surprise to us. Don't just stop at the pretty visitor center. Take the hike. And it is educational, showing you by year how much the glacier has receded. Hurry while you can. Well worth the visit.

My family took a shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier. It was a great experience. We walked around some of the trails. We were a little early in the season to see the salmon spawning and to catch bears fishing. You get a fairly up close view of the glacier. Amazing. There is a short hike to a waterfall. Well worth the hike. It is beautiful. The visitor’s center shows a short informative video of the area. Highly recommend it!!

The glacier is located 10 minutes from town, in July august there is lots of wild life including bears, time lapse pics of the glacier are scary, lots of rangers to ask questions, don’t get ripped of by your operators get a taxi or bus to the glacier and save money

Easy to get to, nicely paved or maintained trails that are very easy (walking not hiking). It was salmon spawning season - so the Steep Creek trail was partially closed b/c the bears like to eat the salmon. Watching the sockeye salmon swimming upstream was fascinating and we got to see a black bear munching on salmon. Walk to Nugget waterfall was nice and the views from the outlook point beautiful. Video inside is worth watching.

We hiked the West Glacier trail and took the Cairn route to the glacier. A bit gruelling, but worth it. We arrived at noon by cruise ship, rented a car (Avis) then did the hike (would have been 4 hours, but for a shoe failure - took 6 hours). On a dry day - it was very do'able for us. Trail was not busy, but there were enough others to give a sense of safety.

While in Juneau, Alaska we visited the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Centre. This was the first time for me to see such a spectacular view up-close of a landlocked glacier. There are numerous walking tracks all in varying levels of difficulty and viewing areas. There is plenty of wildlife. The approximately 20km long river of ice definitely takes your breath away. After having spent four days working in the Tongass National Forest I especially enjoyed the short film back at the centre which explored the interplay in the whole natural ecosystem of the area and how the glaciers in the region are impacted. Needless to say, I now have a far greater appreciation and love for these incredible ice leviathans. Well worth seeing at least once in your life.

Love at first sight. The visitors center is the best spot to start your experience. There is a 15 minute movie worth watching about the glacier. The waterfall hike, for those who wonder, is more like a long stroll to a majestic waterfall. Well worth seeing

Beautiful place to visit, lots of walking involved, once in a life time to see the Glacier up close!

Museum next to the Mendenhall glacier area. Well designed exhibits explaining glaciers and what to see, helpful staff and an overlook for ease in taking photos especially on cold days!

Absolutely gorgeous area. Saw a year fledgling bald eagle, no white head yet as well as about 10 other mature eagles on the drive in as well as at the location. There was a porcupine in the tree. He was a cutie. Must do for anyone there for a day or so. We took a taxi with Andy James with Juneau Taxi from the ship. He was an awesome tour guide. Cost not bad and we had a ride from the ship and back according to our schedule. Yes, you might go up into Glacier Bay and see glaciers there BUT nothing like this. You are much closer to them. Most wildlife we saw while there in October.

If you love nature, then this is a must do! The view standing next to the waterfall and looking at the glacier, it is breathtaking. The infocenter is nice and you can learn things about glaciers. And if lucky you will spot a bear.

Everything was so "cool", literally and figuratively, we saw a few presentations regarding the glacier and enjoyed everything. The staff was so helpful!! Awesome family trip, we enjoyed it all.

The glacier is amazing, the waterfall -wow, the hike down to the waterfall and glacier was so amazing. I loved it!

Enjoyed the exhibits and movie after hiking a few trails. We arrived before visitor center opening and were able to hike before the weekend crowds arrived.

We went to see Mendenhall glacier on our trip to Alaska. It was lovely to see the glacier and the lake along with the waterfalls. We walked to the photo point to get some lovely pics. I also walked up to the informative visitor centre. There are lots of hikes which we didn’t get a chance to do.

Great visit and the visitors center is very informative. We didn't have much time there as we were part of a tour, but the time we did have was well spent.

We took Lyft from the pier to park. (20 min ride) and they could take us up close to the park. We heard /saw the city bus drops off about 200 yards from entrance. Tour buses will bring close too, but are more expensive.
Not great service there —so plan on return ride or cell number to try call when ready.
I didn’t see fees, no one asked when we arrived and we talked to park ranger. On way out we saw a $5 fee per person at parking lot. Not sure So please check and see. I have national pass so didn’t look into it more.

We were told 2 hours would be enough in rainy weather. But if weather is nice give it 4 hours (or more). Then you can spend time at the visitor center or add’l hiking.

We hiked out to glacier viewing area and also to Nugget Falls. Spent some time at visitor center to see how much ice has receded in last 200 years. 20 min video was good too. All that in 2 hours but it was rushed. Had to get back to ship.

It is still beautiful however, it has receded over the years from the first time we saw the Mendenhall Glacier. The visitors center is excellent really enjoyed all that was offered.
The highlight however was the bear that walked across the path - this is a path provided for the bear to access the water.

This is a very nice center. Very good and informative displays plus a very good 15 minute overview. The location offers excellent views of the glacier and the rangers were just great with kids. The maps were very easy to interpret and trails were very easy to follow. One key thing is that there are no concessions of any kind - not even vending machines. They also do not allow you to take your own food into the park. Other than that, it was a great experience and I would do it again.

My newly husband and I spent a few hours walking around the tails and enjoying the beauty of nature has to offer. We really enjoyed the fresh air and just taking in how beautiful the Glacier looked.

We were fortunate to get to the center early in the day before the large number of tourists made their way in (there were three cruise ships in port). The center provides a nice place to learn about the glacier, and the flora and fauna. A video plays at regular times and it gives you a general idea how glaciers have shaped the area. As there are also restrooms, it is a good stop before or after you make your way closer to the glacier. By noon it was crowded though.

Nice walk to Nugget Falls and view of the front of the glacier. Next time I would not take a tour bus from downtown Juneau, I would arrange my own cab or driver.

We had booked an excursion with Vacations to Go but it was cancelled for no reason. We did not make alternative plans and decided to check it out upon arrival. Our cruise ship arrived 4 hours earlier than scheduled due to an oncoming storm so no one was going on a scheduled excursion for the next four hours.

We decided to ask around to see what the costs were to get to the glacier. We were first quoted $125/person by one of the booths at the port. That seemed like a lot so we asked one of the taxi drivers and he said he could take all four of us there for $60 one way. He dropped us off 100 meters before the park entrance because he would get charged $15 for each of us if he dropped us off in the park. Not sure what kind of rule that is but he had it posted in his taxi. We asked him to pick us up in two hours. He told us he would pick us up at the Porcupine Stop. There’s several different pick up/drop off areas named after animals.

We went into the visitor centre and paid $5/each for the park. There was no one to check if we paid or not so if you didn’t go into the visitor centre, you could have just gone into the park for free. Today was the last day the visitor centre was open so maybe it was a bit more lax?

There were only about 6 other people at Nugget Falls when we arrived. It was amazing!

The glacier was beautiful too but it was sad to see how much it has receded.

On a cruise, we stopped at the Mendenhall Glacier. I learned so much during our visit about how glaciers are formed and how our current climate is impacting the glacier's health. I have a new appreciation for glacial formations and those that research and protect them. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and helpful to a non-local. I would certainly come back to hike, because the hike a completed with my mother was short, but beautiful!

Beautiful location obviously but also really enjoyed the ranger talks at the visitor center, great talk about global warming and impactive seeing just how far Glacier has receded over recent years
Nearly missed bus back as thrilled to watch salmon jumping in nearby river outlet

Lovely day for a trip to the glacier. We didn’t see any bears but did see some salmon. Great visited Center with a lot of info on the glacier and it’s inhabitants.

You don't need a ticket of any kind to walk to see Nuggets Falls.
It's a 30-60 minutes round walk on flat area.
Very easy to walk with a wonderful view of the falls.

Junea was an amazing place with lots to see and shop if you like expensive Jewelry
The trip up to & walk around the Mendenhall Glacier was pretty spectacular too
The White Horse Railway is a must see with awesome views of the mountains and gullys

Excellent walk for all ages and forms of mobility, all the trails are very well marked and in perfect condition, it is really beautiful and the entrance price is quite adequate. You can buy your ticket in the same parking lot at a machine either in cash or with a card. Everything was very well thought out, including the visitor center. I just missed a place to buy a coffee or a hot drink or just water, so come prepared.

We arrived around 8:00 AM and had the whole place to ourselves. We took the little hike on the gravel path to the waterfall. Didn't see anyone until we were coming back. The visitor center was closed due to Covid, but we'll catch that next time. Easy walk and places to stop and rest if you want.

I've travelled for years (but just getting started on writing reviews) - but this from the Grand Canyon, Yosemite National Park, Niagra Falls and more - this one stands out as one of the most impressive! You will enjoy this experience!

The building itself is beautiful, and the huge windows give a great view of the glacier. Reading the panels and exhibits gave me a good understanding of the ecology of a glacier. I did not know that it is fed by an ice field. I also learned why the ice is blue. And it really is blue! The trails around the visitor center are well maintained. We really liked the short walk to Nugget Falls. Being right next to those thundering falls was an experience!

Seeing up close and learning about this glacier was interesting. The visitors center offers many ways to see how the glacier was formed and how it is changing. The hike to Nugget Falls was easy and we loved walking the trail. Being in front of such a force of nature was thrilling.
We did not hire a tour company but rather drove to the center ourselves and enjoyed being on our own time schedule.

Luckily, we arrived at the Mendenhall Glacier VC about 20 minutes before it had to close. We did manage to pick up a few things from the gift shop. I really appreciate the workers doing what they can in the face of so much unnecessary adversity.

We had the time to hike out ot the waterfall and back before our bus took us back into Juneau. They do keep the bathrooms open after the Visitor Center closes. The views are very good, although the glacier has regressed quite a bit compared to many of the pictures that are posted here.

See the video and walk the trails at this gorgeous spot. You can watch the salmon spawning in Steep Creek and might catch a glimpse of a bear. Walk around to Nugget Falls and check out the varying vegetation that grows as the glacier retreats -- a mile since 1930. The ice thins by 20 feet a year as we humans mess up our precious planet.

While we were on the port call to Juneau, we took a shuttle to the Glacier. We did not go through the cruise line. We got off the ship and walked to the kiosks. We gave ourselves plenty of time to go and get back before we had to be back on the boat. This is worth every penny (and still cheaper than booking through the cruise line). The scenery is magnificent. If you catch a talk by a tour guide, listen up. They share lots of interesting bits during the talk. Sorry, not going to spoil the adventure and share too much. Suggest you go. The shuttle bus driver made a joke, "You're paying to go watch ice melt." yeah, maybe, but it sure is pretty spectacular. The gift shop in the Visitor Center is nice, and even toward the end of the season, it was well stocked with sizes, and a variety of merchandise. The things we saw in the Visitor Center were nice. We spent most of our time outside though, hiking to the falls, stopping to take photos, and enjoying the mild, sunny weather we had that day.

Very nice visitors center with a lot of information, definitely worth the walk out to Picture Point and Nugget Falls. You can spend as long as you want, take your time on the walks and enjoy the scenery along the trails.

The tours to visit the mendenhall glacier are sold out - so we had two choices- take the city bus and walk 1.5 miles each way (we saw a lot of people walking), or rent a car which is what we did. Totally worth it. By driving we saved our walking legs for the trail to nugget falls. And we went in early evening when there were no crowds. Very beautiful. Was nice to get out and walk on a beautiful day.

This was a trip from a cruise ship and we were given less than 1 hour to visit which is not long enough. There is a sign that says 45 minute circular walk to the waterfall which unfortunately we didn't have time to do, neither did we have the opportunity of seeing the video presentation. There was a guide near the lake shore explaining about the glacier which was informative.
After seeing the Hubbard Glacier this was a disappointment.
The trip said you would get 'close for a photo opportunity'. Mmmm. Not close enough.

The park gives you a great view of the glacier and Nugget waterfall. The hike is easy. The visitor center provides a great deal of informetion.

We visited Mendenhall Glacier with my sweetheart’s cousin, who has lived in Juneau for over 20 years. He said when he arrived in Juneau, the glacier was double the current size. We paddled on the lake below the glacier, which was awesome for a couple from Lower Alabama. The point is, the glacier is melting, so see it before it is gone.

Very well done center. Don't miss this place! Lots of trails to explore, and lots of information to digest. Get there early because the cruise ship tours will flood the place - before 9a and you will have the place to yourself.

We took the bus from downtown and we had only about an hour at the glacier. Unfortunately, it is a hike to see how much the glacier has retreated. The visitor center is nicely done although be prepared for no food. We took a nice hike along a trail from the visitor center which was easy to walk. We had a beautiful, sunny day which is not always the case in Juneau.

This is a must do while in Juneau. We did this while on a stop on our cruise - and like everyone who is visiting by cruise ship , they give you very little time in port. Do yourself a favor and save some money and control your time by booking bus tix to Mendenhall via Big Blue Bus. $45 round trip booked thru TripAdvisor/Viator and they pick up and drop off every hour and half hour on the clock. We spent as much time as we wanted taking pics of the glacier , going thru the visitor center and walking to the falls (none of which is strenuous). It’s about 0.5 mi flat walk to the falls (you can get right up to it). You won’t be able to get super close to the glacier btw, but some broken off pieces of ice will be within reach that you can touch. My dad was just so amazed by the beauty - he has come to Alaska via cruise before but never went here. And this definitely was his favorite thing on this cruise. FYI there is another restroom in the visitor center and a little hike in a loop near the parking lot area. Also if you come by prepaid bus, that covers any fees for entering the park.

Mendenhall is quite spectacular, do yourself a favor and catch a taxi from town to the visitor center. You have to pay extra to get them to take you all the way in. Here are the other options, 1. Catch public transportation and walk the 1.5miles to and from the center. 2. Get the taxi but not pay the entrance fee and walk 1.5 mi to and from the center 3. Take a tour/excursion bus ($50-$100 per person, princess excursion) . We chose the private taxi to and from town the total was $120 (Round trip) not bad. Doug was great, shared with us his story and all the knowledge he had of Juneau nice enough to give us his card so he can pick us up.
The visitor center & discovery southeast book store hours are 8am-730pm 7 days a week. If we planned this in advance, I would’ve added a bit of hiking. We only learned of this place through some of the locals and decided on a whim to give them a visit, we were already a bit tired from our excursion in the a.m it was around 4pm when we got here. Go, you’ll be glad to see this beautiful glacier and remember its only once in a lifetime!
For Taxi service use Juneau Taxi and Tours – Doug Pegues 907-723-6219 or google them for the general #

The visitor centor provides a nice overview of the local geology and history.
The trails are a big plus. Two of the main trails are paved for almost any traveler. The best one goes to a gravel bar at the base of a waterfall with lots of spray and a perpetual rainbow on sunny days (we were lucky to have sun). The gravel bar looks across the lake at the base of the glacier. Heliocopters were flying over the glacier like flies on a carcass, but they were far enough away to not be too distracting, and the birds seemed toignore them from a safe distance.
We went off trail along side the lake on our return and found many great views, with a few creek areas where stepping stones had been placed to make crossings easier. We saw many birds, a porcupine in a tree, chipmunks, and other squirrels.
The second paved lookout point trail was also nice, and might be wheelchair compatible for the more daring.
There are several other nice hikes in the area.

Place was incredible, staff very informed and shared with us presentations and answered questions easily!! Shocking to see the speed of the glaciers melting on time lapse video,,,,

Visitor experience to this center is a must. Only a short trek to the photo point of the glacier. But if you need a surreal deal , a longer trek going to the nugget falls is the better feel. The only problem is that if you are in a tour group or package , you are allotted only an hour to stay . Visit to the falls already takes around 50 minutes going back and forth. Suggestion is to go separately. Anyway there are services to the glacier center every 30 minutes. Afterwards go the visitor at the topmost area with a just an easy trek or use an elevator. Buy the souvenir. Watch the short film if time permits.

We love the beauty of your surroundings while they. We saw a porcupine, and mountain goats on the hill above the Falls. Make sure to walk the boardwalk around the outside of the visitor center. I would not take a tour. I would have a taxi take you there drop you off and then you call them when you’re ready to return. That way you get to spend as much time there as you want if you like to hike, you can hike up to the falls, which are beautiful. You definitely are going to need several hours there. The visitor center is very nice and good for kids. Also don’t miss the movie that they show at the visitor center..

We enjoyed our visit. The visitor center is well organized. Unfortunately we didn't have time to hike to Nugget Falls.

Great spot with tons of options. There's paid trails for more specific views and harder trails but also free options for some great views of the falls. Clean and well kept and very accessible for everyone. Most of the trail to the falls was paved and shaded. Very relaxing stroll to a great view. Clean bathrooms at the start of the trails.

Stop by the visitor center to see the exhibits and watch the movie. The movie was interesting. However, the most interesting exhibit was four photos, taken in different years, that show how much the glacier has receded. It will not take that long to see the exhibits. Then be sure to go outside and take the short path to the glacier.

This was my second visit to the glacier but first time I had enough time to walk the trail to the falls where u get a different view if the glacier and an up close view of the falls and the glacier

This is a beautiful area with wildlife to see ... if you are lucky, a maintained, paved walking path, with many views of the glacier for photo opportunities, and exploration. The glacier waterfall is beautiful as well as the the glacier. The visitor's center is informative, and apparent that global warming is real!!! The shop is loaded with glacer information, products, and the usual.

One of a kind view a must see when in junea, we where here for a day n took a city bus walk about a mile to a bus stop, n hike to get here we didn’t mind view was worth it we even had time to shop before going back to cruise.

Great place to take pictures of the glaciar! Real clean restrooms and it shows history of the glaciar.

We arranged ahead of time for a taxi to take us to Mendenhall when we got off our cruise ship. There were 4 of us and the cost was $45 each way. It is an additional $20 per person for the park ticket which we bought from the taxi driver. Well worth the cost! We got to stay at the park as long as we wanted. We just told the taxi driver when to come back for us. No rushing to be back to a tour bus in an hour or so. Near the Glacier is a waterfall. You can walk to the waterfall or go on other hikes. It is beautiful in the park. People were kayaking to the glacier. The visitor center had a lot of information about the glacier, wildlife, weather etc. We were told not to miss the movie they play for guests but it wasn't playing that day. We walked to another part of the park to see Sockeye Salmon trying to swim upstream to spawn. We visited the right time of year (late Aug.) to witness this! It was a bit cold and rainy the day we were there but the bulk of the rain waited until our drive back. We saw many eagles both ways in the taxi. So many eagles! Some sitting on the light poles as we drove by. So cool!

At the head of the trails is the center. Has an elevator if the steps are too much. Open, airy and breath taking views. Many exhibits, interactive and informative. Clean. Has restrooms. Small but well supplied gift shop. Absolutely NO food or drinks allowed as bear safety most important. Well marked trails, the views are beyond beautiful.

We started our visit walking along the Boardwalk Steep Creek trail and saw a black bear chasing ducks in the creek. Many salmon in the creek as well. Nice area to rest at the pavilion and view of the glacier. Then we walked over to the photo point trail with every changing views as you walk along the trail and water. Be sure to spend some time in the visitor's center. There is a short film about the history. The viewing area has a sign which indicates the glacier had extend thus far in 1935. Wildlife textiles and glacier ice to touch. Take the one-hour hike to 400-foot-tall Nugget Falls. We ran out of time to enjoy the two other trails. We would return.

The place is pretty nice. It doesn’t take all day to check it out and it’s quite beautiful. Bears are usually on the surroundings so after being a whole season in alaska without seeing bears, this was the only place where we saw one. The park rangers are amazing, very knowledgable and overalls provided an amazing experience

This was an amazing place to visit. Loved everything about it. Hiking was not bad. The path was paved all the way to the glacier area.

From the ground or at highest point inside the visitor center, you can't go wrong with these breathtaking views of the glaciers, mountains & waterfall. If you're adventurous you can rent a canoe and get up really close to all.
Bus driver said can be mama bear with cubs at times, but no such luck during my visit.
To save money take the $2 each way city bus and walk over a mile, very doable if your in good shape, otherwise the city tour operators are so much more, but they can shave off 1/2hr of time going & coming vs the typical hour on city bus.

We took a tour in the Cruise ship, the glacier is just fantástic, the whole área is a place to walk around, they have a visitor center where you can see the change of the place through the years, 100 %recommended

(Why do people go on a cruise with thousands of people, get on buses with hundreds of people to go to the same place and then give a place a bad review because there’s too many people?) This place is wonderful! While individual parking is limited, there are bathrooms just off the parking lot and also in the visitor center. There’s an elevator to the visitor center. The visitors center contains a lot of information including a movie. There’s also a gift shop. It’s an easy mile hike each way to Nugget Falls. My tip is to go off season. (There’s no entry charge. In the morning, I was the only one on the trails.) I advise calling ahead to confirm visitor center hours. The website doesn’t always have the most current information.

Very complete and with very good information about the glacier, I'm sorry that I don't have a place for a hot coffee, which is sorely missed there

Visitors center has a great view, lots of historical information about the Glacier. There is a theatre and a 15 minute movie you should watch!
The walk to Nugget Falls was not strenuous!! No inclines!!! You will enjoy it.

Nice place to warm up and learn about the glacier and Alaska's wildlife. Very knowledgeable employees.

Very clean and beautiful area. It was really neat to see the glacier up close like that. My family and I enjoyed hiking around there too.

We had a beautiful day at Mendenhall Glacier. The walk was paved and pleasant. We also hiked up into the Forrest, and along the time line. Later we walked over to see the salmon... and on the lookout for grizzlies :)

Wonderful, beautiful, amazing! Worth your time! Walk to the falls, enjoy every second of the scenery, small chance of seeing a bear. We didn't, and that was ok. Great trails, such a gorgeous area.

There was all that you would expect in the visitor centre including gift shop large windows for viewing the glacier and and educational room for watching an information video. It is a long climb up to the centre although there is a lift which is how we went up however we walked down. Sadly it was a very wet day with lots of low cloud and heavy rain fall, or as our guide said Alaskan liquid sunshine.
We did have a brief break in weather which gave me the opportunity for one photo but no more. Well worth visit I am sure it is much nicer in the sunshine.

This was a great place to visit especially since our cruise skipped over our glacier visit.

It is a little bit of a hike down to the waterfall but worth it. Very scenic and memorable.

Alaska is by far one of the best trips I have ever taken. Mendenhall Glacier is immense, photo's do not give its majestic size a description worthy of its enormity. If ever in Alaska you should make this a visit on your itinerary. You may even see a bear under one the walkways catching Salmon during the salmon run.

Get out there early. We took LYFT out there, could not find any Uber rides when we went. Got out early, hike is easy to the falls. Such a great visit. Was able to get a Lyft back from glacier to dock. Save yourself about $25 per person by not taking a cab.

Amazing views of the Glacier ,easy walking around with lots of walks to different areas .for different views . visitor centre was informative .Well worth a walk around to Nugget falls, took about 25 minutes to get there.

The glacier was beautiful, as was the waterfall. I do recommend going for these reasons, HOWEVER my issue is with the visitors center. My family (11 of us, which included my parents with some mobility issues) toured the Mendenhall Glacier on a Monday. There were several other cruise lines there as well. The place was packed out! So the visitors center closes at 5pm, but I thought surely with all these people here AND with more cruise lines still coming in, they would make a small exception. NOPE. We heard an announcement at 4:30 that the Visitors Center would be closing in 30 mins. Fine, whatever. The issue for me is that they closed the bathrooms in the center 15 minutes before they closed. I’m talking a velvet rope, personnel standing by the rope-closed. They were turning away, frail, elderly people that could barely walk, making them go down the hill to the outside restroom, which is a haul in itself. Imagine being 80 years old+ walking down a lengthy incline with a full bladder knowing the center was still open for another 15 minutes. It was very insensitive and rude.

A must see!!! Spend some time on the trails! Breathtaking views! Eagles, salmon and bears! Bring a camera and a rain coat.

This is something that we are glad to have went and seen, because it is in danger of melting. The glacier field has shrunk so much over the past. there is a beautiful water fall there to see as well. An excursion well worth taking.

You can get to visitor center by car, or take the bus and walk. We took the bus from the transit center and it took us 40 mins to get to the closest stop and another 20 mins to walk to the visitor center.
Bought 4 day passes at 20USD to visit the nugget falls and view the mendenhall glacier.
Visitor center is a nice rest stop before you start your hikes, does have a lot of information and a decent spot to view the mendenhall glacier from a height.

Our helicopter ride got cancelled due to low cloud ceiling, so we hopped on a bus for $35 and headed Mendenhall ourselves. We spent an hour and a half hiking the trails to Nugget Falls and viewpoints of the Glacier. The visitor center is small, but there's a short video and gift shop.

Viewing this glacier is a must when visiting Alaska. The starting and end point is the Information Center (where the only .toiletes are located!) There are several paths that you can follow around the surrounding area. We had enough time to take 2 routes. There is no cafe for refreshments. The Information Center gave the history of the glacier and the Lingit first nation people of the area.

The visitor center had wonderful information and displays about Mendenhall Galcier. Plus the views were beautiful! It is well worth visiting!

Great experience to get to see a mighty glacier up close and personal. Sad to think they all might be gone in the next 25 years or less. The Facilities are lacking in almost all amenities except bathrooms.

If you are expecting to walk up to the glacier, you will be disappointed. You can get close. Visitor Center is well done.

The visitor center is very well done and quite informative. The park rangers are very friendly and helpful. There is a very pleasant trail to the glacier that is only a short walk.

Go to the visitor center first to see the film and take a quick look around to see the history. The rangers are given you many facts and ar very friendly. Enjoy

Seeing the receding glacier and listening to the park ranger is interesting by itself but the film and exhibits at the visitor’s center provide a more thorough explanation and history worth everyone’s time. The visitor center also has a small souvenir shop with some interesting and standard trinkets.

Great place to visit. Stop in the visitor center and take the walk to the glacier and the waterfall, it's a very nice walk.

Lots of trails to hike and enjoy the out of doors. There are easy trails and longer ones for everyones enjoyment.

Great views of the glacier from the visitor center. Also 2 trails, one short one for a slightly closer view and one about a 2 mile roundtrip to the nearby falls.

Very informative and lots of information on the glacer and the area around it. They have a nice gift shop, beautiful views (amazing photo ops!) and modern facilities. You can see an amazing waterfall close up with a short walk, they also have elevators for those who need them. Very impressed with the center and staff.

I loved walking up to the visitor center after looking at the glacier and their museum was very nice but I enjoyed being able to watch the movie about the glaciers… it was very informative -truly I enjoyed myself!

This was a choice for an excursion from our cruise ship and we were glad that we chose to see it. We were transported by bus with our cruisers and were provided with informative narration along the way. We were given ample time to visit the area. The Visitor's Center provided much information. There was a walking trail that ended near the edge of Nugget Falls and the glacier for a close up look.

As I stood here and looked at the glacier ... I thought to myself “I have no concept of big anymore “. The mountains are huge and the glaciers are too but when you are around them for awhile you lose the scale.
This is a must see glacier with a waterfall. We stayed fairly close to the visitor center as there were black bears out that day
Cute gift shop

This is a must see. You can walk right up to the glacier by following an easy to access path. I also agree with a previous reviewer, if you are on a cruise ship don't bother with the pricing excursion. Grab the city bus and go on your own. Much cheaper and you get more time to explore.

I expected much more from the Mendenhall Visitors Center. It’s small, cramped, and doesn’t provided any information that you can’t obtain from an online search. Skip the Visitor’s Center and take a walk on surrounding trails. If you really want to get up close and personal with the Mendenhall Glacier, take a helicopter tour that takes you directly onto the glacier. A bucket list experience.

A great place to visit with spectacular views of the glacier and Nugget Falls. Able to walk right up to the waterfall. Well worth the time with a number of trails to choose from. It could be cool and damp this time of the year, so dress appropriately. And, admission is free.

Great sights of a glacier! It was my first time in Alaska. We did some trails and visited the visitor center. It was great!

Alaska is, among other things about glaciers and this park gets one about as close as possible with a great view of the glacier as it appears today and a visitors center that offers a lot of info and ranger presentations that fill in the past and look to the future. A great way to educate yourself about glaciers, what their value is to all of us, and what the future is likely to bring if we (humans) don’t mend our ways. A very worthwhile visit.

If you can get there early before the rest of the throngs of people you will enjoy it more. With 4 cruise ships in port it was a busy day at the visitor center. You could barely turn around with out bumping into someone.

Well groomed, staff available for any questions, even had telescope lined up on a mountain goat for our viewing. Great spot to take pictures.

While on a Royal Caribbean cruise, we visited Juneau, Alaska. After a short walk from the port into Juneau, we found Glacier Taxi cab ( Victoria was the operator). My group of four were transported to the Mendenhall Glacier National Park. Victoria advised that the cost for the round trip transportation would be $30 per person. Approximately, 3 hours later Glacier Cab ( Victoria) returned and picked us up.
Thank you for a wonderful experience.

Phenomenal experience to see a crashing, cascading waterfall next to a blue glacier, overlooking a pristine lake, surrounded by a forest. An aesthetically pleasing 20 minute walk from the circle driveway to breathtaking beauty. And you can get very close to the waterfall if you don't mind the overspray. There are several picturesque vantage points to take pictures of you and the family with the three backgrounds. A bear and salmon were also seen on the catwalk. What were the Russians thinking when they sold Alaska for 1.2 cents per acre ?

Beautiful location and great to walk around the trailers and see the waterfalls !! Don’t miss it ! Numerous trails to walking trails through the rain forest

All the helicopter rides to the Mendenhall Glacier were sold out, so I went to the Visitor Center. The Center had several good presentation and a lot of good displays. Also had really good views of the Glacier.

This was a great excursion and the walk was a little rushed to keep our timing to get back on the shuttle bus, but worth it. Great picture venue. Lots of trails to explore, just don't miss your shuttle. Totally beautiful location.

There was a video and short talk. We liked the views from the large windows. After walking a bit, the elevator was great to have. It was nice to have three bathrooms to choose from!

I advise to get the taxi at the corner for six of us return it was 175.dollors and that included entrance fee.

We came into port by Cruise and took a bus to the airport where we had a car rented. Drove to Mendenhall and hiked around. The Nugget Falls are worth the hike! We talked to 2 Park Wardens and learnt a lot. You can see little Ice Burgs floating in the lake!

Spectacular scenery and so many eagles! Truly a gift to experience the beauty of the glacier. Great trails and boardwalk.

Beautiful area to walk and see the glacier and falls. Would have like to spends more time exploring but we were very rushed as we were on a cruise excursion. Walk down to see the falls and a closer view of the glacier. Not close enough to touch but still an amazing view. Walk along path includes hills and can be a little slippery in the rain.

So glad we took the chance on the weather and spent 3 days in Juneau in December. We came as a side trip from Seattle and Vancouver Island where we’d had Christmas with friends. The visitor centre was closed for low season but we walked the trails and saw the glacier and falls which are easily accessible from the well laid out trail. The paths were very icy/slippery so I’d recommend ice spikes for your boots. Great to wander with only a couple of other tourists and some locals. Beautiful scenery.

About a 30 minute trip to The Mendenhall Glacier. The hike to Nugget Falls was easy and mostly flat and paved. Great photo opportunities near the Falls. However, the photo path really allows you an area to see the Glacier and get good pictures. Visitor center great film on the changes the Glacier has gone through. Able to touch Glacier Ice. Recommend an hour and a half. No food or other activities there.

Plan to spend at least 1/2 hour here to go thru the displays, the gift shop and to watch the film. The movie is by request, so be sure to indicate that you want to watch it. The views from the center are good.

Going to the Mendenhall Glacier and it's visitor center is a 1st time visitor staple. I found that at the visitor center the staff was extremely informative about the history of the glacier and the surrounding areas. They had fantastic photography of what the glacier used to look like 50 years ago, to show how the glacier has retreated over the years. I would recommend that all people come here. I would also say that if you are physically capable, it is WORTH IT to walk to nugget falls. That is the closest you will get to the glacier.

Great views, you can get so close and see this mind blowing glacier. Must see, we loved the park area and the short hike was easy for all

small walk to the cottage with souvenir kiosk video explaining the glacier a trail to see a very big waterfall or stay on the lakeshore take photo

As there glaciers recede, see them now. Mendenhall is beautiful and stunning, and the visitor center is helpful and informative - fun as well as educational.

Although you cannot actually get on the glacier from the visitor center it provides an outstanding vantage point for viewing the glacier. Also there are many hiking paths for other views if you have the time. Inside there is a movie theatre (Free) and it is worth watching!

Awesome trails met super friendly ranger 💕
Interesting visitor center- requires a mask 😷 🙁 trails well kept and center excellent. Saw salmon and a couple of Timber Tigers 😉 no porcupines.

The Hubby and I were taking an Alaskan Cruise and our first stop was Juneau. We had pre-booked a Helicopter Tour 7 months in advanced to fly over and land on the Glacier! We were looking forward to it but, due to inclimate weather conditions, several Helicopter Tour companies had to cancel their flights. This was the last week of June :(
The next best thing was locating a shuttle to take us to Mendenhall Glacier and Visitor Center.
There are several Vendors located on the Pier as you disembark your Cruise Ship. We booked a Trolley Shuttle for $80 per person to take us to the Glacier through Juneau Tours.
Upon arrival at the Glacier, there is a walking path which takes about 10-15 minutes to get "close" to the Glacier. Not our planned Helicopter trip landing on the Glacier but, we still got to see the Glacier and it's surrounding waterfalls.
After taking lots of amazing photos, stop off at the Visitor for a complimentary 12 minute movie about the Glacier. There is a small Gift Shop and clean bathrooms.
NOTE: Make sure you wait at the correct pick up stop to be returned to the Pier. We waited at the drop off zone and missed our trolley.
We quickly resolved the situation, called Juneau Tours who said they had been looking for us and we could catch the next trolley back.

We booked an excursion on our Viking Cruise to see the Mendenhall Glacier and Whale Watching Tour. We had a wonderful naturalist guide who met us at a parking lot in the Mendenhall Glacier Park. We took a nice leisurely walk on a trail where he gave us a lot of information on the Glacier and Park. We went to two viewing areas for the Glacier. We did not hike to the waterfall. We did not go into the visitors center. We did go in an elevated boardwalk where we saw a black bear..she was coming close to the water (salmon were plentiful in the water) ...it was awesome...great safe view. There was a Park Ranger that monitored the crowds. This was the best view of a black bear during our entire Alaska Trip.

We saw many glaciers while visiting Alaska but the glacier here was probably the best. We had easy access to viewing the actual glacier.

I loved the Visitor Center. The staff are super friendly, helpful and if you ask them they will tell you of bears have been seen recently or how many salmon have been counted in the stream on any given day. A great little video in their theater room on the Juneau Ice Fields is full of information as well. Worth the stop!

This was fun to see but not nearly as exciting as I had hoped it would be and we could not really get very close to the glacier so it basically looked like two mountains with snow in between. Glacier Bay was much more exciting.

Breathtaking views, from the Salmon in the stream to the views of the glacier . The visitor center offered an educational video which was great. All of the staff were very welcoming.

We enjoyed the visitor's center at Mendenhall Glacier very much. There were many interesting displays, movies, and pictures to illustrate the glacier and the valley. It is a must-see when visiting Juneau.

Beautiful area. Butternut Falls. Not sure if the glacier was effected by floods. Check out other reviews before visiting. Take a professional guide in any case.

The tour buses just dropping of gangs of 40-50 every few minutes. Best to get your info at the info booth on the loop. For your visitor center store, you will have to brave the mosh. There is an elevator if the climb up to it is too much.

We stopped that Juneau on our cruise and wanted something inexpensive and beautiful to do. We took a bus ($45 ea) to the glacier and walked the path to the falls and glacier (free). It’s was absolutely breathtaking and left us speechless at times. I would highly recommend this venture.

There is an elevator up to the visitor center. Short video was informative, displays were well done, several places to sit to enjoy the view. Very small gift shop. We walked to Photo Point, Nugget Falls trail was closed due to flooding.

Can you really review a Glacier? Nope because the glacier doesn't care. However, the visitor center was very informative! It's a bit sparse but well done and educational. I could easily have spent several times the amount of time (the elderly person I was with could not tolerate the cold). The region is beautiful and the walking paths around the park area are peaceful.

I enjoyed the video at the visitor center. I totally enjoyed the hike to the waterfall. And I like looking at the glacier because I have been there 10 years prior. It was just amazing to see how far the glacier had retreated in those 10 years.

Part of our tour near Juneau was a stop at Mendenhall Glacier. There is a very nice visitor centre with interesting exhibits and great viewing area to take in the beautiful scenery. Of coarse there are nice, well maintained hiking trails out to view the glacier up close and we did even though it was rainy all day. Beautiful spot to visit but be prepared for all weather.

Well done! Great presentation of the Glacier and surrounding area, some wildlife and ice bergs in the lake

Loved getting up close and personal with hundred year old ice. Saw a lot of bald eagles on the bus ride out to glacier and learned about glacier run off and the information about glaciers.

We visited here on a beautiful, sunny day. Several easy, paved walking trails with lovely views of the glacier. Highly recommend the trail to Nugget Falls. It takes about 45 minutes in and back. Panoramic views from the visitor’s center which has a couple of spotting scopes to take a closer look at the glacier and the waterfall.

Reviews on Tripadvisor from past years told us how to use the city bus from your cruise, and it still works great in summer 2022. Still $4 round trip, bring exact cash. The bus drivers are very helpful!

Here is how we did it:
1. stop in the visitor's center to get a map and on the spot pointers. But I will repeat directions here.
2. Walk towards town to the bus station, stay outside and look for a bus going to Mendenhall valley.
3. I think it was about a half hour ride, and the driver will tell everyone where to get off.
4. Our driver also described a forest trail as an alternative to walking along the road to get to the Visitor's Center. This is a real bonus. It is a bit over a mile.
5. After your visit, catch the return bus in the same place.

To elevate your visit even more, read "A Wolf Called Romeo" as something to do before your Alaska trip. Another reviewer here gave that tip and it really made this a full experience.

We caught a cab from Juneau to the glacier. Cost was about $30-$35 each way. Asked the driver to come back for us in two hours. This gave us enough time to walk all the trails and sufficient time in the excellent visitor Centre.
Would recommend making your own way to the glacier by taxi even if you are only in town for the day.

We were so lucky with the weather. Sun was shining. Walked up to the waterfall. 45 mins there and back. Just had time before bus went back. Nice day out.

Take one of the shuttles there and spend 1-2 hours there. Be sure to walk to falls it is worth it. If you are on the cruise ship, Hubbard and Glacier Bay will be 1000 times better.