Mendenhall Glacier

Glacier Juneau, Alaska, United States

What to expect

Mendenhall Glacier is a 13.6-mile-long mountain glacier located in Mendenhall Valley, about 12 miles from downtown Juneau in the southeast area of Alaska. The glacier and surrounding landscape is protected as part of the 5,815 acres Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, a federally designated unit of the Tongass National Forest. The glacier has retreated 1.75 miles since 1929 and over 2.5 miles since 1500. It is expected to continue retreating due to a generally warming climate in Southeast Alaska, linked to global warming driven by climate change. The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center offers views of the glacier, a 15-minute film, and state-of-the-art exhibits. Several trails of varying distance and challenge are available for exploration

Plan your family visit to the Mendenhall Glacier with these blog insights 👇

Things To Do in Juneau, Alaska with Kids

This family's experience:

Activities: We spent a day at the Mendenhall Glacier, exploring the visitor center and going on a hike

Highlights: The kids loved looking at the glacier through the telescopes and touching a piece of glacial ice. We also saw a black bear and her cubs climbing down a tree, which was a highlight for them ✨

Juneau with Kids

This family's experience:

Activities: We visited the Mendenhall Glacier, which was about 15 miles from downtown Juneau. We saw many kayakers enjoying the ride and chunks of ice floating around

Highlights: The blue and white colors of the glacier were a sight to behold ✨

Family Friendly Juneau

This family's experience:

Activities: We saw the glacier and did a small hike on the Nugget Falls Trail

Highlights: We were rewarded with a fantastic view of the glacier ✨