Photo Point Trail @ Mendenhall Glacier

[cruise*enthusiast]

I'm looking at an excursion that says it allows for time to take Photo Point Trail down to the falls.  Can anyone tell me how difficult this trail is and how long it takes to hike to the falls?  Also, does it require hiking boots?

[Crew News]

7 minutes ago, cruise*enthusiast said:

I'm looking at an excursion that says it allows for time to take Photo Point Trail down to the falls.  Can anyone tell me how difficult this trail is and how long it takes to hike to the falls?  Also, does it require hiking boots?

A brisk walk and a few minutes to take photos will be a 45-minute roundtrip (at least for me).  Most excursions allocate an hour for the walk so don't dawdle at the Visitor Center. 

Some of the trail is paved and some is packed dirt, so hiking boots are not needed.  There are benches along the way to rest.  Note that the trip is downhill and uphill on the way back.  Also of note, there are bears in the area, so travel in a group and make lots of noise so you don't surprise them (shaking rocks in an empty soda can does the trick).

 

[cruise*enthusiast]

1 hour ago, Crew News said:

A brisk walk and a few minutes to take photos will be a 45-minute roundtrip (at least for me).  Most excursions allocate an hour for the walk so don't dawdle at the Visitor Center. 

Some of the trail is paved and some is packed dirt, so hiking boots are not needed.  There are benches along the way to rest.  Note that the trip is downhill and uphill on the way back.  Also of note, there are bears in the area, so travel in a group and make lots of noise so you don't surprise them (shaking rocks in an empty soda can does the trick).

 

Thank you for such detailed information.  The one thing I'm hesitant about doing during this cruise is walking on a trail and encountering a bear. I may have to pass on this and just view it from afar.  The uphill and downhill parts of the hike are a dealbreaker too.  Thanks again!!

[Crew News]

5 minutes ago, cruise*enthusiast said:

Thank you for such detailed information.  The one thing I'm hesitant about doing during this cruise is walking on a trail and encountering a bear. I may have to pass on this and just view it from afar.  The uphill and downhill parts of the hike are a dealbreaker too.  Thanks again!!

You don't need to walk down to the falls to see the glacier.  There are trails near the Visitor Center that are just minutes from great views.  There are telescopes to search for and watch bears from the comfort of the Visitor Center. 

 

Seeing the glacier and surrounding scenery is well worth the trip

 

 

 

[cruise*enthusiast]

7 minutes ago, Crew News said:

You don't need to walk down to the falls to see the glacier.  There are trails near the Visitor Center that are just minutes from great views.  There are telescopes to search for and watch bears from the comfort of the Visitor Center. 

 

Seeing the glacier and surrounding scenery is well worth the trip

 

 

 

Good to know!  Thank you!

[wolfie11]

The likelihood of encountering a bear on the way to Nugget Falls is practically nonexistent.  The trail is usually packed with hikers and the bears are much more likely to be hanging out on Steep Creek looking for salmon.

[shellunderwater]

On 12/18/2023 at 1:56 PM, Crew News said:

You don't need to walk down to the falls to see the glacier.  There are trails near the Visitor Center that are just minutes from great views.  There are telescopes to search for and watch bears from the comfort of the Visitor Center. 

 

Seeing the glacier and surrounding scenery is well worth the trip

 

 

 

First, nice pics.

Serious question....... can you actually see the glacier from the visitor's center?  It seems it has receded a bit, so I'm just curious about how much is actually visible now.

Not doubting, just gathering info for our trip next year.

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, shellunderwater said:

First, nice pics.

Serious question....... can you actually see the glacier from the visitor's center?  It seems it has receded a bit, so I'm just curious about how much is actually visible now.

Not doubting, just gathering info for our trip next year.

My photos were taken as part of a combined whale watching and glacier tour that did not stop at the Visitor Center but walked down to the edge of the water

 

IIRC you need to walk about 50 yards away from the Visitor Center past the tree line to see the glacier.  With the exception of going up to the next level to wait on a friend, all of my stops in the Visitor Center were to use the restroom.  I did use one of the telescopes to follow some bears that others had spotted while waiting.

 

You can see the glacier briefly if you are on the rights side of the excursion bus heading to Auke Bay for whale watching.

 

In all of my visits to Juneau, the glacier is not near the top of my excursion list.  Tracy Arm (7-8 hours on small boat is my favorite), whale watching, walking on Mendenhall Glacier, and Taku Lodge (flight over the ice fields) are higher on my priority list. 

 

At the top of my shopping list is the Glacier Smoothie Soap shop since 2008.

[cruise*enthusiast]

34 minutes ago, Crew News said:

My photos were taken as part of a combined whale watching and glacier tour that did not stop at the Visitor Center but walked down to the edge of the water

 

IIRC you need to walk about 50 yards away from the Visitor Center past the tree line to see the glacier.  With the exception of going up to the next level to wait on a friend, all of my stops in the Visitor Center were to use the restroom.  I did use one of the telescopes to follow some bears that others had spotted while waiting.

 

You can see the glacier briefly if you are on the rights side of the excursion bus heading to Auke Bay for whale watching.

 

In all of my visits to Juneau, the glacier is not near the top of my excursion list.  Tracy Arm (7-8 hours on small boat is my favorite), whale watching, walking on Mendenhall Glacier, and Taku Lodge (flight over the ice fields) are higher on my priority list. 

 

At the top of my shopping list is the Glacier Smoothie Soap shop since 2008.

I'll definitely have to check out the soap shop!

[wolfie11]

2 hours ago, shellunderwater said:

First, nice pics.

Serious question....... can you actually see the glacier from the visitor's center?  It seems it has receded a bit, so I'm just curious about how much is actually visible now.

Not doubting, just gathering info for our trip next year.

As of last summer, yes.

[auntmeg]

3 hours ago, Crew News said:

At the top of my shopping list is the Glacier Smoothie Soap shop since 2008.

 

I second this endorsement of the soap shop!

[Crew News]

1 hour ago, auntmeg said:

 

I second this endorsement of the soap shop!

Juneau Gold is the best!!

[Ladyaruba]

Walking to Nugget Falls is more like taking a walk than it is hiking! We came back partially along the water and it was flat! There are usually lots of people so bears tend to stay away. If you come across one, just stop and let them pass. 
Well worth the walk!

[Aquahound]

I just made the walk last week in the snow with a small group of friends, and it was still relatively easy.  The whole walk, including spending time taking in the awesome scenery at the falls was a little over an hour.  

 

As the others said, do not worry about bears.  It's mostly black bears around there and the several I have encountered in that area of Juneau wanted a lot less to do with me than I did with them.  As the others said, the trail will be full of people.  The possibility does exist but when a bear is spotted, the rangers are quick to swoop in and block that portion of the trail.  They'll hold you up until the bear has moved on.  

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by Aquahound