Mendenhall Lake Canoe Tour

5.0

104 reviews

Excursion Overview

Explore the Mendenhall Glacier Lake by canoe!

Prepare to come face to face with the magnificent Mendenhall Glacier on this ultimate Alaskan adventure. Traveling with a small group in a canoe, your guide will help you navigate past icebergs, waterfalls, and steep cliffs once carved by ice. You will help paddle the canoe as close as possible on the expedition toward the face of the Glacier.

This small, intimate adventure begins by meeting your professional guide at Mt.Robert's Tramway building. You will enjoy a narrated scenic drive to a more remote part of the Tongass National Forest, where you will first lay eyes on the ever-changing Mendenhall Glacier. One of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in North America, the Mendenhall Glacier is just 12 miles from downtown Juneau but feels like a million miles away from the everyday. The 13-mile-long river of ice, which ends on the far side of Mendenhall Lake, is one of Alaska's shining gems. A half-mile wide with ice up to 1,800 feet deep, it's no surprise that Mendenhall is the most-visited glacier in Alaska.

Gaze upon the otherworldly beauty and serenity of Mendenhall Lake from the seat of your canoe as you paddle across the lake. Keep an eye on the cliffs adorned with nests of Arctic terns, a giant waterfall, and wildlife while navigating past beautiful blue icebergs. You will come as close as possible to the face of the Mendenhall Glacier and be rewarded with front row views of the "ice falls", where miles of glacier ice flow steeply over the mountainside, and continue down to the lake in front of you. Your guide will steer the canoe to the best viewpoints of the glacier's towering ice seracs and blue crevasses. So make sure you bring your camera!

Group sizes are kept small and personal, with a maximum of 8 to 10 guests. You will be equipped with top-quality gear including rain pants, rain jackets, waterproof boots, and everything else you will need to ensure your comfort and safety. Each guest is provided a dry bag filled with bottled water and snacks, to be used to store personal belongings while canoeing.

This tour is canoe only and does not include hiking at the glacier terminus.

For a glacier tour experience, please view our Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour.

This tour is typically available from May through September. Our excursions were designed for cruise ship passengers but are available to everyone.

Things You Need to Know

Inclusions:

Roundtrip transportation from the cruise ship terminal
Rain jacket, rain pants, Xtratuf rain boots, paddling gloves, and a dry bag for personal items
Bottled water, snacks, and hot beverage

Requirements:

Minimum age: 12 years old
Minimum weight: 90 lbs
Maximum weight: 240 lbs
Not recommended for guests with back, shoulder or hip problems
Pregnant guests are not permitted on this tour
Full use of limbs for up to 2 hours canoe paddling
Signed liability waiver

Duration: Approximately 4 hours (roundtrip from cruise ship terminal)

30 minutes - narrated transport to the glacier launch site
20 minutes - equipment and safety briefing
2+ hours - canoe paddling
20 minutes - equipment unload & break with hot chocolate
30 minutes - transport back to port

Meeting Instructions:

This tour meets in front of the Goldbelt Mount Roberts Tramway building. Fully detailed instructions are included on your finalized ticket vouchers.

ADA Accessibility of Tour:

This tour is not wheelchair or limited mobility accessible.
- Fully Wheelchair Accessible: No
- Limited Mobility Accessible: No
- Stroller Accessible: No
- Collapsible Wheelchair & Stroller Storage Available: No

Refund Policy:

You may cancel for any reason up to seven (7) days prior to the date of the tour for a full refund.
Please see our Refund Policy Page for complete details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, everyone is expected to paddle along with your guide.

There are 2 different sizes of canoes that are used. One style holds up to 10 guests and the other holds up to 14 guests.

Guides will bring you as close to the glacier that is safe and accessible. The distance ranges depending on the weather as well as the group, but typically around 200 meters away. Aside from walking on the glacier itself, this is the closest visitors can approach the Mendenhall Glacier. The tour also includes paddling toward Nugget Falls.

Bald eagles, herons, shorebirds, arctic terns, mountain goats, and porcupines are all common sights, but this is not a designated wildlife tour and nothing can be guaranteed.

This really depends on the weather. Typically the wind coming off the glacier causes it to be around 5-10 degrees cooler. We suggest you to be prepared for everything!

We provide everything you need to stay dry. Rain pants, rain jackets with hood, "Alaskan Sneakers" a.k.a Xtratuf rain boots, as well as paddling gloves. We suggest dressing in layers and according to the weather that day. Sunglasses if it is sunny and if you tend to get cold, please bring a hat/beanie as well as gloves. For more detailed packing tips for your Alaskan vacation, check out our What to Pack for Your Alaskan Cruise guide.

Small backpacks are allowed on this tour. We provide dry bags that contain bottled water as well as snacks that may be used to store your personal items during the paddle.

Minimum weight is 90 lbs and maximum weight is 240 lbs to fit into the required lifejacket. You must be able to get in and out of the canoe and full use of limbs. You must be able to paddle for 2-2.5 hours on the canoe. We take frequent breaks to enjoy the surroundings and take photographs.

Yes, we encourage you to take photographs. We take frequent breaks to enjoy the glacier, the waterfalls, as well as the beautiful Alaskan wilderness.

Guest Reviews

5.0

104 total

Andrew A

On Jul 2026

What a great excursion! Beautiful, safe, and fun! Sophie was outstanding and you couldn t ask for anything more! Do it!

Vincent L

On Jul 2026

Great time. We spent around 2 hours on the water, got really close to Mendenhall and Nugget Falls. Pickup and drop-off were smooth. Guide was really funny.

Alejandra O

On Jul 2026

Our Tour Guide Tor was awesome and made this experience very fun. It was only five of us (including our guide) in a 10-person canoe and she motivated us the whole way while teaching us techniques that would make the paddling easier and less strenuous. Seeing the glacier up close was a once in a lifetime opportunity and Tor was very knowledgeable of the area around it. This activity provided the wet weather gear, boots, gloves and wet bag which kept us warm and comfortable. I highly recommend this to anyone who would like an intimate look at the glacier is not afraid of a little work to get there, which was both memorable and rewarding.

Fredericka W

On Jul 2026

Well-organized tour that took us up close and personal to the Mendenhall Glacier. We were outfitted with rain jackets and pants, high rubber boots, and waterproof gloves. Our party of six included three adults and three teens - 14 to 84. It was challenging but fun, and would have been even more enjoyable without the steady rain. Hot cocoa/mocha and snacks were welcome treats back on shore.

Danielle F

On Jul 2026

What a great experience! It was really thrilling to be able to get so close to the glacier. Our tour guide Hannah was a pro and made us laugh while we made our way to the glacier. The hot drink and snack at the end was a nice touch. Highly recommend!

$239.00

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$239.00

Duration: 4 hours

Best Price Guarantee!

Duration: 4 hours

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Mendenhall Lake Canoe Tour

Excursion Overview

Explore the Mendenhall Glacier Lake by canoe!

This tour is canoe only and does not include hiking at the glacier terminus.