Viewpoint
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
The first visitor center in the National Forest System, facing Mendenhall Glacier and Nugget Falls.
0.0 mi
Trail
East Glacier Trail
Loop above the east side of Mendenhall Lake with glacier views and a side trip to A-J Falls.
Tongass National Forest · USFS
- Distance
- 2.8 mi[1]
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Route type
- Loop
- Access modes
- Road · Hike
- Bikes allowed
- Yes
RoadHike
The Forest Service lists the East Glacier Trail at 2.8 miles, looping out and back from the Trail of Time behind the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. It gives safe-distance views of Mendenhall Glacier; the lower section passes dense willow, alder and cottonwood below the glacier trimline. A short side trail leads to A-J waterfall 1.3 miles from the trailhead, and the trail connects to the Nugget Creek Trail. Open to hiking and mountain biking.
- [1]Distance: 2.8 miles (USFS East Glacier Trail); also reported as 3.5-mile loop (Travel Juneau hiking trails). All footnotes
Location
In pictures
Hiking · Biking
Sources
- Juneau Hiking TrailsTravel Juneau · Accessed 2026-11-08
- East Glacier TrailUSDA Forest Service, Tongass National Forest · Accessed 2026-11-08
Last updated 2026-11-09
Nearby within 25 miles
Viewpoints
Trails
Trail
Nugget Falls Trail
- Distance
- 0 mi
Flat 0.8-mile walk along Mendenhall Lake to the foot of Nugget Falls.
0.0 mi
Trail
West Glacier Trail
- Distance
- 1.61856997095711 mi
Trail along the west side of Mendenhall Lake to a rock outcrop above the glacier.
1.6 mi
Trail
Auke Nu Trail
- Distance
- 4.52937232750736 mi
Partly planked 3-mile climb through muskeg to the John Muir Cabin above Auke Bay.
4.5 mi
Trail
Dan Moller Trail
- Distance
- 9.64665711520346 mi
Planked Douglas Island trail climbing to an alpine bowl and the Dan Moller Cabin.
9.6 mi
Trail
Peterson Lake Trail
- Distance
- 9.65730255026893 mi
Muddy 4.3-mile trail on an old mining tram route to Peterson Lake Cabin.
9.7 mi
Trail
Herbert Glacier Trail
- Distance
- 11.8540116791438 mi
Wide gravel path up the Herbert River valley to a moraine below Herbert Glacier; good for mountain bikes.
11.9 mi
Trail
Amalga Trail
- Distance
- 12.1861231490222 mi
Rough, wet 7-mile trail past beaver ponds and meadows to Eagle Glacier and its cabin.
12.2 mi
Trail
Admiralty Cove to North Young Lake Trail
- Distance
- 16.6841088809291 mi
Wilderness trail across north Admiralty Island linking Admiralty Cove and Young Lake cabins.
16.7 mi
Bear viewing sites
Public use cabins
Public-use cabin
Sít’ Yá Hít’ Cabin
Year-round cabin in Mendenhall Lake Campground, in view of the glacier.
1.4 mi
Public-use cabin
John Muir Cabin
Chalet-style ridge cabin above Auke Bay, reached by a 3-mile climbing trail.
5.6 mi
Public-use cabin
Peterson Lake Cabin
Accessible lakeside cabin at the end of the Peterson Lake Trail, also reachable by floatplane.
7.0 mi
Public-use cabin
Windfall Lake Cabin
Accessible lake cabin on the Windfall Lake Trail with a dock and boardwalk.
9.0 mi
Public-use cabin
Dan Moller Cabin
Two-level Douglas Island cabin in an alpine bowl, 3 miles up the Dan Moller Trail.
11.2 mi
Public-use cabin
Marten Cabin
Small Eagle Beach cabin on the campground back loop.
12.1 mi
Public-use cabin
Berry Patch Cabin
Accessible Eagle Beach cabin a quarter mile along the campground road.
12.2 mi
Public-use cabin
Saturday Creek Cabin
State park cabin beside the Eagle Beach parking lot, 28 miles north of Juneau.
12.3 mi
Public-use cabin
Eagle Glacier Cabin
Log chalet on Eagle Lake facing Eagle Glacier, 5.5 miles up the Amalga Trail.
13.1 mi
Public-use cabin
Admiralty Cove Cabin
Wilderness beach cabin on north Admiralty Island, 15 minutes by floatplane from Juneau.
16.7 mi
Public-use cabin
Taku Glacier Cabin
Wheelchair-accessible beach cabin with a view of Taku Glacier.
19.4 mi
Public-use cabin
Young Lake North Cabin
Fly-in lake cabin on north Admiralty Island with a skiff; trout and coho fishing.
19.7 mi
Public-use cabin
Young Lake South Cabin
Floatplane-access cabin at the south end of Young Lake with a skiff.
20.6 mi
Public-use cabin
Camping Cove Cabin
Point Bridget cabin 3.75 miles from the trailhead.
22.1 mi
Public-use cabin
Turner Lake West Cabin
Stone-and-log chalet on Turner Lake with a fireplace and two rowboats.
22.7 mi
Public-use cabin
Cowee Meadow Cabin
Point Bridget State Park cabin 2.5 miles from the mile 39 trailhead.
23.2 mi
Public-use cabin
Seymour Canal Cabin
State marine park cabin at the head of Seymour Canal, reached via the Oliver Inlet tram.
23.8 mi
Public-use cabin
Blue Mussel Cabin
Point Bridget beach cabin 3.4 miles from the trailhead.
24.1 mi
Campgrounds
Campground
Mendenhall Lake Campground
Lakeshore Forest Service campground facing Mendenhall Glacier, with RV hookups, showers and walk-in sites.
1.7 mi
Campground
Auk Village Campground
Small beachside Forest Service campground on a former Auk Tlingit village site north of the ferry terminal.
7.2 mi
Campground
Eagle Beach State Recreation Area Campground
Forested first-come state campground at the mouth of Eagle River, 27 miles north of Juneau.
12.3 mi
