Mendenhall Glacier Canoe Paddle and Hike Juneau
Description
The Glacier Canoe Paddle and Hike is our most sought-after adventure. Your journey begins at the Mendenhall Lake, where a canoe guide will provide paddle instruction. Equipped with gear, board your spacious canoe and set course for the Mendenhall Glacier. Witness Arctic tern nesting grounds and the cascading Nugget Falls as you glide past, with stunning views of the glacier in the distance. As the glacier draws near, keep your eyes peeled for freshly calved icebergs. Exit the canoes and hike the rocky terrain, gaining intimate views of the glacier and learn about its rapid recession. Explore this ancient ice age wilderness and marvel at its ice features, including crevasses, ice fall at the toe of the glacier, and other deep blue mysteries. Constantly changing, the glacier offers a unique experience each day. This tour does not venture onto the glacier, but delivers front-row views. After immersing yourself at the glacier, board the canoes and paddle back across Mendenhall Lake.
Tour Options
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
The “C” Sign, located near the cruise ship docks directly between Mt. Roberts Tramway and the green Taku Smokeries building, is our centralized downtown meeting location for all clients in the downtown area, including the majority of cruise ship passengers. Clients staying at major hotels in the Mendenhall Valley may be picked up directly from their hotel. Clients with their own transportation need to contact our office to arrange a meeting location.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
- Age minimum of 12 years and older only
- Please note, this tour requires a minimum of 4 to operate. If minimum requirement is not met, reservation is subject to change or cancellation.
- Maximum weight 250 pounds
- You must include the following in the comments section when booking: raingear & shoe sizes for each passenger, (for adult men and women, S-XXL and youth, S-L) and any pertinent medical information. Smallest shoe size that can be accommodated is Youth 2 and largest is Adult 14.
- All clients will be outfitted in 8 person or 12 person canoes, with 1 to 2 guides depending on the group size.
- All clients must be in physically fit condition and capable of paddling 5-6 miles and hiking about 2 miles roundtrip. All clients must know how to swim.
- Due to the inherent risks involved, we do not permit pregnant guests to participant.
- With group departures we try to maximize our trip capacity and subsequently may need to alter the time to accommodate additional customers. If your trip's departure time changes we will notify you as soon as possible.
- Glacier Access and feature exploration: The Mendenhall Glacier is receding daily. Because the glacier is in a state of constant change, not all features may be present or accessible. We will explore the edges of the glacier safely from the bedrock. This tour does not include trekking on the glacier.
- A specific amount of time exploring the edge of the glacier cannot be guaranteed. The amount of time at the glacier is dependent on the group's pace and weather conditions
- Clients must disclose information regarding pertinent medical conditions/history, allergies and any type of restriction or limitation that might introduce a higher degree of challenge on this trip.
- RELEASE OF LIABILITY/ASSUMPTION OF RISK FORM: Every participant on the trip must sign a Release of Liability/Assumption of Risk form at the start of the trip. Alterations and/or deletions to the waiver are not permitted.
- Maximum weight is 250 lbs per person
Reviews(202)
We had an excellent outing, a canoe paddle and hike out to the Mendenhall Glacier. Our guides were Carla and Reina - they both did a fantastic job of getting us geared up and giving instruction on handling the canoe. They also gave expert commentary about the glacier that included history and changes in nature that affect the glacier, local waterways and the area community. Altogether a great experience.
Absolutely five stars for Alaska Above & Beyond. Our guides were the best — enthusiastic, deeply knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the glacier. Their energy made the entire experience unforgettable. The tour was worth every penny. Beautiful sights, stunning glacier views, and a well‑organized flow from start to finish. It’s such an incredible way to see Alaska up close and personal, and I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting. If you’re considering this excursion, don’t hesitate. It truly goes above and beyond.
Skye and Grant were great guides. They made sure we had all the right gears and guided us on our paddle and trek. They were both extremely knowledgeable of the geology and culture of the area, which made this the most educational tour we had on this trip! 🤩 And it was BEAUTIFUL! 😍 It was definitely more paddle, barely any walking. I am not sure if I would call it strenuous. We actually had everyone paddling, maybe that’s why it felt very easy.
Seeing the immensity of a glacier before it disappears due to global warming is one of the most wonderful experiences you can have. Paddling for 9 km. (6 miles), is well worth it to reach the other side of the lake and do a brief hike to see the ice wall that, although it is receding more and more, remains totally impressive.
Jasper and Heather are amazing guides and I totally recommend this tour. They had excellent equipment and even gave us water and yummy snacks in case we got hungry. We got really close to the glacier, saw some goats in the mountains, and the guides shared interesting information and answered a bunch of our questions.
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're thrilled to hear you had such a great experience with your guides and enjoyed all aspects of this tour. We'll be sure to pass along your compliments to them. Thanks again for joining us, and we hope to welcome you back to Alaska someday!
An unforgettable experience getting so close to a glacier, albeit physical exertion required!! Hallie & Mike, along with the other guides brought the trip alive providing information & knowledge about what we were seeing & the local area. Despite it being a wet day, we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The wet weather gear provided was invaluable & the snacks & souvenir water bottle a lovely addition.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear the trip was unforgettable and that our guide team helped bring the glacier and local area to life—even on a wet day. We’re glad the wet weather gear made a difference and that you enjoyed the extra touches like the snacks and souvenir water bottle. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again in the future!
I recently did this canoe paddle and hike to Mendenhall Glacier and it was wonderful! I wish I could remember the 4 guides names' because they deserve a shout out! (Riza and Lisa were 2 of them) They worked so well together as a team. We started at their garage where they outfited each of us (and there were 19 on the trip!) with waterproof boots, pants and jackets. Topped it all off with PFD's that they came around and made sure were adjusted properly. They reviewed where we were going and then drove to the lake, had a safety briefing and some instruction. As a group, they expertly led us across the lake, to beautiful Nugget Falls before pulling out at a beach nearer the glacier. They shared their knowledge of geology, wildlife and the glaciers. They even packed us a delicious lunch in bento boxes! Arrived back at the starting point under an Eagle's watchful eye. I would highly recommend this adventure! Awesome experience!
Wow, thank you so much for this detailed review! It's great to hear that you had a good time with our guides and that they shared their knowledge with you all -- and we're glad you enjoyed our equipment and snacks. Thanks for making us a part of your time in Alaska!
This excursion out to the Mendenhall Glacier and back is worth your time! Lisa and Keaton lead our team of rag tag paddlers through glacial water and winds beautifully!
Thank you for this review! We're so glad you enjoyed your time canoeing to the Mendenhall with us. We will pass on the positive feedback to your guides. Come join us on another adventure soon!
Very fun adventure, rain gear, including boots are provided to keep you dry. Guides are very informative about the glacier and Juneau area.
Hi James! Thank you for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you had a fun adventure and learned a lot from our knowledgeable guides. We appreciate you making us part of your time in Alaska.
Just returned from a great trip with Halle, Kayley, and Dan. The team was well organized, fun, enthusiastic, and very knowledgeable. We drove to their shop, suited up with waterproof outfits, boots, and PFDs and drove a short distance to Mendenhall Lake. After a brief safety/paddling instruction we boarded the canoes and paddled out to a beautiful waterfall and Mendenhall glacier. Each member of the team told us about some geology, the trees, and the glacier. Then we paddled back, stored the canoes, and returned. It was a great time and we highly recommend the adventure!
It is so great to hear that Halle, Kayley and Dan gave you a trip to remember! We are glad that every aspect of the tour went well for you. Thank you so much for such a raving review, we hope to see you soon for another adventure.
