How to Get from the Juneau Cruise Port to Mendenhall Glacier

How Far is Mendenhall Glacier from the Cruise Port?

Mendenhall Glacier is around 13 miles from the Juneau cruise ship terminal, and it takes about thirty minutes to drive there, depending on traffic and where your ship is docked.

It is not a place you can walk to.

Going from the Juneau cruise port to Mendenhall Glacier requires a bit of planning, but it fits well into a port day.

Best Ways to Get to Mendenhall Glacier from a Cruise Ship

There are a few ways to visit Mendenhall Glacier, but based on my experience on my Holland America Alaska cruise, some are definitely easier than others.

Independent Transportation

I booked this independent tour through Viator, and I really enjoyed it.

This Mendenhall Glacier tour also included a city tour, so I got to see a few other points of interest in Juneau, like Takhu, the giant whale sculpture, and Homestead Park.

That bonus city tour gave me a better feel for Juneau overall, while still keeping Mendenhall the main event.

While you can book similar tours through your cruise line, I think this is a really solid option at a better price.

If you don’t want the mini Juneau city tour, another option is the Mendenhall Glacier Express, which takes you directly to the Visitor Center.

Public Transportation

Yes, you can take the public bus from downtown Juneau to Mendenhall Glacier.

Would I recommend it for cruise passengers? Honestly…probably, not.

The bus is definitely the cheapest way to get to Mendenhall Glacier, which is appealing. With the fare being only $2 each way, it does sound enticing.

But, here’s the tradeoff: you will absolutely sacrifice time.

The bus ride itself takes at least one hour each way, and the bus does not go all the way to the visitors center. You will still need to walk about 1.5 miles each way from the nearest bust stop at Dredge Lake Road to reach the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center entrance.

So, when you figure the ride plus the walk, you have just eaten up about five hours of your time before you have seen anything. That’s a lot of your port day gone.

And while the bus is the cheapest option for cruise passengers, it is not the best way to get to Mendenhall Glacier unless your budget is your top priority.

For me, Juneau is too good of a port to spend half of it commuting.

What to Expect at Mendenhall Glacier

A lot of people hear “glacier visit” and imagine stepping off a bus and walking right up to the ice.

That’s not really what this experience is.

A visit to Mendenhall Glacier in the Tongass National Forest is more about scenic viewpoints, easy walking trails, seeing the glacier across the lake, and enjoying the surrounding landscape.

It’s beautiful, accessible, and doesn’t require you to be too adventurous.

Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center

Once you’re dropped off at the Mendenhall Glacier, I recommend making your first stop the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.

Inside is where you will find glacier views, exhibits about the glacier, interpretive information, restrooms, and one of the easiest ways to orient. yourself when you arrive.

Stopping here first, will help you understand what you’re looking at while also giving you one of the best early views of the glacier.

For first-time Alaska visitors, I definitely think it’s worth spending a little time here before heading out on the trails.

Mendenhall Glacier Trails

I didn’t really know what to expect on our visit to see the glacier, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well developed the entire experience felt.

One of the most surprising parts of our visit were the walking trails.

Nugget Falls Trail

After visiting the Visitors Center, we walked the Nugget Falls Trail to get close to the glacier.

I would absolutely recommend making time for this scenic walk.

The trail itself was easy, paved, and very manageable, which makes it a really good fit for cruise passengers.

And the payoff is excellent.

At the end of the trail, you get a much closer look at both the waterfall and the glacier beyond it. That’s the part that really made the visit feel complete to me.

You still can’t touch the glacier from this trail, but you do get much closer than you do from the main viewing areas.

And that changes the experience.

This is the part of the stop where it stops feeling like “we came to see a glacier” and starts feeling like you’re actually standing in Alaska while watching ice drift by.

Other Things to Do at Mendenhall Glacier

I was perfectly happy exploring the Visitor Center and the Nugget Falls Trail, but there are a few other popular things to do at Mendenhall Glacier if you have extra time or want to explore further.

One of the easiest is the Photo Point Trail, a short walk offering a classic glacier view.

Steep Creek Trail is another popular stop, especially during salmon season when people sometimes spot wildlife.

There’s also the Trail of Time, a nice interpretive walk if you want a little more context on the glacier and the surrounding landscape.

That said, for most cruise passengers, I wouldn’t try to do everything.

We took our time and didn’t want to risk missing the bus back to port, so we kept our visit focused on the highlights. I think that’s the smartest way to do Mendenhall from a cruise ship.

What to Wear to Mendenhall Glacier

Even on a nice day, the glacier area can feel cooler than downtown by the Juneau cruise port.

I’d recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes or sneakers, a light waterproof jacket, sunglasses, and bug spray.

If you’re still packing for an Alaska cruise, check out my printable packing list to make sure you don’t forget a thing!

Should You Combine Mendenhall Glacier with Whale Watching?

If this is your first Alaska cruise, I would recommend booking a combo tour that includes both whale watching and a visit to the Mendenhall Glacier.

Since I visited Juneau on two different cruises, I was able to experience these on separate days. I can say both were worth doing.

So, if this will be your only visit, I think combining them is a smart way to see a lot in a little bit of time.

I recommend this tour in my post about Juneau Whale Watching for those who want to experience both in Juneau.

Is Mendenhall Glacier Worth It?

After seeing Juneau two different ways, I really do think Mendenhall Glacier is worth doing at least once.

It’s easy to reach, visually impressive, and who knows, with climate change, you may not have the opportunity much longer.