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 often 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, 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 4.83 out of 5 stars

30 reviews

5 stars 26 86 %

4 stars 3 10 %

3 stars 1 3 %

2 stars 0 0 %

1 star 0 0 %

Most recent reviews Most helpful reviews

30 reviews for Mendenhall Glacier Paddle & Trek

5 out of 5
Zhanar October 5, 2017
Highlight of the cruise!We had an amazing day with Blake. Everything was well organized and the tour was provided to us with great fun. Great fun and sun was an awesome bonus! Besides taking care of us, we learnt a lot about the glacier. Tour guides were also kind and patient to take pics of ALL of the tourists. No rush at all. And we all know that bringing back a good photo of you walking on a glacier is very important! So thank you for an overall amazing time. Good luck and I hope to be back for heli ski! :)
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5 out of 5
Allise Rappaport/Jacobs September 28, 2017
Most Memorable Anniversary Ever!We will never forget this anniversary. The Paddle and Trek on Mendenhall Glacier was amazing. Started out disappointed that the ice caves were gone (September 20,2017), but was promised by our guide Marwan, that we would see some incredible sites. Having done a glacier trek in Iceland, I was skeptical about seeing anything I hadn't seen before. I was very happily surprised. From start to finish, this was an excursion not to be missed. I was exhausted and a bit sore afterwards (I'm a 67 year old woman, and had rotator cuff surgery a year ago, had a pacemaker put in in May, and had an ablation end of July) but it was worth it for sure.
Was this review helpful to you? 3 of 3 people found this review helpful
5 out of 5
Bonnie Sheiner September 7, 2017
Mendenhall Glacier Paddle & Trek-Best Excursion EVER!!!!My husband and I just went on the Mendenhall Glacier Paddle & Trek this past August 2017 and it was the BEST EXCURSION WE HAVE EVER BEEN ON!!!! We have been traveling a while now all over the world but we never had such an amazing time as we did here.

First of all, they were very reliable waiting for us at the cruise dock then transporting us to their office. Everything was waiting for each person to gear up and there was no need for us to bring equipment. They made sure we had everything we needed to be warm and safe on our canoeing and trekking trip.

After everyone was ready we were off to the canoes! What a Blast...we had so much fun and the view!!!! I can't tell you how lucky we were to have a wonderful day with weather. It wouldn't have mattered either way but we really were so lucky. We got to the Glacier and prepared for our trek. The beauty before us was just breathtaking...I can't even begin to tell you how incredible it was. Our guides made sure everywhere we went it was safe, going in ice caves, proper technique for walking on steep glaciers, using our spikes and walking stick...just fantastic guidance. They also made sure all of us got pictures in all the amazing spots we stopped. Their knowledge of the glacier and surroundings was so informative. These guys were just so much fun and we couldn't stop telling them how much we loved the trip.

I HIGHLY recommend this trip!! Don't miss it, it would be a shame not to experience this while in Alaska. I will never forget it!
Thank you for the experience of a lifetime!!
Was this review helpful to you? 1 of 1 people found this review helpful
4 out of 5
Judith Weller August 27, 2017
A super day - we loved the paddle across the lake, the ice caves were amazing and the glacier was beautiful - despite a rather grey day. The equipment was adequate. Our guide was very friendly but - for the astronomical price - it would have been good to have a bit more information about the glacier, the geology etc - and he needs new crampons!
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5 out of 5
Gregg August 26, 2017
Great All-AroundOur guide Adam was knowledgeable, skilled, and fun to be around. The entire experience was as advertised and a once in a lifetime opportunity.
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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.