Glaciers Are a Must-See on Any Trip to Alaska

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When my family went to Alaska several years ago, I dreamed of seeing icebergs. I’d never seen one before, and I wondered what it would be like in real life. Cruising Alaska’s Inside Passage, I was in luck! We saw many on that trip, and they never ceased to amaze me.

But even more impressive than the icebergs were the glaciers. Alaska is home to thousands and thousands of glaciers, covering five percent of its land. That’s about 75,000 square kilometers in total! These glaciers range in size and elevation and are scattered all over the state.

This icy world intrigues visitors from all over the world, and my family was no exception. When our cruise ship docked in Juneau for the day, we opted to go and explore one of Alaska’s most popular glaciers. We met with the group and hopped on the bus to begin our excursion.

The first thing we did was drive through the downtown. Juneau is extremely unique in that it’s the only U.S. capital on the mainland that is not accessible by road; it can only be reached by plane or boat. You can travel by road around the town itself, but there are no roads connecting it to the rest of the state or the country at large.

It’s the second-largest city in Alaska with a population of just under 32,000 people—incredibly low when you compare it to other state capitals throughout the U.S. Juneau was the first place in Alaska where gold was discovered, and the mining industry is what first allowed it to prosper. Today it remains an important part of Alaska’s history and the hub of state government.

After our brief tour of the downtown, we were headed to the Mendenhall Glacier in Tongass National Forest, about 12 miles out of town. As we got closer to our destination, I could see parts of the glacier poking out through the tall trees from my seat on the bus. But when we actually arrived, I couldn’t believe the view! We had about an hour here, and we quickly realized that this was not going to be enough time!

To the left of the glacier, beautiful rocky mountains rose up from the cold, blue water at the base. Icebergs of all shapes, sizes, and colors covered the water in front of the glacier. And then there was the glacier itself—a sprawling expanse of ice and snow 13.6 miles long. It was a fascinating view!

Travel Juneau describes the glacier like this:

A half-mile wide, with ice up to 1,800 feet deep, it’s little wonder this is Juneau’s most popular destination.

To the right of the glacier, Nugget Falls ran down the side of another mountain. It was a breathtaking scene! There were many lookout spots along the trail leading to the glacier, and eventually, we reached the water’s edge and were standing right near the base of the massive waterfall. I wanted to spend all day there, soaking up the rarity of this experience and staring, transfixed, at the glacier.

If you have more time, there are many ways to see the glacier and learn about the area, and I would strongly recommend spending more than an hour here! There is a visitor center, hiking trails, guided tours and charters, kayak rentals, and more, so don't miss out on a chance to see an Alaskan icon!

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