Despite heightening concerns over flooding in Juneau, Alaska, you shouldn’t cancel your glacier excursion just yet.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) anticipates that Mendenhall Lake in Juneau, Alaska, will flood sometime in the next 2-3 weeks.
An update on Travel Juneau's Facebook page shared that officials are monitoring "the potential for a glacial lake outburst, similar to those experienced over the last two years."
Should the water levels rise, local authorities will close all lakeside trails and roads adjacent to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The Mendenhall Campground will also be closed and evacuated.
Until then, the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center will remain open from 10:00AM to 5:00PM, Sunday through Friday.
As of Monday, July 28, 2025, the current height of the Suicide Basin, an over-deepened bedrock basin located approximately 1.8 miles up the Mendenhall Glacier, was 1,317ft. Comparatively, the basin's height in 2024 was 1,357ft, while it was 1,401ft in 2023.
The NOAA released that the basin was rising roughly 3 feet per day and is expected to reach its capacity of 1,368ft in mid-August. The storage capacity of Suicide Basin varies due to ongoing changes in the Mendenhall Glacier, including ice melting and calving.
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Suicide Basin plays an important role in the formation of recurring glacial lake outburst floods because Mendenhall Glacier acts as a dam that allows water to build up in the basin.
A glacier outburst flood (GLOF) is the sudden release of water from a glacier lake and is often caused by the failure of a natural dam (like ice, rock, or moraine) that holds back the lake's water. It can result in a sudden and potentially catastrophic flood downstream.
Scientists monitor these changes using elevation models, drones, and satellite imagery.
No immediate cause for concern
"This is a routine precautionary update that happens every summer as part of NOAA's glacier monitoring," LaDonna Rose, an Alaskan fisherwoman, cookbook author, and self-proclaimed lover of salmon, shared in a recent comment on the Alaska Cruise Excursions and Packing List 2025 - 2026 Facebook group.
"If there is ever a risk of a lake outburst, tours and trails in the area are temporarily closed as a safety measure and reopened once everything is cleared. This is not something to be alarmed about, it's a natural part of how they monitor glacier activity each season," she added.
Although cruise passengers should remain aware of the potential for a glacier outburst, they shouldn't be alarmed. Any closures will be communicated, particularly if they impact paid shore excursions to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center.
"No need to stress, this is just Juneau being Juneau and they're used to keeping visitors safe and informed," Rose said.
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Suicide Basin experienced record-level flooding on August 6, 2024
Although Suicide Basin has flooded annually since 2011, it's impossible to predict the exact timing of the GLOF. However, the flooding reached record levels in 2024, damaging at least 100 homes and cars.
According to the NOAA, the Mendenhall River gauge crested at 15.99 feet on August 6, 2024. This exceeded the previous record of 14.97 feet set in 2023.
At the peak of the event, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) gauge at Mendenhall River recorded a streamflow exceeding 33,000 cubic feet per second (cfs), which was more than 8,000 cfs higher than 2023's levels.
Early estimates also revealed that 14.6 billion gallons of water were released from the Suicide Basin. That's enough water to fill more than 22,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
Because the basin isn't as full as it was in 2024, any potential flooding this year might not be as catastrophic. That said, every GLOF is unique, and conditions can quickly change.
Things to do in Juneau other than go to the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center
Should your plans be disrupted due to the closure of the visitor center, there are plenty of other things to do in Juneau, Alaska.
You can, for example, stroll the streets of the downtown area. It's kept many of the facades that make you feel as though you're walking through a Gold Rush mining town. It is home to popular restaurants and bars, too. These include the Red Dog Saloon and Tracy's King Crab Shack — a must if you want to try fresh crab.
You will also want to browse the shops to look for unique souvenirs, handmade crafts, jewelry, and locally made art.
The Mount Roberts Tramway is another popular attraction that whisks you 1,800 feet up Mount Roberts, where you'll find panoramic views of Juneau, hiking trails, and more.
If you want to be a little less active, consider a whale-watching cruise departing from the nearby Auke Bay. You never know what wildlife you will spot, from humpback whales to sea lions.
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