Do I have to book an excursion to Mendenhall Glacier?

The Mendenhall Glacier is one of those destinations you've probably heard of before, but do you actually need to book an excursion to see it?

If your goal is simply to see the glacier, walk the trails, and visit Nugget Falls, you can keep things pretty simple.  The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is accessible from Juneau, and you don't need a guided tour to enjoy it.  Express bus transfers are available to book in advance and provide an easy way to get to the visitor center.  With Forest Service Rangers on hand, you can still talk with someone who knows the area, ask questions, and learn more about the landscape.

Where an excursion starts to make sense is when you want to do more than see the glacier from the established viewpoints.  Kayaking and canoeing give you a different perspective from Mendenhall Lake, while guided trekking gets you into terrain you wouldn't experience on a standard visitor-center visit.  With permits limiting the number of people on these small-group activities, these are trips you'll want to book well in advance. 

 And if your goal is actually to step on the Mendenhall glacier,  that's a completely different experience.  You'll need a helicopter  supported glacier landing.  One thing I'd keep in mind with  helicopter trips is the weather.  Southeast Alaska weather can  change quickly, so there's a real possibility that a flight could be  cancelled.  Best case scenario, you get to go on that bucket-list  trip.  Worst case, you have to pivot your plans.  But one person's  canceled helicopter tour could be another person's first time  seeing a humpback whale breach.  That's still a pretty good  backup plan in Alaska.  If walking on a glacier is the highlight of  your trip, I'd book that type of excursion early enough that you  have some flexibility if the weather doesn't cooperate.

So do you need a tour?  Not necessarily.  If you simply want to experience Mendenhall Glacier, save your money and enjoy the visitor center and trails.  If you're looking for a more active or unique experience, that's when an excursion can be worth it.