How to get to Nugget Falls

Looking for an excursion to Mendenhall and all I'm seeing is excursions that take you to the visitor center. Is this where the falls are located? If not what should I be looking for in excursion description? How much time is needed to get to falls? Have you experienced an excursion that didn't allow enough time to see it?

From the web site .... info on the glacier, map of trails, trail details:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprd3835583.pdf

Also, look thru the trip reports for cornishpastyman's report; they posted video of the trail to the Falls.

If you're concerned about not having enough time with an excursion, you can go DIY via a shuttle bus $20 pp, RT . I think the buses leave every 30 minutes. Just be mindful about the timing of the last bus. Info about the shuttle on the company web site ( look down the page for Blue Glacier Express:

http://mightygreattrips.com/tours/

I've been out to Mendenhall twice. I just got off the ship and purchased tickets at the booths set up right on the dock.

That way, I could take the next bus out to the glacier, then spend as much time there as I wanted, and take a bus back after I was finished. They ran every half hour until 6 p.m. I think, but I was done long before then.

Depending upon how quickly you walk, it may be around 15 minutes walk each way to Nugget Falls from the visitor center parking lot.

Personally, I wouldn't take a ship excursion to Mendenhall glacier unless it involved other places I really wanted to go. And even then, I'm not sure I would do it. I could probably set up my own transportation that worked on my timetable.

We also just purchased our tickets for the shuttle out from those little ticket booths. We were on the white buses. Once they drop you off, there's a set of restrooms on the way to the visitor center. We hit the restrooms, but skipped the visitor center. We walked to the Kodak picture spot for a photo of the glacier and water fall together. Then we took the trail to the falls. We took our time walking, plus we took time taking pictures close to the falls. Then we walked back. Our walk including picture time took about 1 hour. But I would say the walk over to the falls was only a mile or less if my memory serves.

Does that help? Enjoy your trip!

Looking for an excursion to Mendenhall and all I'm seeing is excursions that take you to the visitor center. Is this where the falls are located? If not what should I be looking for in excursion description? How much time is needed to get to falls? Have you experienced an excursion that didn't allow enough time to see it?

It's called Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center but it might just say Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier and falls are visible from the Visitor's Center. You can walk a trail to Nugget Falls and get closer to the glacier. Sign at the start of the trail says it takes 45 min. I would allow at least an hour roundtrip. It is an easy trail. Allow more time if you want to see what's inside the Visitor Center. When we were there, the Visitor's Center was jam packed, so we left immediately.

I have heard of combination type excursions, like a whale watch that also goes to Mendenhall Glacier, but only spends 15 min there and then leaves. That would not be enough time to walk to Nugget Falls, but you could see it from a distance.

It's called Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center but it might just say Mendenhall Glacier. The glacier and falls are visible from the Visitor's Center. You can walk a trail to Nugget Falls and get closer to the glacier. Sign at the start of the trail says it takes 45 min. I would allow at least an hour roundtrip. It is an easy trail. Allow more time if you want to see what's inside the Visitor Center. When we were there, the Visitor's Center was jam packed, so we left immediately.

 

I have heard of combination type excursions, like a whale watch that also goes to Mendenhall Glacier, but only spends 15 min there and then leaves. That would not be enough time to walk to Nugget Falls, but you could see it from a distance.

FWIW we did whale watch with Mendenhall and they gave us 45", was especially nice as it was after 6pm and all the tourists were mostly gone. We were able to do the hike and back in the 45' but we didn't dally to long. :D

You do not need a ship's excursion, which in all cases is more expensive than DIY. You can see the glacier and the falls by just walking a short distance from the parking lot; you don't need to go to the Visitor Center but you can if you want ($3.00 admission charge, I believe). The signs said the walk/hike to the falls was 45 minutes but obviously that depends on several factors. We chose not to go that day, but we got some great shots using our telephoto lens.

We took the blue bus out (as previously mentioned, and it is $20.00 plus tax per person, round trip), spent about an hour there, and then came back. The line was so long to return that many people got left behind, even with standees on the bus. My advice is not to wait until the last bus at 6:00 - I would advise a "buffer zone" of at least an hour to get back. ;)

We took the blue bus out (as previously mentioned, and it is $20.00 plus tax per person, round trip), spent about an hour there, and then came back. The line was so long to return that many people got left behind, even with standees on the bus. My advice is not to wait until the last bus at 6:00 - I would advise a "buffer zone" of at least an hour to get back. ;)

Does that mean you can have a return ticket already purchased, but if it's the last bus a whole group of people can be left without a way to get back?

Does that mean you can have a return ticket already purchased, but if it's the last bus a whole group of people can be left without a way to get back?

if you're relying on the last white bus or blue bus, take the phone number of a cab company with you, just in case all the buses are full.

Or if you have the time and energy, the city bus stop is about a mile away. Fairly flat walk.

The walk to Nugget Falls is a little over a mile, is pretty flat and definitely worth the time. It gets you closer to the falls (which is HUUUGE) and to the glacier. And you can get a better look at the goats on the rocks.

When we went last week, we rented a car from Juneau Car Rentals, which has a kiosk at the AJ Dock. The cars are old and a bit junky (the firm used to be affiliated with "Rent a Wreck"), but the convenience factor was huge. Our cost was about $70 for a mid-sized, which would easily hold four. And it was no hassle. We picked up the car at the kiosk, dropped it off at the cruise ship parking lot. If you have at least 4 and happen to be docking at the AJ Dock, it's absolutely a no brainer to do the car rental. If you stay in cell service range (and the glacier is in cell range), if something goes wrong with the car, it would take no more than about 15-20 minutes to pick you up anywhere in town. We saw people waiting for shuttles and realized how unbelievably lucky we were to have the car. Awesome.

Does that mean you can have a return ticket already purchased, but if it's the last bus a whole group of people can be left without a way to get back?

I can't say for sure, but I would assume they would come back for the rest of the passengers. Two buses run alternately every 30 minutes, so I suppose the empty bus could come back and get the rest? Perhaps they simply say no scheduled bus return after 6 pm.

The link for the Blue Bus is in the above post; perhaps you could contact them.

Does anyone know will they still sell you a one-way shuttle ticket? Last time, we paid the round trip price and were stuck waiting on a white bus when a blue bus was already there. We decided next time we would just purchase a one way there, and pay the first bus that comes along to get back.

If so, is a one-way 10?

Does anyone know will they still sell you a one-way shuttle ticket?... We decided next time we would just purchase a one way there, and pay the first bus that comes along to get back. If so, is a one-way 10?

I'm not sure they will sell you a ticket at the glacier - the driver probably doesn't want to or can't deal with that (money, credit card, receipts, etc.). Sales tax is extra on top of the ticket - 5%.

Does anyone know will they still sell you a one-way shuttle ticket? Last time, we paid the round trip price and were stuck waiting on a white bus when a blue bus was already there. We decided next time we would just purchase a one way there, and pay the first bus that comes along to get back.

 

If so, is a one-way 10?

We were dropped off at Mendenhall after a whale watching cruise. We had no problem purchasing a one-way ticked back to the pier. When we did that the cost was $14 round trip so we only paid $7. I don't remember if we took a blue or white shuttle, we just took the first one that came by.

We were dropped off at Mendenhall after a whale watching cruise. We had no problem purchasing a one-way ticked back to the pier. When we did that the cost was $14 round trip so we only paid $7. I don't remember if we took a blue or white shuttle, we just took the first one that came by.

Thank you!

The walk to Nugget Falls from the Visitor Centre. As everyone says, it's about 15 minutes to the sandbar at the foot of the falls. If you want to branch off to to the other signposted photo point, add 5-10 minutes. All the best, Tony

[YOUTUBE]GOMA2HeTGJw[/YOUTUBE]

Does anyone know will they still sell you a one-way shuttle ticket? Last time, we paid the round trip price and were stuck waiting on a white bus when a blue bus was already there. We decided next time we would just purchase a one way there, and pay the first bus that comes along to get back.

 

If so, is a one-way 10?

I emailed this question to both companies a few weeks ago and only received this reply from mighty great trips

Yes. You may purchase it on "THE BLUE BUS" from the driver

my guess would be that the white bus would have the same policy

Does anyone know will they still sell you a one-way shuttle ticket? Last time, we paid the round trip price and were stuck waiting on a white bus when a blue bus was already there. We decided next time we would just purchase a one way there, and pay the first bus that comes along to get back.

 

If so, is a one-way 10?

I contacted the office &'was told yes we could purchase our ticket back from the bus driver. Said it was raised from $8. To $10. this year.

BTW my friend grew up in Plainfield

I contacted the office &'was told yes we could purchase our ticket back from the bus driver. Said it was raised from $8. To $10. this year.

 

BTW my friend grew up in Plainfield

Thank you!! I'll have to remember to tuck 30 dollars in my pocket to pay the driver.

Cool! Plainfield is a nice town. I've lived here since 2002 when I got married. I grew up just 30 minutes from here.