Best waterfalls in Alaska

Alaska’s waterfalls come glacier-fed and giant — Nugget Falls roaring beside the face of Mendenhall, the soaring ribbons of Valdez’s Keystone Canyon, and forest gorges minutes from Anchorage. The short summer is the window, when long daylight and big snowmelt put them at full force.

Bridal Veil Falls (Valdez)600 ftRoadside · Valdeza towering roadside fall across Keystone Canyon from Horsetail.Horsetail Falls (Valdez)600 ftRoadside · Valdeza soaring ribbon in Keystone Canyon on the road to Valdez.Nugget Falls377 ftShort walk · Juneau · 2 mia thundering fall beside the face of Mendenhall Glacier.Thunderbird Falls200 ftModerate hike · Chugiak · 2 mia forest gorge fall a half-hour from Anchorage.Lower Reid Falls40 ftShort walk · Skagway · 1 mia mossy fall past the historic Gold Rush Cemetery in Skagway.

Flows change with the season and recent rain — many falls roar at spring snowmelt and slow by late summer. Check conditions and any permit or reservation rules before you go.