U.S. Forest Service · Tongass National Forest · Juneau, AK

Mendenhall Campground

Mendenhall Campground is situated on the shore of Mendenhall Lake, in view of the Mendenhall Glacier, about 13 miles from downtown Juneau. The site is a popular destination for viewing beautiful scenery and abundant wildlife. Hiking opportunities abound.

Reservable · Recreation.gov68 sites60 ft maxFull hookupsPets okFires ok

More like this: electric hookups in Alaska · full hookups in Alaska · reservable in Alaska · big rigs in Alaska · pets allowed in Alaska

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Mendenhall CampgroundEntrance SignEntrance Sign CloseupEntrance Information
Photos courtesy of USFS · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups42
RV with electric10
Standard with electric9
Walk-in7
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 60 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

68 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteTypeEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
001StandardBack-inGravelPartialNo6 / 2YesYes
002StandardBack-inGravelFullNo6 / 2Yes
003StandardBack-inGravelFullNo6 / 2YesYes
004StandardBack-inGravelFullNo6 / 1Yes
005StandardBack-inGravelFullNo6 / 2YesYes
006StandardBack-inGravelPartialNo6 / 2YesYes
007StandardBack-inGravelFullNo6 / 1YesYes
008StandardBack-inGravelFullNo6 / 2YesYes
009StandardBack-inGravelPartialNo6 / 1YesYes
010StandardBack-inGravelFullNo6 / 1YesYes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, water, sewer
Max vehicle length60 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
Tent padsYes
AccessibilitySites 001, 003, 005, 006 and 52 more are listed accessible

The campground is open seven days a week. The entrance gate is closed nightly from 10pm to 7am and the exit gate is open 24 hours a day. Sites characterized as accessible are open for all users. The campground offers 67 sites, 54 of which are fully accessible. Nine are full-service RV sites with electric, water and sewer hookups; nine are partial-service RV sites with electric and water hookups. Seven sites are located in a separate walk-to backpacker area. All sites are furnished with picnic tables, tent pads and combination fire rings with grills. Water faucets and accessible vault toilets are provided, as are two accessible flush toilets and shower facilities. The shower houses are closed nightly from 8pm to 7am. A dump station and trash dumpster are located on-site.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

SeasonMay 15 - September 15
ForestTongass National Forest
BookingReservations through www.recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777.
FeesFull-service RV sites with electricity, water and sewer hook-ups ($36/night), partial-service RV sites with electricity and water hook-ups ($34/night), basic-service sites ($20/night)

Tongass National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Mendenhall Campground20°30°40°50°60°January: 6.56 inches of precipitationFebruary: 4.64 inches of precipitationMarch: 4.04 inches of precipitationApril: 4.61 inches of precipitationMay: 4.68 inches of precipitationJune: 4.91 inches of precipitationJuly: 6.38 inches of precipitationAugust: 8.90 inches of precipitationSeptember: 10.56 inches of precipitationOctober: 10.04 inches of precipitationNovember: 7.95 inches of precipitationDecember: 8.05 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 25.7°F averageFebruary: 28.3°F averageMarch: 31.9°F averageApril: 40.1°F averageMay: 48.1°F averageJune: 52.9°F averageJuly: 54.2°F averageAugust: 53.5°F averageSeptember: 48.3°F averageOctober: 40.5°F averageNovember: 32.1°F averageDecember: 28.1°F average0 in5 in10 in15 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Juneau Forecast Office, 1 mile from the campground at 106 feet, station USC00504103 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 81 inches a year. The shaded span is the published season, May 15 to September 15.

Getting there

This campsite is approximately 13 miles from downtown Juneau. Access is via the Alaska Marine Highway or via Alaska Airlines. By ferry: turn right out of the Ferry Terminal parking lot. Drive 1.7 miles to DeHart's Store above Auke Bay marinas. Take a left turn onto Back Loop Road. Travel 2.5 miles to Montana Creek Road.

Nearest townJuneau, Alaska
Coordinates58.4139° N, 134.5611° W · Directions ↗

Explore

Video

Mendenhall Glacier Campground

Worth a stop

Run the rapids down the Mendenhall River, take a helicopter to the top of the glacier, bicycle or hike in the area. Outfitters offer these services. Many trails can be accessed from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center area, including East Glacier Trail, with an elevation gain of 400 feet, takes 2-3 hours roundtrip. Some of the shorter trails in this area include the 1.7 mile Nugget Falls Trail, where the waterfall drops 377 feet in two tiers onto a sandbar in Mendenhall Lake, the 1.5 mile Moraine Ecology Trail, and the.7 mile Trail of Time.

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →
  • 0.1 mi
    Moraine Ecology Trail ↗
    1.4 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike · national_recreation_or_other
  • 0.1 mi
    Mgra Moraine/Glacier Lake
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.2 mi
    Mgra Old River Trail
    0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    Mgra Moraine/Glacier Lake Spur
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.3 mi
    North Shore Trail
    0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
  • 0.4 mi
    Moose Lake
    1.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike

Trailheads within three miles

Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.

On the National Register nearby

On Register Atlas →

Natural features

The campground is situated on the shore of Mendenhall Lake at about 100 feet elevation. Mendenhall Glacier lies to the north and the Mendenhall River flows on the east. On either side of the campground the mountains rise from 4,000 to 7,000 feet above the Mendenhall Glacier. The topography is relatively flat and open, consisting of glacial moraines, small lakes and ponds. Forbs and lichens, black cottonwood, Sitka alder, willow and mature spruce hemlock forests cover the area. The forest floor is dotted with blueberry bushes and mosses. At nearly 17 million acres, the Tongass National Forest covers most of Southeast Alaska and is the largest forest in the national forest system. The Tongass surrounds the Inside Passage, the network of waterways that buffer the jagged Alaskan Coast and a cluster of coastline islands. The Tongass offers visitors a chance to view wildlife, including eagles, bears and spawning salmon. Expansive vistas, including fjords, glaciers and mountain peaks fill the area. The Tongass is part of the world's largest temperate rain forest.

Recreation

The West Glacier Trail, with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet, can be hiked in 5-6 hours roundtrip. The trailhead is a half mile from the campground entrance by road or on the Aak'w Sit' Trail. The.4 mile Tolch Rock Trail is in this vicinity. The campground has several paths in it with interpretive signs relating facts about the area wildlife and environment.

Guidebooks for Alaska

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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Mendenhall Campground?

Sites at Mendenhall Campground are reservable on Recreation.gov. Reservations through www.recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Mendenhall Campground?

Full-service RV sites with electricity, water and sewer hook-ups ($36/night), partial-service RV sites with electricity and water hook-ups ($34/night), basic-service sites ($20/night)

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Mendenhall Campground?

Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Mendenhall Campground have?

68 sites, including 42 standard sites without power, 10 RV sites with electric, 9 standard sites with power, and 7 walk-in sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Mendenhall Campground?

The longest site here provides 60 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Mendenhall Campground have hookups?

Yes, electric, water, and sewer hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Mendenhall Campground?

Water faucets and accessible vault toilets are provided, as are two accessible flush toilets and shower facilities.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Mendenhall Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Mendenhall Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Mendenhall Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Mendenhall Campground?

Sites 001, 003, 005, and 006 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 56 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Mendenhall Campground?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Mendenhall Campground?

The West Glacier Trail, with an elevation gain of 1,300 feet, can be hiked in 5-6 hours roundtrip. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation