Top Juneau Nature Walks

Make the most of your time while your ship is docked and experience Mendenhall Glacier on this small-group shore excursion from Juneau. Travel by land and water on a combo adventure with canoeing and a short hike. Soak up views of icebergs, waterfalls, and cliffs as you paddle around Mendenhall Lake toward the glacier. Afterwards, get a close-up view on a short hike.

Experience the Mendenhall Glacier Guide Hike, a thrilling 6-7 mile adventure! Your journey begins with a 3-mile trek through the Tongass National Forest, the world's largest temperate rainforest. Your experienced guide will lead you through this wilderness, winding past beaver ponds and scrambling up exposed glacial terrain, where the trail fades into the wild. Upon emerging from the forest and reaching the final ridge, you'll be greeted by the breathtaking view of the Mendenhall Glacier's jagged facade and its ice river. Here, we savor panoramic views of the glacier, indulge in hearty snacks, and capture awe-inspiring photos. Gaze upon the glacier's deep blue crevasses, cascading icefall, surrounding mountains and Nugget Falls. This hiking tour is not for the faint of heart; it demands exceptional balance and sure-footedness. The trail includes 800 feet of elevation gain, through rocky, uneven, and slippery terrain. It's a memorable journey that promises unforgettable views.

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.

Hike through the wilderness for stunning views of the Mendenhall Glacier on this half-day shore excursion. Join a small group and experienced guide for a trek through the glacial terrain of Tongass National Forest. Emerge from the forest with views of the glacier's blue crevasses, icefall, surrounding mountains, and Nugget Falls. Enjoy time to take photos and enjoy a well-deserved, hearty snack before heading back. Note: this tour is suitable for those in good physical shape with exceptional balance and sure-footedness.

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.

Experience Mendenhall Glacier by land and water under the supervision of a guide who knows the area well on a combo-adventure tour from Juneau. First, hop into a canoe at Mendenhall Lake and paddle around luminescent blue icebergs and past cliffs and waterfalls toward Mendenhall Glacier. No matter your paddling or hiking experience, a guide prepares you for each step. Hotel pickup is included for added convenience.

The Treadwell mine collapse of 1917 ended an era of gold and industry in Alaska. Today, the preserved ruins of this massive site sit quietly among the trees. While the forest has grown in around it, the foundations, machinery, and stories still remain. This guided walking tour takes you through the original streets of Treadwell, past towering ruins, old mine shafts, and up to the edge of the 1917 cave-in. Along the way, carefully placed immersive media scenes help bring key moments of history to life right where they happened. The tour spans 2–3 miles of scenic walking trails, showcasing a century-old industrial footprint that few visitors ever see. Along the way, your guide shares stories of the people who both built and lost this remarkable place.

Go kayaking with humpback whales during this small-group paddling adventure from Juneau. Climb aboard a boat and travel up the Inside Passage to reach rich feeding grounds for humpback whales. Admire views of glaciers, forest, and snow-capped mountains during the journey then set out in kayaks in search of whales and other wildlife.

Three self-guided audio tours starting steps from the cruise dock: the downtown Juneau walking tour plus the Mount Roberts and Perseverance Trail hikes — 47 GPS story stops. One purchase plays from one phone as you explore together. Written by a born-and-raised Southeast Alaskan; GPS triggers each story hands-free, fully offline. Just so it's clear: this is not a live human guide and not a paper ticket — it's a self-guided audio experience written by someone who actually walks these trails. You'll hear how Gold Creek built a capital city, stand at the Glory Hole, meet Patsy Ann at the waterfront, climb past Father Brown's Cross, and stop by the Red Dog Saloon and St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church — stories no placard will hand you. No date, no time limit, no expiry — and no signal needed on the trails. Setup takes about 2 minutes — full steps are on your Viator ticket and in your confirmation email (check spam). In the app, your pass appears as "Downtown Juneau Explorer."

Enjoy the intimacy of just your group, up to 5 (maybe 6 - read further), on a private scenic tour of Juneau in a luxury Grand Highlander. Tour has unguided and guided parts. First, the unguided part. All will be dropped 1/4 mile from the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center (VC). ALL MUST WALK 0.25 MILE ON SIDEWALK THERE, AND 0.25 MILE BACK TO DROPOFF. No split parties. We will agree on a time to be spent there, depending on whether some walk to Nugget Falls. Next, the guided part. After pickup from the spot near the VC, we'll head to the shrine and hatchery. More beauty and knowledge to soak up! Time permitting, we'll explore more, before I return you to your desired dropoff. Guide is a local family man, who has lived in town for years. Start times are 9 and 2, but flexible. If your group has 6, I may be able to take them, no charge beyond 5. I have 6 passenger belts. Look at the back third row of my SUV in the photos - if 3 people can fit comfortably, I can take 6.

See Mendenhall Glacier on your own schedule: four self-guided audio walks — the glacier overlooks, Nugget Falls, the Trail of Time, and the East Glacier Loop — 43 GPS story stops. One purchase plays from one phone as your group walks together; stories by a born-and-raised Southeast Alaskan trigger automatically, hands-free, fully offline. To be clear: this is an app experience on your own phone — no live guide and no paper ticket. Get there by bus, shuttle, or rideshare and explore at your own pace. Walk to Nugget Falls and hear the legend of Romeo the wolf. Find the tunnel blasted through solid granite on the East Glacier Loop. Stand where the ice reached in 1937 on the Trail of Time. In salmon season, watch black bears work Steep Creek. No date, no time limit, no expiry. Setup takes about 2 minutes — full steps are on your Viator ticket and in your confirmation email (check spam). In the app, your pass appears as "Mendenhall Glacier Explorer Pack."

The first-timer's Juneau in one pass: a scenic glacier driving tour, the Nugget Falls walk, and the downtown walking tour — 43 GPS story stops, one purchase, playing from one phone for everyone with you. Written by a born-and-raised Southeast Alaskan; stories trigger automatically, hands-free and fully offline. To be clear: this is a self-guided app experience — no live guide, no paper ticket, no bus schedule. Download before you sail — it all works with zero cell service. Drive from downtown to Mendenhall Glacier through the Tongass rainforest, walk to Nugget Falls where water plunges beside the ice, then wander downtown past the Red Dog Saloon and St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Church — collecting digital badges as you go. Driving audio plays through CarPlay and Android Auto. No date, no time limit, no expiration. Setup takes about 2 minutes — full steps are on your Viator ticket and in your confirmation email (check spam). In the app, your pass appears as "Juneau Highlights Bundle."

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.

The vibrant Inside Passage is one of the best places for spotting humpback whales in Alaska, and on this two-part adventure you not only travel up the passage on a small boat but also have the opportunity to kayak alongside the massive creatures. While most whale watching tours only include spotting whales from a distance, this intimate tour allows adventurous travelers to experience the whales up close.