Nugget Falls, Waterfall at Mendenhall Lake in Juneau, United States.
Nugget Falls is a two-tiered waterfall on the edge of Mendenhall Lake, near Juneau in southeast Alaska. The water falls over dark rock faces before reaching the lake, which lies at the foot of the Mendenhall Glacier.
Nugget Falls took its current form as the Mendenhall Glacier pulled back over recent decades, exposing the rock face and allowing meltwater from the smaller Nugget Glacier above to fall into the newly formed lake. Before the glacier retreated, the water ran over ice rather than open rock.
The area around Nugget Falls sits within land that holds deep meaning for the Tlingit people, who have lived in this region for generations. Visitors today often pause at the gravel shore to watch the milky water mix with the lake, sometimes in the company of bald eagles perched on nearby rocks.
A well-marked trail from the Mendenhall Visitor Center leads to a gravel area at the base of the falls in about 30 to 45 minutes of easy walking. The ground near the water can be slippery when wet, so sturdy footwear is a good idea.
The water carries fine glacial particles that give it a milky blue color, most visible on overcast days when the light is flat. On calm days, chunks of ice that have broken off from Mendenhall Glacier drift close to the falls, sometimes right up to the gravel shore where visitors stand.
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