The Nugget Falls Trail Is Worth Your Time.

If you’re visiting Juneau, Alaska, chances are Mendenhall Glacier is already somewhere on your list.

It should be.

But while you’re there, don’t just take a picture of the glacier from the visitor center, say, “Yep, that’s definitely a glacier,” and head back to town.

Take the walk to Nugget Falls.

First, About Mendenhall Glacier

Mendenhall Glacier is located about 13 miles from downtown Juneau and is part of the massive Juneau Icefield. According to the U.S. Forest Service, Mendenhall is one of 38 large glaciers flowing from the approximately 1,500-square-mile icefield, traveling about 13 miles before reaching Mendenhall Lake.

It is also remarkably easy to visit compared with many of Alaska’s glaciers. You don’t need a helicopter, crampons or a documentary film crew. You can simply arrive at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area and get some terrific views.

And one of the best views requires just a little walking.

The Nugget Falls Trail

The Nugget Falls Trail begins near the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center and follows the edge of Mendenhall Lake toward the waterfall.

The Forest Service lists the trail at about 2 miles round trip and estimates roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete it. But count on extra time, because you will likely spend some time taking in the view and getting those photo memories into the camera’s storage card. The trail is primarily gravel and officially rated moderate, although it’s a relatively low-grade walk.

Much of the fun is simply walking alongside Mendenhall Lake with the mountains and glacier surrounding you. As you get closer to the end, you’ll begin hearing Nugget Falls before you actually reach it.

Then the trees open up and you get the payoff.

Nugget Falls Is Bigger Than It Looks

Nugget Falls drops approximately 377 feet down the mountainside before emptying directly into Mendenhall Lake. The waterfall actually makes the trip in two major sections—roughly 99 feet and 278 feet—and its water comes from meltwater associated with the hanging Nugget Glacier above.

At the end of the trail, you can walk out onto a broad sand-and-gravel area near the base of the falls.

And near really does mean near.

You’re close enough to hear the tremendous roar of the water, feel the cool air and spray coming off the falls, and simultaneously look across Mendenhall Lake toward the glacier.

It’s one of those places where photographs are nice, but they don’t quite explain how big everything feels when you’re standing there.

There’s also an interesting bit of history hidden in the landscape. As Mendenhall Glacier has retreated over the decades, the relationship between the glacier and Nugget Falls has changed. The glacier once extended far enough that the falling water reportedly landed directly onto the ice. Today, the falls empty into Mendenhall Lake instead.

That’s a pretty dramatic visual demonstration of just how much this landscape continues to change.

Is the Walk Worth It?

Absolutely.

If your time at Mendenhall Glacier is extremely limited, the viewpoints near the visitor center are still worth seeing. But if you can spare another hour or so, the walk to Nugget Falls is one of the easiest ways to turn a quick glacier stop into a real experience.

You get the trail, the lake, mountains, the glacier and a 377-foot waterfall all in one relatively short walk.

That’s a pretty good return on two miles of effort.

Just give yourself enough time to stop, take pictures and enjoy the falls once you get there.

Because hiking all the way to a giant Alaskan waterfall, taking one picture and immediately turning around because your transportation leaves in six minutes would be a very efficient way to completely miss the point.