Nugget Falls
- Hike
- 1 mi each way
- Road
- Paved
- Permit
- Not required
- Dogs
- Allowed
Nugget Falls flows May through September. Nugget Falls is a waterfall on Nugget Creek in Juneau City and Borough, Alaska. Reaching it is a 1 mi hike each way.
Closures and warnings
Black bears use Steep Creek and lake shore; no food on trails. Stay on marked paths near calving ice on Mendenhall Lake. As of September 30, 2026.
The falls
| Flows | May through September |
|---|---|
| Flow note | Two-tier cascade on Nugget Creek dropping into Mendenhall Lake beside Mendenhall Glacier; viewing via Nugget Falls Trail |
| Swimming allowed | No |
|---|
Access
| Hike | 1 mi each way |
|---|---|
| Road | Paved |
| Road note | Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center area, Juneau |
| Parking | Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area parking lots |
| Fee | Nugget Falls Trail is exempt from the Mendenhall day-use pass; Visitor Center / Photo Point / Steep Creek require $5. |
| Hours | Mendenhall recreation area grounds open 6:00 a.m.-midnight year-round; visitor center has seasonal hours. |
| Reservation or permit | Not required |
| Managed by | USDA Forest Service (Tongass National Forest, Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area) |
Rules
| Dogs | Allowed |
|---|
Common questions
Common questions
Is Nugget Falls open?
Black bears use Steep Creek and lake shore; no food on trails. Stay on marked paths near calving ice on Mendenhall Lake. As of September 30, 2026. Hours: Mendenhall recreation area grounds open 6:00 a.m.-midnight year-round; visitor center has seasonal hours.
Can you swim at Nugget Falls?
No, swimming is not allowed at Nugget Falls.
How long is the hike to Nugget Falls?
It's a 1 mi hike each way. The road in is paved. Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center area, Juneau. Parking: Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area parking lots.
Do you need a reservation for Nugget Falls?
No reservation or permit is required.
Is there a fee at Nugget Falls?
The fee is Nugget Falls Trail is exempt from the Mendenhall day-use pass; Visitor Center / Photo Point / Steep Creek require $5.
When is Nugget Falls flowing?
It flows May through September. Two-tier cascade on Nugget Creek dropping into Mendenhall Lake beside Mendenhall Glacier; viewing via Nugget Falls Trail.
What are the rules at Nugget Falls?
Dogs are allowed.
Nearby
Camping nearby
Public land
Nugget Falls is inside Tongass National Forest .
Sources
4
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/r10/tongass/offices/mendenhall-fees-and-passes (accessed September 28, 2026; backs manager, access.fee, swimmerNotes.swimmingAllowed)
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/r10/recreation/epic-adventures/mendenhall-glacier-visitor-center-area (accessed September 30, 2026; backs access.parking / roadNote, access.hikeDistanceMi / hikeDistanceBasis, waterfall.flowNote / waterbodyName / ephemeral, access.hours, hazardNote)
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/nfs/files/r10/tongass/publication/MendenhallBrochure2025_0.pdf (accessed September 30, 2026; backs rules.dogs)
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/r10/tongass/recreation/trails/nugget-falls-trail (accessed September 30, 2026; backs waterfall.flowMonths)
More: Alaska waterfalls