The Juneau Icefield in Southeast Alaska is one of the largest ice masses in North America, drawing glaciologists, hikers, and wilderness seekers alike.
The Juneau Icefield formed during the last ice age and has persisted as one of the most significant ice masses in the Western Hemisphere. It straddles the border of Alaska and British Columbia, feeding glaciers that have shaped the valleys, fjords, and coastlines of Southeast Alaska over millennia.
Visitors access the icefield primarily through guided tours departing from Juneau. Helicopter landings on the ice allow travelers to walk among crevasses and seracs under the open sky. Dog sledding on the glacier is a popular activity offered seasonally, giving a vivid sense of how the landscape has been traveled for generations.
The Mendenhall Glacier, one of the icefield's most visited outlets, terminates near a lake just outside Juneau and offers hiking trails, a waterfall, and a visitor center. Scientists and expedition teams also traverse the full icefield each summer, continuing a research tradition stretching back decades.
The Juneau Icefield is a place where natural forces remain visibly, powerfully at work, making it one of the most compelling wilderness destinations in all of Alaska.
Visit during late spring or early summer for the best combination of daylight, stable weather, and accessible glacier surfaces.
Book a helicopter flightseeing tour from Juneau to gain a true sense of the icefield's immense scale from above.
Dress in moisture-wicking base layers and bring a waterproof shell, as temperatures on the ice can drop sharply even in summer.
Consider a guided ice-trekking excursion if you want to walk on the glacier surface safely with crampons and professional instruction.
Pair your icefield visit with a stop at the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center for interpretive exhibits on glaciology and climate history.
Fly over Juneau Icefield, then airboat beside Taku Glacier
Fly by helicopter to the glacier and hike with ice-climbing gear
Fly to a Juneau glacier and walk with a guide for 1 hour
Fly over five glaciers and dine at Historic Taku Glacier Lodge
Window-seat floatplane views of five glaciers in the Juneau Icefield
Fly, paddle, and explore Norris Glacier in one adventure
Soar above the Tongass and explore a glacier on foot
Pair a 2-hour whale watch with time to explore Mendenhall Glacier
Land on Herbert Glacier and explore the Juneau Icefield by helicopter
Land on Herbert Glacier for a pilot-guided Icefield walk
Glacier flightseeing, a historic lodge visit, and a wild Alaska salmon feast
See the Juneau Icefield from above, then walk on Herbert Glacier