Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour with Liquid Alaska in Juneau

If you’re planning a trip to Juneau and want to get closer to a glacier than almost anyone else does, the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour with Liquid Alaska needs to be at the top of your list. Most people who visit Mendenhall only see it from a viewing platform across the lake. This tour puts you in a canoe, paddling straight toward the ice, and then walking the rocky ground right in front of it. It was hands down one of the most memorable things Johnny and I did during our time in Alaska, and I want to walk you through exactly what to expect so you can decide if it’s right for your trip.

About Mendenhall Glacier

Before we get into the tour itself, it helps to understand what makes this glacier so special. Mendenhall is a 13-mile river of flowing ice located within the Tongass National Forest, the largest national forest in the United States. It’s roughly 1,800 feet deep and half a mile wide, with that shimmering blue ice and dramatic surroundings that make Alaska feel almost unreal in person.

It’s also the most visited glacier in Alaska, which sounds like it would make it crowded and touristy. Here’s the thing though. The vast majority of those visitors only ever see Mendenhall from a distance at the visitor center. Getting up close, on foot, directly in front of the ice, is something only a fraction of people ever experience. That’s what this tour delivers.

Liquid Alaska Tours

There are a handful of ways to see Mendenhall, but Liquid Alaska is the company I’d point you toward if you want the up-close, human-powered version. They’re a locally owned outfit based right in Juneau, and everything about the experience felt personal rather than mass-produced.

A few things that stood out to me. Their guides are all Wilderness First Responders, so safety is genuinely built into the whole operation rather than treated as an afterthought. The groups stay small, with a guide-to-guest ratio around one to seven or eight, which means you’re never lost in a crowd of fifty people.

They’re also serious about protecting the environment they operate in, which matters when you’re standing in a place this fragile. And their reviews back all of this up, with well over a thousand five-star ratings on TripAdvisor and a spot as Juneau’s number one rated tour for years running.

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Getting to Mendenhall Lake

One of the reasons this tour works so well for cruisers is that the logistics are handled for you. Round-trip transportation from the cruise port is included, so you don’t need to rent a car or figure out rideshares. A guide meets you right at the cruise ship docks in downtown Juneau, and the drive out to the lake takes about 20 to 30 minutes each way through the Tongass National Forest. The ride is narrated, so you start learning about the area before you even reach the water.

If you’re staying in Juneau independently and have your own vehicle, you can drive yourself to the West Glacier Trailhead parking lot instead. Just let Liquid Alaska know ahead of time so they can plan for it.

What to Expect on the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour

• Transportation to the Glacier Launch Site (30 minutes)
• Equipment and Safety Briefing (30 minutes)
• Mendenhall Lake Canoe Paddle (1 hour)
• Hike and Exploration (1 hour)
• Mendenhall Lake Canoe Paddle (1 hour)
• Gear Offload and Hot Beverage (30 minutes)
• Transportation back to Cruise Ship Terminal (30 minutes)

Once you arrive at the west side of Mendenhall Lake, your guides get you fully geared up and walk you through safety instructions and basic paddling technique. No canoe experience is required, which is good news if you’ve never held a paddle in your life.

From there, you canoe as a team across Mendenhall Lake toward the glacier. This part is genuinely a group effort. Everyone paddles together following the guides’ calls, so come ready to put in a little work. The trip across takes about an hour, with a few breaks built in to rest your arms and soak in the scenery. And the scenery is unreal. You’re gliding past waterfalls, towering cliffs, and the occasional bit of wildlife the whole way.

Once you land on the rocky shore, your guides lead you on a hike across the moraine, which is the rocky terrain right at the glacier’s edge. This is where you get those front-row views of the blue ice, and where your guides share the history, geology, and ecology of the area.

After about an hour of exploring, you canoe back to the launch site and wrap up with a warm drink, which feels incredible after a few hours out on a cold lake.

The whole tour runs about five to six hours from the time you leave the cruise terminal to the time you get back, and it’s built for ages 12 and up.

What About the Mendenhall Ice Caves?

I want to be honest with you here, because a lot of content out there is not. This tour is often associated with the famous Mendenhall ice caves, and you’ve probably seen those jaw-dropping blue cave photos floating around Pinterest and Instagram. Here’s the reality. The glacier is receding quickly, and the well-known cave that made those photos famous has largely collapsed and melted out. Cave access now is seasonal, inconsistent, and never guaranteed on any given tour.

So please don’t book this expecting to walk through a glowing blue ice cave. Some tours get lucky with ice features, moulins, or a glimpse of a cave when conditions allow, but the ice is constantly moving, and no guide can promise it. What is guaranteed is standing right in front of a massive glacier, which is more than enough reason to go. Set your expectations around the canoe, the hike, and the up-close ice, and anything extra is a happy bonus.

How Much Does the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour Cost?

The Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour runs $359 per person, and that price applies to both adults and minors ages 12 to 17. Pricing can change year to year, and third-party booking sites sometimes list it a bit higher, so it’s always worth checking the current rate directly on Liquid Alaska’s website before you book.

When are Mendenhall Glacier Tours Available?

The tour operates seasonally, roughly May through late September. There are no tours from October through April, so if you’re cruising in the shoulder months, plan accordingly.

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Who This Tour is Right For

The Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour is an active tour, and I’d rather you know that going in than be surprised on the lake. You’ll be paddling for up to two hours total and hiking one to two miles over rocky terrain. It’s absolutely doable for most people with a reasonable level of fitness, but it’s not a sit-back-and-relax excursion.

There are also a few requirements worth flagging. Liquid Alaska has a minimum weight of 90 pounds and a maximum of 240 pounds for the canoe. The tour isn’t recommended for guests with back or hip problems, and pregnant guests aren’t able to participate.

If any of that applies to you or someone in your group, the calmer canoe-only option I mention below is a better fit. If you love a little adventure and don’t mind working for the view, this tour is going to be a highlight of your entire trip.

What’s Included with the Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour with Liquid Alaska

One of the things I appreciated most is that this is a truly all-inclusive experience. You show up and they handle the rest. Here’s what comes with your booking:

• Round-trip transportation to and from downtown Juneau
• Expert wilderness guides who are all trained first responders
• Bottled water, healthy snacks, and a hot beverage at the end
• Full waterproof gear including a rain jacket, rain pants, and waterproof boots
• A life vest, helmet, paddling gloves, and a trekking pole
• A personal dry bag to keep your belongings safe

What to Wear for Your Mendenhall Glacier Tour

Liquid Alaska provides everything you need to stay safe and dry, so your job is just to dress smart underneath the gear they give you. The key is comfortable, non-cotton layers you can easily pull rain gear over.

Personally, I wore leggings and a long sleeve dri-fit shirt, and that combination worked really well. If the forecast is on the cooler side, bring gloves and warm socks. One thing worth knowing is that the temperature noticeably drops once you get near the glacier, so I packed a zip-up fleece in my dry bag and pulled it on the moment we climbed out of the canoe to explore. Sunglasses and a waterproof phone pouch are also smart additions, since you’ll want your phone handy for photos but protected from the water and rain.

Tips for Your Liquid Alaska Glacier Tours

Book early, and I mean early. These tours are popular and sell out fast during peak cruise season, and the US Forest Service limits how many permits are issued for this area each year. Securing your spot well ahead of your trip is the single best thing you can do.

Stay hydrated and fuel up along the way. Bottled water and snacks like granola bars and fruit snacks are provided, so take advantage of them, especially since you’re burning real energy paddling and hiking.

Listen to your guides. This sounds obvious, but following their instructions and safety guidance is what keeps the whole group safe and makes the experience smoother and more fun for everyone.

Come prepared for rain, because Juneau sits in the world’s largest temperate rainforest and rain is genuinely common. The good news is that rain gear and waterproof boots are provided, and an overcast day often gives you gorgeous, moody glacier views.

Most tours run rain or shine. The main things that cause a cancellation are unsafe weather or high winds, and if Liquid Alaska has to cancel for safety, they refund your money.

Other Ways to See Mendenhall Glacier

If the full ice adventure feels like more than you’re up for, or if time and budget are tight, you have options. Liquid Alaska also offers a Mendenhall Lake canoe tour that takes a little less time at a lower price point. It’s similar in spirit, but you stay in the canoe rather than getting out to hike near the glacier, which makes it a gentler choice.

You can also visit the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center, which has a small per-person fee and viewing platforms that look out toward the glacier and nearby Nugget Falls. There’s a short, easy trail to reach Nugget Falls from the center. Keep in mind this keeps you well back from the glacier itself, so it’s more of a scenic overview than an up-close experience. And if you want a totally different perspective, helicopter tours give you an aerial view of the glacier’s full scale and ice formations, though at a much higher price point.

Ready to book your Mendenhall Glacier Ice Adventure Tour with Liquid Alaska? Click here to check availability!

Why This Glacier Tour Belongs on Your Juneau List

If you’re the kind of traveler who wants to feel connected to a place rather than just look at it from behind a railing, then yes, this tour is absolutely worth it. Paddling across a glacial lake and standing on the ground right in front of a glacier this massive is the kind of experience that sticks with you long after the trip ends. It takes a little effort, and it helps to go in with realistic expectations about the ice caves, but the payoff is genuinely special.

For me, it was one of the highlights of our entire Alaska trip, and it’s the excursion I’d recommend first to anyone spending a day in Juneau. If you love building trips around outdoor experiences like this one, Alaska belongs near the top of your list. Glaciers like this one are changing fast, and getting to see Mendenhall up close while you can is a gift.