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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Nugget Falls

Juneau County, Alaska — about 377 ft, among the tallest.

Nugget Falls plunges about 377 feet in two tiers from Nugget Creek (fed by Nugget Glacier) onto a sandbar in Mendenhall Lake, beside the face of Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau. A nearly flat one-mile trail from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center area leads to a dramatic close-up viewpoint.

Height
377 ft
Type
Tiered
Access
Short Hike
Trail
2 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
50 ft
Best season
Late spring through early fall
Land manager
U.S. Forest Service (Tongass National Forest)
Watercourse
Nugget Creek

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check U.S. Forest Service (Tongass National Forest) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Nugget Falls drops about 377 feet. That makes it the 32nd-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 95% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Nugget Falls Trail reaches it about 2 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 50 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Juneau. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with U.S. Forest Service (Tongass National Forest) for closures and current conditions.

Late spring through early fall. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

More Alaska waterfalls

Sources

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