Hi there!
Nugget Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls to see during an Alaska cruise, and by going to Nugget Falls, you’ll be able to make a quick side trip to see the Mendenhall Glacier too!
The first time I went to Nugget Falls was on a Princess cruise ship arrival, I had all day in Juneau. So I did an excursion in the morning, and then in the afternoon I went to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center and Nugget Falls on my own by taking the bus.
The second time it was a little less time on a Cunard cruise ship arrival, but I had enough time to make it into a big hiking day. I also took the bus, and I used mapsme to do the Powerline Trail and East Glacier Trail to go the long way to the visitor center… and then did the Nugget Falls Trail.
I was most recently at Nugget Falls in June 2025.
I’m here to give you details on what it’s like to go to Nugget Falls from the cruise port, and hopefully this will help you decide if it’s something you want to do!
No matter what trail you choose to do in Alaska, I think it’s always a good idea to look for recent reviews, as trail conditions can change.
You can read the Nugget Falls reviews on google maps for example, and “sort” by “newest” to see the most recent reviews.
Here is what Diane said on google maps in June 2024:
Take about 30-40 walk from Mendenhall Glacier viewing point.
The path is easy and I saw parents pushing baby with their stroller, so it is walkable road to the fall.
You really feel the strength and excitement of the steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge pool below
The Mendenhall Glacier viewing point Diane is referring to is the Photo Point Trail.
See below for details on how to make the Nugget Falls Trail a part of your day in Juneau cruise port!
There are partner websites that are included below.
Basic trail information
Nugget Falls is a part of Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area in Tongass National Forest.
The US Forest Service lists the trail as 2 miles round trip that may take around 1 hour on a gravel path.
The Nugget Falls Trail is considered a trail that is a “moderate” level of difficulty by the US Forest Service.
For people who are even moderately active, I think it would be considered an easy trail, though!
Here is what Nat said on google maps:
Highlight of my trip to Mendenhall Glacier!
Walking at a moderately fast pace it took me about 15 to 20 minutes to walk to the falls from the start of the trail.
It’s a good size waterfall and you can get pretty close.
Easy flat trail with kids and seniors able to do it.
The trail is busy and I didn’t see any wildlife. Definitely worth the short hike!
Juneau tours I think you should know about!
The Mendenhall Glacier, waterfalls, and whale watching combo is perfect so you don't need to figure out individual transportation. Or, if you have all day in port, then you can use the glacier express shuttle and do a dedicated whale watching tour. (Or the lighthouse and whale watching combo that does a floating pier arrival at a small island! I did this and it felt like the wilderness!) I also loved the Taku Lodge excursion that included the 5-glacier seaplane exploration and a water landing at a wilderness lodge for salmon bake! (I went for a walk along a trail with moss-covered trees while I waited for food to be ready!)
👉 See more so-very-Alaska experiences I think you should know about in other ports!
Before you start the Nugget Falls Trail, you’ll be able to see the Mendenhall Glacier.
You won’t get a good view of the glacier from Nugget Falls, but you can go to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center and Photo Point to see the glacier before or after you see the waterfalls. You’ll pass by these spots on your way to start the Nugget Falls Trail.
Once you’re at Nugget Falls, you’ll be along the shoreline of Mendenhall Lake and you can take your time taking in the views of the waterfalls (that you can walk right up to) and the lake.
On your way to the waterfalls, there are spots that you can go off along the side to other places along the shoreline too. You can go beachcombing Alaska-style here to look for rocks! Although, being on public national forest lands, it’s better to just look and not take!
👆 On the way to Nugget Falls, I saw a little side path that went to the shoreline!
If you have 2 hours, you will comfortably be able to go to Nugget Falls and back. Depending on your speed, you could do it in under an hour.
The Nugget Falls Trail itself will have you walking 2 miles round trip on a relatively flat and easy gravel trail, and you’ll want to allow extra time to just wander around!
Depending on your tolerance for effort, time, and how much money you want to spend, you can get to Nugget Falls by public bus, glacier shuttle, taxi, or renting a car.
One of the most basic ways to get to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center is by taking the Blue Bus glacier express shuttle.
There are also people who rent a car to go to Nugget Falls, and more places. You can look up the cost of a car rental in Juneau through a search for car rental deals.
See more about how to see the Mendenhall Glacier on your own.
Blue Bus glacier express shuttle to Mendenhall Glacier visitor center: Check for availability
Map: Juneau cruise port to Nugget Falls trailhead
Cruise ships dock in downtown Juneau.
See the Juneau cruise port map to know exactly where you cruise ship will dock.
In order to get to the Nugget Falls Trail, you need to go to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.
You can get to Nugget Falls by public bus, the glacier shuttle, taxi, or by renting a car.
It’s not reasonable to walk to Nugget Falls from the cruise port because it’s too far away to walk.
👆 Map. Juneau cruise port to Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. From the visitor center you will look for the trail to Nugget Falls. Explore the map.
👆 US Forest Service map. You will hike the Nugget Falls Trail from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Explore the map.
Is Nugget Falls worth it?
Yes, and here are the reasons why!
You can take a cheap bus to get to Nugget Falls from the cruise port.
The Nugget Falls Trail is something you can do on your own when you’re in Juneau cruise port.
As long as you don’t mind taking a little bit of extra time and walking, Nugget Falls can be a cheap activity from the Juneau cruise port!
The cheapest way to get to Nugget Falls is by public bus.
If you go to Nugget Falls in the cheapest way possible, then it does require a bit of extra walking, but you can think of it all as part of your leisurely walk in Juneau!
It will be $4 round trip per person to get to Nugget Falls by bus. (Bring exact change.)
Nugget Falls is in the largest national forest in the United States!
Nugget Falls is in Tongass National Forest.
By going to Nugget Falls, you will be seeing waterfalls in the largest national forest in the US!
Tongass National Forest covers much of Southeast Alaska, which is where most Alaska cruises spend most of their time.
So you will likely have a number of opportunities to step foot in the largest national forest in the US, and your time in Juneau is one of those opportunities!
It’s a nice leisurely walk with views with waterfalls as your destination!
If you’re looking for an easy going walk, the Nugget Falls Trail can be perfect.
The trail itself is an easy gravel trail.
The trail ends at Nugget Falls and Mendenhall Lake!
If you look carefully, you can see a glimpse of the Mendenhall Glacier!
You can see the famous Mendenhall Glacier of Juneau.
You won’t actually see much of the glacier from Nugget Falls, but you can definitely see the Mendenhall Glacier before or after you hike to the waterfalls.
Nugget Falls is a part of the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, and on your way to the start of the Nugget Falls Trail, you can stop by the visitor center or Photo Point to see a distant view of the glacier!
How much time do you need?
It will be good to give yourself 1.5 hours to hike to Nugget Falls and spend time around the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.
This will give you enough time to hike to Nugget Falls (and back) at a leisurely pace, learn more about glaciers in Juneau (and Alaska!) at the visitor center, and of course see the Mendenhall Glacier!
It’s possible to spend longer at Nugget Falls if you want to walk around the shoreline there! Nugget Falls sits on the lake.
This does not include the time to get to Nugget Falls from the cruise port and back. That can vary based on what type of transportation you use to get to Nugget Falls.
Cost
There is an entry fee for the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, which is $5 per person.
This is not exactly enforced and it is more based on the honor system.
You go to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center to pay your $5 entry fee.
So the cost to do the Nugget Falls Trail is $5.
If you have an annual national parks and federal recreational lands pass, the Tongass National Forest is one of the public lands that’s covered under that.
If you’re traveling with a 4th grader you can get a national park pass for free too with a 4th grade pass!
If you go to Nugget Falls in the cheapest way possible, it will be $4 per person round trip by bus. So then in total, your cost to go to Nugget Falls is less than $10!
If you go to Nugget Falls in any other way, it will likely be $50+ for transportation.
How to get to Nugget Falls on your own
The cheapest way to do Nugget Falls on your own is to take the public bus.
Not everyone wants to take the bus to Nugget Falls, though!
That’s because taking the bus to Nugget Falls requires around an extra 3 miles of walking, on top of the walking you will do around the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, which includes the Nugget Falls Trail.
The bus stop near Nugget Falls is 1.5 miles away from the start of the Nugget Falls Trail.
And then, you will also need time and patience in waiting for the bus too.
But the biggest reason to take the bus is the cost savings!
It’s $2 per ride and you want to have that ready in dollar bills, as no change will be given.
If you don’t have dollar bills, ask the guest services desk on your cruise ship if they can break change for you! (They did this for me on a Princess cruise ship so I would expect other cruise lines to be the same.)
Confirm current bus fares in Juneau here.
Use google maps for bus timings using the public transit icon. If you’re planning in the off-season, the Juneau bus schedule might not show up on google maps.
See more about how to go to the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center.
What to wear hiking the Nugget Falls Trail
You will be fine to be generally prepared for walking in the rain when you do the Nugget Falls Trail.
Since you’ll be walking on a flat gravel path, you won’t have much of a situation where you need to prepare for potentially hiking in the mud.
No matter what you’re doing (hiking or not), it’s a good idea to prepare for rain in Juneau.
This includes waterproof shoes and general rain gear.
Rain gear can include a proper rain jacket and rain pants, or if you want to keep it simple (and cheap), I think it’s fine to opt to wear a $5 poncho from Walmart for the Nugget Falls Trail!
Or, get a better poncho that is better quality and you can use over and over again no problem!
One of the best waterproof shoes to have is Merrell hiking boots or Salomon trail running shoes.
If you buy new shoes for your trip to Alaska, be sure to break them in at home before you wear them for long walks.
See more about what to wear in Alaska when it comes to layering up your clothes.
Reviews
Before doing any hiking in Juneau or any other Alaska cruise ports, it’s a good idea to read through the reviews so you can know what to expect.
Read the reviews for the Nugget Falls Trail:
- google maps
- alltrails
- tripadvisor
- US Forest Service (general info)
Download the Mendenhall Glacier national forest brochure at fs.usda.gov.
Pictures above are from when I did the Nugget Falls Trail on May 4, 2023. Your experience may vary!
More hikes in Juneau
Depending on how much time you want to spend hiking, how much effort you want to put forth, and what the weather is like (or come prepared for the rain!), here are more hikes for you to consider:
- West Glacier Trail
- Photo Point Trail
- Gold Creek Flume Trail
- Goldbelt Tram to totem poles, Father Brown Cross, or Gastineau Peak
- Mount Roberts Trail to Goldbelt Tram
- Easy walking in Juneau
More easy walks: Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Victoria | Seattle | Vancouver
More walking: Hiking in Alaska cruise ports
More for your cruise ship visit: All things Juneau on the blog
HAPPY HIKING THE NUGGET FALLS TRAIL!
👉 My top picks: Alaska cruise excursions you need to know about!
I've picked out a theme for each port so you can experience different aspects of Alaska!
Explore Alaska cruise ports:
Juneau | Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Victoria
Seattle | Vancouver
Whittier | Seward
Things to know: Mendenhall Glacier on your own vs shuttle
👉 PACKING LIST: waterproof shoes | rain jacket or poncho | puffer jacket
👉 Before you book: First-timer's guide to Alaska cruises
There are partner websites that are included on this blog. I may earn a commission.