Exclusive Mendenhall Glacier Trek: Juneau's Epic Ice Quest!
Price From $214.31 per person
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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.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
Rachel_M, 8/24/2025 11:51:56 AM
I highly recommend this excursion! We had 7 travelers in our group and besides the occasional group passing by on the way up, we had the entire trail and the Glacier viewing area to ourselves. Our guide Heather was super personable, knowledgeable and attentive to the group. The trail itself was pretty easy to navigate, with the exception of a few slick rock spots and the last part of the trail where you have to climb up/down some rocks to view the Glacier. But even then, going slow and being intentional with your hand/foot placements was just fine. Gorgeous view of the Glacier and Nugget Falls. Very appreciative of the generous snacks provided as well. This was our first excursion not booked through the cruise line and we had 0 worries about getting back on time as Hesther made it clear (and showed) they are pros with timing. 10/10!
rebeccasC803FX, 6/28/2025 8:10:34 PM
This was definitely a challenging hike with scrambling up and down slippery rocks. The views were incredible. We had an amazing time with Julia but we got soaked. The gear and snacks provided were definitely useful. Highly recommend this tour!
Chaskamin, 6/6/2025 7:20:58 PM
This is a hike not for the faint of heart. We met our guide Forrest just off our ship and went by van to Above and Beyond. At their offices, we got outfitted- Backpacks, a Hiking Pole, Rain pants, and Jackets (if needed). We also got souvenir water bottles and a bag of trail snacks. We had brought our own set of poles and needed them! Once outfitted we headed to the "West Glacier Trailhead". I would not want to try and follow the trail without a guide. Alltrails lists the distance as 6.3 miles. You don't actually reach Mendenhall Glacier since it has receded. You do get a great view of it and of Mendenhall lake. I wonder if you can even see the glacier from the park's visitor center (not a stop). There are a couple of steep sections that Forrest got us carefully through. So happy with the hike and with our guide.
DavidP2012, 8/30/2024 12:16:30 AM
This was a great hike, incredibly scenic and beautiful and we were blessed with excellent weather. Due to the small size of our group, we were able to push on beyond a normal turnaround spot and getting a bit closer to the glacier than might otherwise happen. Our guide Bella was fantastic and the support that I received from Jess at the office in advance was excellent. Highly recommended!
Tour40612454519, 7/21/2024 10:06:03 PM
Taylor was awesome. We had a lot of fun. You hike up to see the glacier, but you dont get to go on the glacier. But it was a cool hike overall and I enjoyed it.
93lindseyn, 6/23/2024 2:00:39 PM
We had an awesome hike with Josh and Taylor. The pace is fast and there are some really challenging inclines and rock scrambles (I wore hiking pants, but I should have gone a step further and worn pants with more stretch). My family of 5 (hubby and I, two teens and a 12 year old) joined 8 other adults. We relished the gorgeous sights, learned a lot about the glacier and had fun chatting with each other and the guides. The glacier is receding rapidly, I'm glad we got to see it while we still could.
stevenfS4401PO, 7/27/2023 4:41:47 PM
This was a great hike led by our guide Jeffrey. Jeff was very friendly and informative. The walk is quite strenuous, but Jeff made sure everyone was capable and wearing the right clothing. A waterproof and decent walking shoes/boots are a must.
Donna P, 7/2/2023 5:04:40 PM
This is why I came to Alaska! I would add more stars if I could. Best day of the whole cruise! Leeann and Kiana were our guides and were terrific young ladies with hiking experience and knowledge of the local flora to share. 7 wonderful hours out in stunning nature. I would comment that if you are not physically fit, and ALSO have good balance and climbing ability- DO NOT BOOK this! It was a 968 ft elevation gain hike. Read the information on their website and do not blindly book this on trip advisor. You will climb up and down large rocks, walk thru streams or water and mud, scramble up some short rock faces with your hands and slide down on your bum. This impacts the whole group of up to 12 hikers (max tour size) as one guide has to always remain with the hikers regardless if they are capable of continuing. This is not a flat walk in the woods for someone just pulling new hiking boots out of the box that morning. That said, the other thing to note is that the glacier is receding and no two trips will be the same. You aren't walking on the glacier and the ice caves of 2022 and before are now gone. It was fascinating to see the changes made over time by the glacier. I would totally do this trip again given the chance.
Sergio_F, 5/15/2023 5:13:09 PM
Pretty intense hike at time. And im a backpacker... Still very fun. Got to see wildlife up and close. Including a bear that at times were as close as 25-30yards. Unfortunately, the glacier had receded to a point you cant get very close.
W5716BOcindyw, 9/19/2022 2:21:27 PM
OMG. The team that went with us were wonderful and diverse personalities. We paddled with Abbey and Grant. The glaciers have softened ( over a yr ago) and tour grp from the cruise ship did not provide the updated information that the glaciers are no longer safe to walk upon. But we were close. The air so fresh and clean. The picture posted no longer accurate a chunk of ice left just the night before. We were even blessed with sighting of a harbor seal. Highly recommend
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have a high level of physical fitness
- Minimum age is 10 years. For families with children between 8-9, we can customize a private trip.
- Please note, this tour requires a minimum of 4 to operate. If minimum requirement is not met, reservation is subject to change or cancellation.
- All clients must be in good enough shape, conditioned and capable of hiking up to 4 hours, covering about 7 miles roundtrip
- Clients need to wear sturdy hiking boots that provide good ankle support while hiking on uneven, rocky terrain . All clients will need to hike with a backpack the entire way on this trip.
- Due to the inherent risks involved, we do not permit pregnant guests to participant.
- This tour does not include trekking on the glacier or exploring around the glacier's edge, but will get groups to the glacier view vista.
- A specific amount of time spent at the glacier viewing area cannot be guaranteed. The amount time is dependent on the group's pace and weather conditions.
- With group departures we try to maximize our trip capacity and subsequently may need to alter the time to accommodate additional customers. If your trip's departure time changes we will notify you as soon as possible.
- Clients must disclose information regarding pertinent medical conditions/history, allergies and any type of restriction or limitation that might introduce a higher degree of challenge on this trip.
- RELEASE OF LIABILITY/ASSUMPTION OF RISK FORM: Every participant on the trip must sign a Release of Liability/Assumption of Risk form at the start of the trip. Alterations and/or deletions to the waiver are not permitted.
Departure point
The “C” Sign, located near the cruise ship docks directly between Mt. Roberts Tramway and the green Taku Smokeries building, is our centralized downtown meeting location for all clients in the downtown area, including the majority of cruise ship passengers.Return details
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.Redemption
• Upon booking, please contact Above and Beyond Alaska at least 72 hours ahead of time at +1 907 364 2333 with the following information for all passengers: • all participants names • raingear & shoe sizes (for adult men and women, S-XXL and youth, S-L) • ages • height & weight • any pertinent info re: medical conditions, allergies or dietary restrictions • Visiting specific features such as ice caves, moulins, etc. cannot be guaranteed due to the constantly changing nature of the Mendenhall glacier. Your guide will assess the hazards the day of the trip and determine if a particular area is safe enough to trek upon or enter24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund