Mendenhall Glacier & Glacier Gardens

[srsurman]

Hello.  I'm contemplating a tour here, but after reading the reviews I still have a question that hopefully somebody can answer.  How do you get from the cruise ship to Glacier Gardens and from Glacier Gardens to Mendenhall?  I'm assuming a bus.  But more importantly, with only 90 minutes at Mendenhall, does the bus? drop you off at the visitor center?  Park at Glacier Spur Road Parking?  Or what I'm afraid of...park at the dirt parking lot across from the East Glacier Trail Trailhead?  Thanks in advance.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/shore-excursions/JNU/23005.html

[Eaglecw]

We have done this tour a few times. You take a bus from the pier to the Gardens and then continue on to the Glacier by bus. The bus will drop you off at the bus stop which is near the visitor center. If you have a senior citizens National park pass bring it with you, it'll get you into the visitor center. I can guarantee that there will be a lot people at the glacier.

[YourWorldWithBill]

20 minutes ago, srsurman said:

Hello.  I'm contemplating a tour here, but after reading the reviews I still have a question that hopefully somebody can answer.  How do you get from the cruise ship to Glacier Gardens and from Glacier Gardens to Mendenhall?  I'm assuming a bus.  But more importantly, with only 90 minutes at Mendenhall, does the bus? drop you off at the visitor center?  Park at Glacier Spur Road Parking?  Or what I'm afraid of...park at the dirt parking lot across from the East Glacier Trail Trailhead?  Thanks in advance.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/shore-excursions/JNU/23005.html

We did the helicopter to Mendenhall, with a walk on the glacier. Bus to the airport for the helicopter. It was expensive, but we felt it was worth it. When in my life will I do that? This was an HAL excursion.

[srsurman]

Thanks Eagle.  We are hoping to hike out to Nugget Falls.  I take it since you've done this tour a few times that you think it's money well spent?

Edited April 21, 2023 by srsurman

[Eaglecw]

20 hours ago, srsurman said:

Thanks Eagle.  We are hoping to hike out to Nugget Falls.  I take it since you've done this tour a few times that you think it's money well spent?

Yes I think it's money well spent. Be forewarned, sometimes you can't get to Nugget Falls, the bears and there cubs have the right away. 3 years ago the park service closed the Nugget Falls trail due to bear activity, same with the trails across the street from the visitor center, they were closed last year when we were there. We cruise to Alaska every summer, living in the Seattle area makes it a little to handy

[vlbradley21]

We did this tour last July.  We went to the Mendenhall first by bus.  We were dropped off near the Visitor Center, and we walked to Nugget Falls from there.  Then we got back on the bus and went to the Gardens.  This tour was not what we had planned but our helicopter tour was cancelled because of weather.  The Gardens was beautiful and we really enjoyed it.

[rochelle_s]

Deleted

 

Rochelle

Edited April 22, 2023 by rochelle_s

[rochelle_s]

3 hours ago, Eaglecw said:

Yes I think it's money well spent. Be forewarned, sometimes you can't get to Nugget Falls, the bears and there cubs have the right away. 3 years ago the park service closed the Nugget Falls trail due to bear activity, same with the trails across the street from the visitor center, they were closed last year when we were there. We cruise to Alaska every summer, living in the Seattle area makes it a little to handy

 

Can you tell me which month was it that the trail was closed. I am going the first two weeks in June, wonder if that is baby bear season.

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

 

Rochelle

Edited April 22, 2023 by rochelle_s

[Eaglecw]

17 minutes ago, rochelle_s said:

 

Can you tell me which month was it that the trail was closed. I am going the first two weeks in June, wonder if that is baby bear season.

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide.

 

Rochelle

It would have been the last week of June.

[srsurman]

Thank you all.  We have booked it.

[Nola26]

We have also booked this, we are on the May 20th cruise. I really want to visit Nugget Falls. Is 90 minutes enough time for this and time in the visitor center? I will have my mother with me who is absolutely capable of doing the walk, but I don't want to feel like I'm rushing her. She loves horticulture so she's interested in visiting the gardens too. TIA