The Mendenhall Glacier Paddle and Trek experience is a favorite among Juneau glacier tours and an experience you’ll be unlikely to forget! Imagine paddling a canoe over the tranquil waters of a serene glacial lake, with the grand peaks of snow-capped mountains and cascading Nugget Falls reflected in the surface; skimming around glowing blue icebergs; and marveling at the region’s diverse wildlife, from gulls and terns nesting along cliffs to mountain goats, porcupines, river otters, beavers, bald eagles, black bears, and other inhabitants of this magical landscape. At the edge of the awe-inspiring Mendenhall Glacier, the adventure continues as paddles are traded for trekking poles and your guide takes you right onto the ice for a two-hour trek, which sometimes even includes the opportunity to explore other-worldly ice caves!

With the glacier only twelve miles from Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier Paddle and Trek adventure is conveniently situated near the historic port town. 2017, though, is only the second year in which guests have been permitted to venture across Mendenhall Lake and right onto the glacier itself, so don’t miss this still-exclusive opportunity! If conditions are judged by the guides to be sufficiently safe and ice caves have formed, your trek across the massive 13.6-mile-long river of ice will feature a cave journey into the glacier itself! With a maximum group size of just 12 participants, this intimate favorite among Juneau glacier tours allows plenty of time to question your knowledgeable guides and learn more about all you are seeing and experiencing. Your excursion is followed by a leisurely paddle back to your retrieval point by the lake’s edge. Pick-up and return from the cruise docks, as well as from many Juneau hotels, is included in this stunning, family-friendly 6 ½-hour experience. Join us on this top tour, because after all, no visit to Juneau is complete without a close-up experience of the legendary Mendenhall Glacier!

To explore Mendenhall Glacier without the paddling portion of the tour, consider the Mendenhall Glacier Trek.

6 ½ Hours Duration

From pick-up to drop-off

Most Glacier Time

~2 hours spent on Mendenhall Glacier

An Exclusive New Tour

Not available through all cruise lines

Limited Permits Available

Book early for this high-demand tour

Port	Juneau
Type	Glacier Interaction, Paddle Adventure, Top 10
Length	6 ½ hours
Adult Rate	$349.00
Child Rate	There is no child rate for this tour. All participants will be charged at the adult rate.
Minimum Age	The minimum age for participants is 12 years old.
Accessibility	Must be fit enough to paddle for 5 miles and be able to sit in a canoe for up to 3 hours.
Cancellation Policy	In the event your cruise ship is late, delayed, or doesn't make it into port we always issue a full refund for the tour., Changes or cancellations are allowed up to 14 days prior to the tour departure with absolutely no penalty., Including 'Flex Cancel' allows refunds up until 24-hours before the tour., Any cancellations made within 14 days of the tour departure (or within 24-hours with 'Flex Cancel') are nonrefundable.

Customers' review

Rated 4.84 out of 5 stars

64 reviews

5 stars 57 89 %

4 stars 4 6 %

3 stars 3 4 %

2 stars 0 0 %

1 star 0 0 %

Most recent reviews Most helpful reviews

64 reviews for Mendenhall Glacier Paddle & Trek

5 out of 5
Marion & Joel Bessoff December 27, 2018
Beyond Our ExpectationsWe loved every minute of this experience. The gear was top quality and in excellent condition. The guides were personable and amazing. And the trek was fantastic, fabulous, exciting, challenging and sensational. (We're in our 70s and did it all.) It was also very romantic as a young man proposed to his beloved on the glacier. What more could you ask for? Oh, good snacks too!
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5 out of 5
Leeanne Skewes November 22, 2018
I want to go again!It was challenging but worth it! Our guide Dan was fun and very informative. He also found and guided us into an ice cave that was so amazing and beautiful. Our guides set us up with all the gear we needed to be safe and comfortable including snacks and water. Don't miss this excursion, I can't wait to go back again!
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5 out of 5
BB October 23, 2018
Amazing!A highlight of our AK trip! Was an amazing experience!
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5 out of 5
LAUREN MCKAY September 30, 2018
Glacier paddle and trek reviewTruly a great experience! Our tour guide, Ben, was excellent. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and had a good sense of humor. He gave us a lot of time on the glacier. We even had a "race" with another canoe from the same company. Would highly recommend this experience to others!
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4 out of 5
Janet Miksa September 16, 2018
Glacier Paddle and TrekIt was a great day! The weather was perfect!
The paddle was challenging for me but I made it! We got to walk on the glacier and repel a little. Our guide was patient and showed us how to walk on the glacier with crampons. He was very observant of who needed help.
The only disappointment was that we really didn’t get to go in caves. We did get to stand inside a very small place that was surrounded by blue ice. Sort of like being in an old phone booth. All in all, it was a good day!
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Will the trip still operate if it is raining?

Answer: Because much of SE Alaska is a rainforest, these trips do operate rain or shine. Rain jackets and pants are provided on this trip. If weather conditions are unsafe, the trip will be canceled and we will provide a full refund. This can happen on canoe trips from time to time and will be typically related to sea or lake conditions, not rain.

What if our ship is delayed or doesn't make it into port? Refund?

Answer: It's very rare that a ship is delayed into port, but in those cases we will try our best to work with you to reschedule the tour to a later time. If that is not a possibility or your ship doesn't make it into port, we will of course refund the full cost of the tour.

What about restroom facilities along the way?

Answer: You'll have a chance at the kayak base to use the restroom but after that we will be entering the great outdoors. We recommend all guests follow 'Leave No Trace Principles' and should the need arise, we request packing all trash from the trip including toilet paper. If this is of concern for you, we recommend bringing toilet paper and a ziploc bag for easy packing.

How many guests can attend on this tour?

Answer: There can be up to 12 participants on this trip and there is a minimum of 2 guests for the trip to operate. With advanced notice we can accommodate larger groups on private tours.

Are we guaranteed to see ice caves?

Answer: We don't guarantee ice cave visits. Because the caves are dynamic and change rapidly, visits are condition-dependent. Your guides will ultimately make the call whether or not it is safe to enter an ice cave.

What's the weather like on the glacier? Is it cold?

Answer: Juneau temperatures during the summer are typically between 50 and 65 degrees, with an average of 56 degrees Fahrenheit (13 degrees Celsius). The temperature on the glacier is about 5 degrees cooler, but can feel up to 15 degrees cooler due to katabatic winds (cold downslope winds coming down the glacier). Please bring layers of clothing including a warm hat and gloves.

Mendenhall Glacier Paddle & Trek