Mendenhall Glacier Lake Canoe Tour
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Juneau, USA
- 4 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
While most visitors only see the Mendenhall Glacier from crowded viewpoints, this tour takes adventurous travelers on a canoe trip to the base of the glacier for a completely different perspective of the majestic ice. With canoe lessons and a guide, the tour is open to first-time paddlers and the mellow water means you can take along a camera and capture the arctic cliffs, icebergs, and pristine blue ice.
- Explore a different side of the glacier on a canoe trip through Mendenhall Lake
- The tranquil, motor-free transportation increases the chances of spotting wildlife
- Rain gear and hot beverages are provided
- Round-trip transportation from your cruise ship dock means all the logistics are covered
What's Included
- Roundtrip transportation from the cruise ship docks in downtown Juneau
- Bottled water, snacks, and hot beverage
- Rain Jacket, Pants, Boots, Gloves, PFD
- Expert Wilderness Guide
- This tour is canoeing only and DOES NOT INCLUDE a hike.
- Gratituity for your guide (optional)
- Photos (feel free to bring a camera)
- Warm layers (beanie, wool socks and non-cotton layers are recommended)
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Mount Roberts Tramway490 S Franklin St, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
Meet your tour guide outside of the red GoldBelt Tram Tramway building. They will be holding a blue sign with your tour name. ***NCL ENCORE GUESTS *** Meet your guide in front of your ship on the AJ dock. They will be holding a blue sign with your tour name.***
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Liquid Alaska Tours (Pass By)
1
Mendenhall Glacier
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Tongass National Forest
4 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a strong physical fitness level
- Minimum age: 12 years old
- Minimum weight: 90lbs
- Maximum weight: 240lbs
- Not recommended for guests with back or hip problems
- Pregnant guests will not be allowed on this tour
- Full use of limbs for up to 2 hours canoe paddling
- Signed liability waiver
- Views of particular glacier features are not guaranteed
- IMPORTANT NOTICE: THIS TOUR IS CANOE ONLY AND DOES NOT INCLUDE A HIKE
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 10 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Mark_T
Paddled about 5 miles on a canoe. It not too difficult and we were able to get a close view of the glacier. Lucas was a great tour guide. He gave a lot of good information and told a ton of fun stories. We got a ride back to the pier, would recommend
Reviews
5.0
based on 1,444 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
May_P, Jul 2026
Great excursion and worth it to get so close to the Mendenhall Glacier. Canoeing on the lake was not so bad. The tour company gives you all you need (waterproof jacket, waterproof pants, life jacket and even gloves). Sophie was a great guide and super professional.
The tour center will give you a far away glimpse of the glacier but we really had front row seats!
Highly recommend the tour company, excursion and guide.
Jill_F, Jul 2026
We are just ending our Alaskan cruise. The canoe trip to Mendenhall with Hannah was definitely a highlight. Hannah is very well educated on all things Mendenhall and made the trip great.
There were six of us. The rowing does take some work, but it was a welcome activity after being on a cruise ship for days. The views of Nugget Falls and Mendenhall are great payoffs. Bonus points for the eagles flying above!
You are provided with boots, jackets, gloves, and pants, so no need to waste suitcase space trying to prepare.
Overall, a great trip, and one that I would do again!
Laura_G, Jul 2026
This excursion was FANTASTIC!!! Our guide Elijah was so knowledgeable AND I felt super safe with him. Just genuinely a good human!
Would absolutely recommend this to anyone interested. I can’t compare to ones I didn’t do but I do know I’m glad I saw it from the inside and not atop a loud helicopter
MARGARET_P, Jul 2026
Isiah and Joe are hardworking, bad dad joke kinda guys! Safety is priority #1 and they were both very personable and informative. Highly recommend the canoe trip to Mendenhall Glacier - a definite highlight of my trip!
Lisa_T, Jul 2026
This was an excellent activity to do at Juneau. Be ready to put in the work to see some picturesque views of Mendenhall glacier and Nugget falls. Mike was a tremendous guide and navigator. Very knowledgeable! Strongly recommend this activity for you to see the best views of the glacier!
Jie_Z, Jul 2026
Our tour guide, Cortland and Sophie, are very friendly. We were lucky to have a big canoe with the whole group 12 people. Got very close to the glacier with gorgeous view. Cortland and Sophie shared lots of knowledge about the glacier, they are calm and encouraging. It was a wonderful trip!
Calista_C, Jul 2026
Wow! This was the best excursion we did on our cruise to Alaska. It was definitely strenuous, but worth all of the rowing to get that close to the glacier and the waterfall. Our guide Hannah did a great job of preparing us and keeping us on course and made the day more enjoyable with her sense of humor and great info. It was an adventure we’ll always remember!
Dave_D, Jul 2026
What an experience!! Cortland and Sophie were great guides. We were a group of 12 and paddled out to view the glacier and nugget falls. The paddling was work but so worth it. We got about 25 feet from the glacier edge and from the falls. We were able to get some great pics on a mostly clear sunny day.
Michael_S, Jul 2026
We had a fantastic day kayaking to Mendenhall Glacier. Our guide, Hannah was very knowledgeable and fun. It was exhilarating getting so close to the glacier and waterfall!
Stefanie_M, Jun 2026
Chris was amazing! Very informative and we loved the jokes! It was an amazing experience getting so close to the glacier. It was a lot of work, but that’s what we signed up for. Would definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Chris is not a guide we even knew he had on staff, but whichever guide has adopted this nickname, it sounds like they gave an incredible tour! Thanks for the kind review, and we wish you safe travels throughout the rest of your time in Alaska!
Joan_M, Jun 2026
Great way to see the glacier up close. Great group experience. Nice scenery and people, with a purpose
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We pride ourselves on providing pristine, front-row seats of the face of Mendenhall Glacier, and lifetime memories along the way! Thanks for the glowing review!
LaurenceBocian, Jun 2026
Overall the tour was good. Our tour guide was both professional, friendly and funny. I always look for fun and exciting outdoor activities for my family and I to do, when we're on vacation, including canoeing and/or rafting. However, I felt for the amount of physical effort we put in to get to the glacier and the time it took to get there, it was disappointing. I guess I was expecting to see beautiful Alaskan scenery along the way to the glacier. We only saw a one large waterfall and when we got to the glacier, it was rather small and not the grand glacier I expected to see. We did not even get that close to it or spend much time there. I feel for the experience, or lack of, it was pretty costly. But if you just want to be outdoors in the fresh cool Alaskan air and get a good workout, go for it.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for the review and for highlighting our guide’s professional, friendly, and funny demeanor! We are so glad to hear your family enjoyed their time with our team and got a great Alaskan workout on the water.
We appreciate your honest feedback regarding the scenery and the view of the glacier. Mendenhall Lake offers a vast, open landscape, but we understand how the journey might feel different if you were expecting more varied scenery along the shoreline. Because the glacier naturally recedes over time, it can appear smaller from the water than many expect, and for the safety of our guests, we do have to maintain a careful distance from the active face of the ice.
We always want our guests to feel they received excellent value for their investment, and we are sorry that the endpoint didn't quite match the grand scale you had envisioned. We truly appreciate you sharing your perspective, as it helps us better set expectations for future adventurers.
Thank you again for joining us out on the lake. If you would like to discuss your experience further, please give us a call at 800-892-5504.
Rosalinda_P, Jun 2026
Wonderful experience!!! Knowledgeable guides. Saw multiple eagles!! Must be able to row….provided with multiple rest periods. Overall absolutely best excursion!!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
The wildlife is always a treat on a canoe tour to the glacier. Thank you for the great review!
Coke_S, Jun 2026
The tour was well organized from start to finish. The company provided rain gear and boots. We canoed about five miles round trip. We were lucky with a calm day. We were able to paddle close to the glacier. Our guide Sofie was very friendly and responsible. Be prepared to do real work to paddle!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Sophie goes above and beyond making sure every part of her tour is dialed. We're glad you had a great time with her. Thank you for the review!
Jeffrey_W, Jun 2026
Liquid Alaska provided all needed gear, just wear some layers to adjust for your days weather. They provide locked storage for all your extras, which will include your shoes. Tor was the best tour guide, very funny and knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Tor holds a wealth of knowledge she loves to pass onto her guests. We're glad you had a great time with her on the lake. Thank you for the great review!
Kaitlin_M, Jun 2026
Cortland was a phenomenal guide who created a fantastic team environment and was able to provide an answer to every question. He also makes great hot beverages. The canoe experience is truly the best way to see a glacier, truly a breathtaking experience. You also get to see a beautiful waterfall and great landscape. Overall probably the best part of our Alaska trip.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Nobody brings folks together quite like Cortland. He is a king of a guide and takes great pride in what he does. Thank you for the great review and for joining us on the lake!
Inge_F, Jun 2026
Fantastic views of the glacier! But be prepared to paddle hard and in synch with the other 9 people in the canoe. Great guide who gave commentary on everything we were seeing—and called paddling breaks when we needed.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We are thrilled to hear you got fantastic views, and that the hard work was worth it! We here at Liquid have the best guides in Juneau. Thanks for the five star review!
Tracy_F, Jun 2026
Liquid Alaska Tours, Mendenhall Lake Canoe Tour was an incredible experience for me and my husband. The Mendenhall Glacier and waterfall were stunning to see up close.
Sophie was our guide. She picked us up in downtown Juneau and drove us to the lake. She then fitted us with wet gear, including boots. Which made a big difference, considering it was raining the day of the excursion. Sophie was experienced, engaging, informative and had a great sense of humor. Our group in our canoe ranged in ages from about 11 to 71. And she made sure we were all safe and had a great time. If you decide to give this excursion a try, ask for Sophie. You won’t be disappointed.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Sophie wears a lot of hats on any given guiding day, from driver, to gear expert, to canoeing professional, to dad joke extraordinaire! Thanks for joining us on tour, we are so glad you all were safe and had a great time!
Kate_F, Jun 2026
Sophie was a great guide! We got really close to the glacier and the pace was just right. Perfect excursion and locally owned!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We’re thrilled you enjoyed your time with Sophie! We take pride in our local roots and are so glad the pace and proximity to the glacier made for the perfect excursion. Thank you for choosing Liquid Alaska Tours!
John_H, Jun 2026
We had an incredible trip to see the glacier. Cortland was an amazing guide who was energetic, funny and very knowledgeable. I would rate this a must excursion.
To Cortland’s Mom. He says to say hello and I want to let you know he made the trip speciial for my wife and I.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
It sounds like you had a fantastic time exploring the glacier with Cortland. His energy, humor, and knowledge make him a standout guide, and we are thrilled he made the trip so special for you and your wife. Thank you for choosing Liquid Alaska Tours!
tmwlawson, May 2026
This was just an OK excursion for us. . Some issues we had… When loading the canoe, the guide put my husband in the front in a single seat as the lead canoer and then started to sit other couples behind him in pairs and I had to ask was where was I going to sit bc I didn’t want to be in the back of the canoe several rows behind my husband so he moved everybody around so I could sit behind him, but it was a little frustrating to have to ask him to do this. The canoe had quite a bit oh water in it since it had been raining and he tried to scoop out some water , but we were still sitting in quite a bit of water, and the water had snack wrappers and food floating in it from precious canoers having snacks which was kind of gross. There was an another canoe available that looked much cleaner and drier , so I’m not sure why he took that one.
It’s also physically demanding esp bc you only paddle on one side, so one arm does get a lot tireder , but he did give several rest breaks.
The other thing I didn’t really appreciate was our guide tried to be funny, but he would lie about things and then tell us later he was just joking. He made up a whole story about Matthew McConaughey owning a house on the lake and contributing to the porcupine cause and then a little while later told us that was all fake so it was hard to know when he was telling the truth, and when he was joking. I think he thought he was being funny, but it was somewhat annoying.
The glacier view was nice, although not as inspiring as I had hoped. I just thought it was a rather expensive excursion at $50 a person for what it was.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. We genuinely appreciate hearing about your experience, as it helps us maintain and improve our standards.
We are incredibly sorry to hear about the issues you encountered with the seating arrangement and the cleanliness of your canoe. Having trash and excess water in the boat absolutely does not meet the standards we set for our tours, and we will be addressing this directly with our team to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Regarding the physical nature of the tour, we do advertise this as our most strenuous excursion in Juneau to help guests prepare for the effort required, and we are glad the guide's rest breaks helped manage that pace.
We also appreciate your notes regarding the guide's humor. While our team aims to keep spirits high with lighthearted commentary, it’s clear the delivery missed the mark during your trip, and we apologize that the jokes felt frustrating rather than entertaining. Our goal is always to provide a blend of accurate, fascinating facts about the Mendenhall Glacier with an engaging experience.
We are sorry that this tour didn't live up to your expectations or feel like the right value for you. If you would like to discuss your experience any further, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly at 800-892-5504.
Yang_H, May 2026
I'd like to sincerely thank our guide (and canoeing coach) Hannah for her efforts in making the tour rewarding! Hannah is good at coaching novice canoers, making the trip accessible and enjoyable to the whole group. She is also very knowledgeable about the glacier and the surrounding nature, offering a great collection of trivia and jokes that make the 2-hour workout on the lake feel like a flash. We managed to get to only yards away from the glacier and have a very close look at this gorgeous gift of nature, as well as a lot of seagulls hovering and resting on the rocks, which are hard to see via regular hikes on the ground. The views at the glacier are definitely spectacular and worth the efforts. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in watching the Mendenhall Glacier in detail.
Response from Host, May 2026
No one brings out the beauty of Mendenhall Glacier quite like Hannah. She is the best of the best when it comes to Juneau guides. We're glad you had a great time with her out there. Thank you for the review and for joining us on Mendenhall Lake!
Deborah_C, May 2026
DO IT!!! We had a great crew and fellow paddlers; like a well oliled machine, all in the same boat with a common goal! The weather and lake conditions were perfect! The gear was comfortable and clean. No reason to be scared. We all laughed and joked across the lake and back. The stand up comedian was second to none despite no standing was allowed!!!!!!!! Yes, that's a joke! Element, our guide shared loads of info about the area and the glacier which was very timely. They provided snacks, coffee and hot chocolate when we returned. Thank you Element, Joe and Josh for making our Anniversary tour SO memorable and heartfelt. What you helped us experience will remain precious to us! Thank you.
PS: By the way, this was the only excursion we planned on our trip and all we needed!
Response from Host, May 2026
We're very happy to hear you trusted us with your only excursion in southeast Alaska! You could not have asked for better guides to make it an experience of a lifetime. Thank you for joining us on Mendenhall lake and leaving us this wonderful review. Happy anniversary!
Maura_K, May 2026
Great experience with Cortland our captain!! He is a fantastic guide. Very entertaining, outgoing and took great care of us!!! He gave me very explicit instructions to tell his mom, Jenni, that” he is okay”
You know Cortland is a good one when he tells us to tell his mom he is okay! Overall great experience!!
Response from Host, May 2026
Cortland is one of Juneau's finest! He puts on a phenomenal tour and goes above and beyond for each of his guests. We're glad you had a great time with him, thank you for the wonderful review!
srichardson67, May 2026
This was a super fun experience, Hannah, our guide, was great. She was very informative about the area and had never-ending jokes to keep us amused. I loved how close we got to the glacier and would definitely do this again.
Response from Host, May 2026
Hannah is an exceptional guide with a truly deep arsenal of jokes to last the entire trip! We are glad you got to enjoy the beauty of the glacier and had so much fun you could do it again! Thanks for touring with Liquid!
Kandiace_B, Oct 2025
This glacier canoe tour was everything Alaska should be: wild, stunning, and absolutely unforgettable. Luke led our group with the perfect balance of humor, knowledge, and calm confidence. Every stroke brought a new perspective: glassy water, towering ice, and that surreal feeling of being somewhere few ever truly experience.
Luke made the miles feel easy with his stories, love of his work environment, expertise, and his insider insight made the glacier come alive. Huge shoutout to his mom, Tess - clearly where he gets his warmth and storytelling charm.
The gear was top-notch, Luke was well organized and upbeat, and the experience beyond anything we expected. If you’re debating it - stop. Book it. This is the Alaska memory you’ll keep forever.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Luke is one of the best tour guides Juneau will ever see! He perfectly highlights all Mendenhall Rec area has to offer. Thank you for the wonderful review and for choosing Liquid Alaska Tours!
Kevin_N, Sep 2025
Luke and Jonathan were very friendly, knowledgeable, and capable tour guides and canoe operators! Everything was prepared for including the wet gear and snacks! It was a beautiful and memorable experience!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Luke and Jonathan are top tier guides! We're thrilled you had a great time with them. Thanks for the review!
Mark_T, Sep 2025
Paddled about 5 miles on a canoe. It not too difficult and we were able to get a close view of the glacier. Lucas was a great tour guide. He gave a lot of good information and told a ton of fun stories. We got a ride back to the pier, would recommend
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Luke is a legendary guide operating a phenomenal trip. We're thrilled you had such a great time with him. Thank you for the great review and for choosing Liquid Alaska Tours
Don_G, Sep 2025
The entire experience was great guides were informative and even a little funny ,but dont tell them that Also felt safty was there number 1 priority 5× stars
Response from Host, Sep 2025
We're thrilled you had such a great time out there. Thank you for the review!
Chelsea_P, Sep 2025
We enjoyed this well-organized experience that allowed us to be physically active while exploring an incredibly beautiful place in Alaska! We loved rowing together and feeling like we got a good workout with our friends while seeing a gorgeous waterfall, the Mendenhall Glacier, seals and eagles! We loved it and the staff was informative and helpful! Highly recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Nothing beats a good paddle with friends, wildlife sightings, and glacier views all in one. We are so glad you enjoyed the workout and the beauty of Mendenhall. Thanks for recommending Liquid Alaska!
From $250.95
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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