Mendenhall Glacier & Glacier Gardens
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Port
Juneau, Alaska, US
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$124.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Savor the rich beauty of Glacier Gardens and visit Juneau's top natural attraction, the Mendenhall Glacier.
From downtown Juneau, it's a short ride to Glacier Gardens. Meet your tour guide and transfer to a covered shuttle for an intimate look at this natural wonderland of colorful plants, trees and flowers. The brilliant palette creates a dazzling contrast to the lush green forest backdrop. You will be amazed at the diversity of the rain forest as you wind along pathways carved into the mountainside, heading toward the upper regions of the forest. Visit a one-of-a-kind Alaska garden featuring towering 'upside-down trees' covered with planted flowers. From the viewing platform at the 580-foot level, capture images of the Gastineau Channel, Douglas Island and the Chilkat Mountains. Explore deeper into the forest on your return trip.
Continue to visit Juneau's grandest monument -- Mendenhall Glacier. This meandering river of compressed blue ice is the largest glacier accessible by road in Southeast Alaska. It is a half-mile wide, hundreds of feet deep and fed by the 1,500-square-mile Juneau ice field. US Forest Service staff offer a wealth of information on glaciers during your 90-minute visit. The Visitor Center features exhibits, interactive videos and a panoramic view of the glacier -- the perfect vantage point for photos of this world-famous attraction. There are also numerous self-guided walking trails from which to experience the special beauty of Tongass National Forest and ever-changing glimpses of the glacier.
Notes:
This tour operates under a Special Use Permit issued by the US Forest Service. Time at the glacier is approximately 90 minutes. The Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center's 2025 opening hours are 10am-5pm Sunday through Friday; closed on Saturdays. It may be closed during your visit. Restrooms are open every day.