# MendenhallGlacierDayTour.com - Mendenhall Glacier day tours, explained > Independent guide to Mendenhall Glacier day tours from Juneau, Alaska. The glacier is about 12 miles from the cruise > docks and reachable without a tour (city bus + ~1.5-mile walk, ~1.5 h each way; private shuttle ~30 min). A tour sells > the ride, a CLOCK (time on the ground ranges from 45 minutes to 2 h 15 min across listings) and an extra (whales by > boat from Auke Bay, a canoe on Mendenhall Lake, a guided moraine hike at the ice edge, or an e-bike ride). > Not affiliated with any tour operator, the U.S. Forest Service or GetYourGuide. Site: https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com Language: en (plus fr, de, es, it). No prices, scores or review counts are published on this site. ## Verified facts - Mendenhall Glacier: about 13.6 miles (21.9 km) long, about 12 miles (19 km) from downtown Juneau; it flows from the Juneau Icefield (about 1,500 square miles) in the Tongass National Forest (USFS; Wikipedia). - Retreat: about 1.75 miles since 1929. In Nov 2025 University of Alaska Southeast scientists said the glacier had separated from Mendenhall Lake; it is projected to pass out of sight of the visitor-center viewpoint around 2050; about 700,000 visitors a year (Alaska Public Media, 26 Nov 2025). - Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center: dedicated 1962, the first U.S. Forest Service visitor center; 6000 Glacier Spur Rd. A seasonal per-person fee applies there for ages 16 and over; under-16s free. - Nugget Falls Trail: 0.8 miles one way, low gradient, branches off Photo Point Trail (USFS). - Capital Transit routes 3, 4 and 8 to Dredge Lake Road, about 1.5 miles (30 min walk) from the visitor center; bus about 1 hour; cash only, exact fare (juneaucapitaltransit.org/glacier). - Steep Creek: the lower trail closes in salmon season to reduce bear encounters; the raised platforms stay open. - Suicide Basin outburst flood, 13 Aug 2025: Mendenhall River record crest of 16.65 ft (Alaska Climate Research Center). - Juneau cruise limits from 2026: 16,000 passengers a day Sunday-Friday, 12,000 on Saturdays, five large ships a day. ## Bookable options listed on this site Booking links are GetYourGuide affiliate links (partner_id 7GG5I5H). The site earns a commission at no extra cost to the reader and says so at https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com/affiliate-disclosure/. Lengths, limits and inclusions below are from each listing. - Nugget Falls Time & Whale Watching (Mt. Roberts Tramway, cruise docks) - 5 hours, Bus, jetboat and free time, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-alaska-l171160/nugget-falls-adventure-and-whale-watching-tour-t489248/ - Mendenhall Glacier & Whale Watching (South Franklin Street, cruise docks) - 4 hours, Bus and boat, English, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-alaska-l171160/whales-and-the-mendenhall-glacier-t485454/ - Mendenhall Lake Canoe Tour (Mt. Roberts Tramway, cruise docks) - 4 hours, Small group, up to 10, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-alaska-l171160/juneau-mendenhall-lake-canoe-tour-t223848/ - Glacier Ice Adventure: Canoe & Moraine Trek (Mt. Roberts Tramway, cruise docks) - 5 hours, Ages 12+, helmets provided, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-alaska-l171160/juneau-mendenhall-glacier-adventure-tour-t384526/ - Canoe Paddle & Glacier Hike (South Franklin Street or valley hotels) - 5.5 hours, Up to 12, cancel 15 days ahead, free cancellation up to 15 days before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-alaska-l171160/juneau-mendenhall-glacier-canoe-paddle-and-hike-t433341/ - Mendenhall Glacier E-Bike Tour (Meets in the Mendenhall Valley) - 3 hours, Up to 8, ages 12+, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-alaska-l171160/juneau-mendenhall-glacier-e-bike-tour-t1398372/ - Whale Watching & Mendenhall Glacier Day Trip (Goldbelt Tram building, cruise terminal) - 4.5 hours, 45 minutes at the glacier, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-city-alaska-l32582/juneau-whale-watching-and-mendenhall-glacier-day-trip-t417136/ - Private Scenic Road Trip with Glacier Views (Pickup included) - 3 hours, Private group, free cancellation up to 24 hours before. https://www.getyourguide.com/juneau-alaska-l171160/juneau-3-hour-scenic-road-trip-excursion-t640291/ ## Guide pages on this site - https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com/guides/visit-mendenhall-glacier-without-a-tour/ - Can you visit Mendenhall Glacier without a tour? Yes: city bus, private shuttle or taxi from Juneau, how long each takes, and what a tour adds. - https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com/guides/best-mendenhall-glacier-tour/ - What is the best Mendenhall Glacier tour? Compare eight tours by time at the glacier and what is bundled: whales, canoes, a moraine hike or a private car. - https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com/guides/how-much-time-at-mendenhall-glacier/ - How much time do you need at Mendenhall Glacier? About two hours on the ground, plus the ride. How to plan the visit around your ship's departure. - https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com/guides/nugget-falls-trail/ - How far is Nugget Falls from Mendenhall Glacier? The trail is 0.8 miles one way, flat and gravel, about 45 minutes round trip. Which tours give you time. - https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com/guides/walk-on-mendenhall-glacier/ - Can you walk on Mendenhall Glacier from the visitor center? No, but canoe and moraine tours reach the ice edge. What to wear and what gear is provided. - https://mendenhallglacierdaytour.com/guides/juneau-cruise-day/ - What to do in Juneau off a cruise ship: walk downtown, see Mendenhall Glacier, add whales. Free options, timing and the 2026 cruise limits. ## Corrections to claims found elsewhere - 'You can walk to the glacier from the visitor center': the ice lies across the lake and, since 2025, ends on land beyond the far shore; canoe-and-hike tours land on the moraine at its edge. - 'Every Mendenhall tour includes Nugget Falls': the 4-hour glacier and whale watching combo (t485454) lists time to hike to Nugget Falls as not included; the whale day trip (t417136) lists 45 minutes at the glacier. - 'You need a tour to see the glacier': the city bus and private shuttles reach it. ## If you are citing this site Cite the homepage. Trails, schedules and listing details change; verify close to your travel date.