Top Juneau In the Air in 2026

Your day begins with a trip briefing and safety orientation led by your experienced wilderness guide, followed by a captivating 30-minute floatplane flight to Chichagof Island. Touch down at the remote and lesser-known wilderness location of Waterfall Creek, a hidden gem that offers unparalleled brown bear viewing during the peak of the salmon run, from late July to August. The primary viewing location is just a short stroll along the rocky shoreline. Brown bears may make an appearance at any moment while you're ashore. Your knowledgeable guide will direct you to the best vantage points for optimal viewing and photography. After several hours of absorbing the beauty of brown bear viewing, embark on a hike back to your awaiting floatplane, ready to transport you back to Juneau. This is an authentic Alaskan wilderness adventure! While we cannot guarantee wildlife sightings, the abundant bear population in the Waterfall Creek area rarely disappoints.

Leave behind the hustle and bustle of Downtown Juneau as you depart the waters with Wings Airways en route to the Juneau Icefield and the historic Taku Glacier Lodge. With a guaranteed window seat for all and audio narration, sit back and enjoy the 25-minute flight as you soar by five massive glaciers including the largest in Juneau, the Taku! Enjoy approximately 2 hours on the lodge grounds feasting, exploring and relaxing before your return flight. With the combination of classic - 10 passenger - deHavilland Otter aircrafts, pristine glaciers, true wilderness, frequent black bear sightings, fresh Alaskan Salmon and Juneau’s only glacier view dining, this the ultimate all-in-one, 3 hour excursion and a must do!

Paddle across Mendenhall Lake, past icebergs and waterfalls, on this guided Alaskan adventure. Explore the Tongass National Forest and hike near Mendenhall Glacier with expert guides. Enjoy breathtaking views and experience wildlife up close. This small-group tour offers a unique and unforgettable wilderness experience.

The Mendenhall Glacier is one of Juneau’s most impressive natural wonders, stretching over 13 miles (21 kilometers). On this half-day tour, enjoy spectacular views of the glacier from the viewing platforms and walkways, and learn more about the mighty glacier at the Visitor Center. Then, set sail on a thrilling whale-watching cruise along the coast and look out for humpback whales, as well as other wildlife such as bald eagles and blue heron.

Experience Alaska's famous Brown Bears with Juneau's premier wilderness tour operator! Take your private group on an authentic wilderness adventure to watch the bears in their natural habitat! We depart the Juneau airport and fly over Admiralty Island on our way to our bear viewing area. Here we will watch the bears for 3-4 hours before returning to Juneau on another beautiful flight over the Tongass National Forest. This trip is led by an expert local guide who has spent their life exploring this area! All of our trips are carbon-negative, culturally rich, and environmentally responsible! Extra flight seeing over the stunning Juneau Icefield can be arranged for the Ultimate Juneau Experience! Come and experience the famous Alaskan Brown Bear in our beautiful wilderness!

Experience 3 iconic Alaskan adventures—flightseeing, glacier hiking, and packrafting—all in just 5 hours! This Packraft adventure begins with a scenic flight that will head towards the mouth of the Taku Inlet. After landing on the Norris Glacier fed lake, hike over the glacially carved terrain to a cove where your packraft awaits. From here, you will be outfitted in single person packrafts and introduced paddling techniques by your guides. Once you launch your packraft, your paddle to the glacier will take you past ice bergs to the Norris Glacier. As you approach the glacier, prepare to beach your boat right on the Norris Glacier. Trade out paddles for micro-spikes and explore the moonscape-like area of the glacier all by foot and get panoramic views of Norris and Taku glaciers. Look for crevasses, glacier pools, moulins, and other incredible ice features. Upon completion of your glacier hike, paddle back to shore. Your floatplane awaits to take you back to Juneau.

The Brown Bears at Pack Creek range in size from small cubs of the year to large males coming in over 1000lbs. May to Mid-June is mating season and summer foraging. We see bears interact in a variety of ways and courtship behavior is common, we also often see bears digging for clams, or eating sedge grass. This is also a great time to watch sows playing with cubs, and the best time for encounters with large males. Mid-July to the end of September are the various Salmon Runs, this is when the bears go to work. The bears focus is on fishing. The primary viewing location is about ten meters from the creek. This is when we often see the most bears in view at a given moment, and the only time to get a picture of a bear with a fish in its mouth. Viewing distances at Pack Creek can be as close as 30ft away or as far as a 1,000yds out, depending on the individual bear and which food source they are using.

Bear Creek Outfitters guides have been hiking and exploring the local wilderness for decades. Let them take you on a private trip through their world, accessed only by floatplane, and an adventure like few others.

Bear Creek Outfitters pioneered Waterfall Creek as one of the premier bear viewing locations in SouthEast Alaska more than two decades ago. Our local expert guides continue that tradition with excellent service and a fantastic experience. If you are looking for an activity where you can bring kids as young as 6 then a Private Waterfall Creek Tour is perfect for your family.

Experience the bears of Chichagof Island with Juneau's premier wilderness tour operator! This is our peak season bear viewing trip to watch the bears in their natural habitat while they fish below a large waterfall. We depart the Juneau airport and fly over Admiralty Island on our way to our bear viewing area on Chichagof Island. Here we will watch the bears for 2.5hrs+ before returning to Juneau on another beautiful flight over the Tongass National Forest. This trip is led by an expert local guide who has spent their life exploring this area! All of our trips are carbon-negative, culturally rich, and environmentally responsible! Private trips with extra flightseeing are available by advanced request, contact us directly for more information. Come and experience the famous Alaskan Brown Bear in our beautiful wilderness!

We pioneered Waterfall Creek as one of the premier bear viewing locations in Southeast Alaska more than two decades ago. Our local expert guides continue that tradition with excellent service and a fantastic experience. If you are looking for an activity where you can bring kids as young as 6 then a Private Waterfall Creek Tour is perfect for your family.

If you dream of getting off the beaten path and seeing bears in Alaska with no-one else around, this is the trip for you. After a scenic floatplane ride to a location where we have exclusive commercial permits, your certified guide will take you on an Alaska adventure with no human trails and no other people to find bears in their natural habitat.

Join us for a classic Alaskan Adventure, a trip to watch the bear's of Pack Creek! Our trips depart Juneau with Ward Air and enjoy a 25 minute flight to Pack Creek on Admiralty Island. Your experienced local guide will host you at the wildlife sanctuary, sharing local history, indigenous culture, and of course information about the bears and other wildlife. After that we will be treated to another breathtaking flight over the Tongass National Forest as we fly back to Juneau. All of our trips are Carbon-Negative and include your permits, lunch, and air and land transportation. Private and custom tours are available!

Enjoy a unique perspective on Alaskan nature on this day trip. Venture deep into the Alaskan wilderness to a protected wildlife site, which has the world's highest concentration of brown bears. This guided day trip to Pack Creek Brown Bear Viewing Area includes a floatplane flight over Tongass National Forest and kayaking (available June 20 to July 20). The Pack Creek Brown Bear Viewing Area issues a limited number of visitation permits, which need to be purchased separately from your tour operator.