Hi there!
Mendenhall Glacier is the most popular glacier to see on land during an Alaska cruise.
And Photo Point is one of the most popular ways to see the glacier!
I did the Photo Point Trail in May 2023 on a day I arrived to Juneau on a Princess cruise ship.
See below for details on how to make the Photo Point Trail a part of your day in Juneau cruise port, including how the glacier looks from Photo Point, and how to get there!
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Here’s what’s below!
- Basic trail information
- Map: Juneau cruise port to Photo Point trailhead
- Why do the Photo Point Trail
- How much time?
- Cost
- How to get to Photo Point Trail on your own
- What to wear hiking the Photo Point Trail
- Reviews
- google maps
- alltrails
- tripadvisor
- More hikes in Juneau
Basic Photo Point trail information
Photo Point is a part of Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area in Tongass National Forest.
The US Forest Service lists the trail as 1/3 of a mile round trip that may take around 15 minutes on a paved path.
There are many ways to see the Mendenhall Glacier, and the Photo Point Trail is really more like a leisurely walk and a nice way to take it easy to see the Mendenhall Glacier.
The Photo Point Trail is considered an easy trail by the US Forest Service.
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If you’re looking for one of the easiest ways to see the Mendenhall Glacier, going to Photo Point can be it!
It is a bit of a distant view, though!
But the visitor center and Photo Point are the most popular places to see the Mendenhall Glacier.
You can also spend a bit more time in the area by walking to Nugget Falls too.
But if you’re looking for a quick visit to see the Mendenhall Glacier in Tongass National Forest, then Photo Point can be perfect!
It’s a paved path the whole way to get to Photo Point.
Depending on your tolerance for effort, time, and how much money you want to spend, you can get to Photo Point by public bus, glacier shuttle, taxi, renting a car, or as part of a tour.
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 cars in Juneau to go to the visitor center and other 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 Photo Point trailhead
Cruise ships dock in downtown Juneau.
In order to get to the Photo Point Trail, you need to go to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.
You can get to Photo Point by public bus, the glacier shuttle, taxi, by renting a car, or through a tour.
It’s not reasonable to walk to Photo Point 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 Photo Point. Explore the map.
👆 US Forest Service map. You will hike the Photo Point Trail from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. Explore the map.
Why do the Photo Point Trail
You can see the famous Mendenhall Glacier of Juneau.
THE reason to go to Photo Point is to see the Mendenhall Glacier!
It is a bit of a distant view, but Photo Point is one of the easiest places to see the glacier from.
You will also want to go up to the visitor center to see the view of the glacier from there too!
It’s from a higher vantage point so you’ll get great views from there too.
Side note! Pardon the interruption while I tell you about activities you need to know about to get some very-Alaska experiences! 😁 Read the reviews on the partner websites listed below!
Whale watching is one of the most popular things to do in Alaska! Read the reviews of the best whale watching tours!
The must-do things in Juneau are the Mendenhall Glacier and whale watching, which makes the whale watching and Mendenhall Glacier combo tour perfect!
It's also popular to do these as individual activities through the tours of this dedicated whale watching tour and the Mendenhall Glacier trolley tour. Read the reviews of more Mendenhall Glacier tours.
Ketchikan is known for the rainforest and totem poles, which makes this rainforest walk and totem park combo tour perfect! Read the reviews of more Ketchikan rainforest tours.
It's also a fun place to do a sea kayaking tour to look for wildlife!
If you're planning on doing the lumberjack show, then you must consider doing the axe throwing add-on at the end of the show! I did axe throwing for the first time here and it was fun!
One of the biggest things that Skagway is known for is being a gateway town to the Yukon during the Klondike gold rush. You can do a full-day tour of the Yukon!
People also love the Skagway sled dog adventure and the Alaska waterfalls tour.
For Alaskan wildlife in more cruise ports: In Sitka, the simply amazing Sitka tour. And in Icy Strait Point, this whale watching tour!
/end side note
👆 The stairs down from the Mendenhall Glacier visitor center. Straight ahead on the ground is Photo Point. Across the lake is the glacier.
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To get to the visitor center, there are stairs, a paved ramp, or an elevator. (Yes, there is an elevator, you do have to look for it, though! It’s kind of hidden.)
Pro tip: The West Glacier Trail on the other side of the lake is actually the best spot to see Mendenhall Glacier on your own. To do the West Glacier Trail, you don’t go to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. You go to the West Glacier trailhead. These are separate areas of the national forest.
It’s a nice leisurely walk with a glacier view as your destination!
If you’re looking for a short easy going walk, the Photo Point Trail can be perfect.
The trail itself is an easy paved path from the parking lot and shuttle drop-off spot.
The trail ends at Photo Point and Mendenhall Lake!
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You can take a cheap bus to get to Photo Point from the cruise port.
The Photo Point 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, Photo Point can be a cheap activity from the Juneau cruise port!
The cheapest way to get to Photo Point is by public bus.
If you go to Photo Point 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 Photo Point by bus. (Bring exact change.)
Photo Point is in the largest national forest in the United States!
Photo Point is in Tongass National Forest.
By going to Photo Point, you will be seeing a glacier 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!
You can continue walking to Nugget Falls!
If you have the time and energy, you can then continue walking in the area by going to Nugget Falls!
This is one of the most popular waterfalls to see during an Alaska cruise.
How much time does it take to walk to Photo Point?
It will be good to give yourself 1 hour to spend time around the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.
While the Photo Point Trail itself may take you only 10 to 15 minutes, you can also stick around Photo Point to take in the views.
It’s also a good idea to visit the nearby visitor center so you can learn more about the ever-changing nature of glaciers.
But if you truly are just looking for a quick visit, then you don’t need any more than 20 to 30 minutes.
This does not include the time to get to Photo Point from the cruise port and back. That can vary based on what type of transportation you use to get to Photo Point.
Cost to do the Photo Point Trail
There is an entry fee for the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area, of which Point Point is a part of, 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 Photo Point 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 Photo Point in the cheapest way possible, it will be $4 per person round trip by bus. So then in total, your cost to go to Photo Point is less than $10!
If you go to Photo Point in any other way, it will likely be $50+ for transportation.
How to get to Photo Point on your own
The cheapest way to do Photo Point on your own is to take the public bus.
Not everyone wants to take the bus to Photo Point, though!
That’s because taking the bus to Photo Point 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 Photo Point Trail.
The bus stop near Photo Point is 1.5 miles away from the start of the Photo Point 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 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.
What to wear hiking the Photo Point Trail
You will be fine to be generally prepared for walking in the rain when you do the Photo Point Trail.
Since you’ll be walking on a paved 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.
One of the best waterproof shoes to have is Merrell hiking boots or Salomon trail running shoes. Goretex means that it’s waterproof so look for that.
You can go to your nearest REI to try on shoes to make sure you are getting shoes that fit your feet! Be sure to break them in at home before you wear them for long walks.
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 Photo Point Trail! Or, get a better poncho that is better quality and you can use over and over again no problem!
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 Photo Point Trail:
- google maps
- alltrails
- tripadvisor
- US Forest Service (general info)
Download the Mendenhall Glacier national forest brochure at fs.usda.gov.
I did the Photo Point Trail on May 4, 2023. Your experience may vary!
More walks 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:
- Nugget Falls Trail
- West Glacier 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 WALKING THE PHOTO POINT TRAIL!
Juneau | Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Victoria | Seattle | Vancouver | Anchorage
Read the reviews at travel partner websites!
Uniquely Juneau and/or very-Alaska experiences you must consider!
- Juneau is one of the best cruise ports for whale watching. (Icy Strait Point is the other.) See the best whale watching tours and read the reviews. You can do a dedicated whale watching tour (more time out on the water = more chances to have whale encounters!), or you can do a whale watching + Mendenhall Glacier combo tour so you can experience 2 of the most popular Juneau things to do.
- Juneau is known for having a glacier that you can go and see by land, and that's the Mendenhall Glacier. There are different tours that will take you to see it. One of the most popular ways to see it is by taking a Mendenhall Glacier shuttle. It's basically transportation to the glacier visitor center and back. If you don't mind walking and taking extra time to get there, you can go to the Mendenhall Glacier on your own for cheap.
- Among the most epic ways to experience the Mendenhall Glacier is by doing a glacier helicopter tour that includes walking on the glacier, or a glacier dog sledding tour. You are flying to the glacier (epic Alaska flightseeing experience!), that's why it's expensive. (Skagway is the other port for glacier helicopter tours. See the best Skagway excursions.)
- See Juneau underground through a gold mining tour!
- Juneau on the cheap: Easy walking in Juneau cruise port
More Alaska cruise travel planning tips you need to know!
Juneau | Ketchikan | Skagway | Icy Strait Point | Sitka | Victoria
Seattle | Vancouver
Whittier | Seward | Anchorage
👉 Best of Alaska
👉 Before you book
👉 PACKING LIST: waterproof shoes | rain jacket or poncho | puffer jacket | binoculars
Ketchikan broke a record for daily rainfall in May 2025! Juneau and Sitka had above average rainfall in April. So, if you plan to be outside a lot, you really might want to be prepared for the rain so you won't be miserable!
Things you might need for a day in Alaska on land or at sea!
Read the reviews on Amazon! I'm an Amazon Associate.*
- Rain poncho for a day out and about
- Review from cruise ship passenger: "Absolutely loved having these for our Alaska excursions from the cruise ship! Nice, lightweight, easily packable... easy to put on over our backpacks... Also, highly breathable vs the disposable plastic ones. Ours held up to the windy conditions too!..."
- Read the full review.
- merrell waterproof shoes for women (one of the best shoe brands for the outdoors)
- merrell shoes for men
- travel binoculars for wildlife viewing from the cruise ship!
- Packable lightweight puffer jacket (aka travel-friendly)
- For women: puffer jacket | for men: puffer jacket
- Water resistant hiking clothes for Alaska
- for women: hiking pants | for men: hiking pants
For more ideas, do a search for Alaska cruise clothes!
*I may earn a commission.
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Pinterest tip: Share the travel ideas you find on pinterest with your travel partners! Go to your Alaska cruise travel board, and look for the little + person icon! Or, you can go to "edit board" and "invite" your travel partners as a "collaborator"! This way you can all add pins to one shared board and you can all easily see what ideas others have found!