![]() Have you ever been this close to a glacier? Walking on the Mendenhall Glacier was a great opportunity to see how the glacier shapes, moves and flows with the surrounding elements. You’ll land on the beach and hike to the caves through glacier debris before strapping on some crampons and heading onto the top of the glacier itself. When you take the time to visit the ice caves you not only get treated to a surreal blue wonder but have a chance to actually set foot on the Mendenhall Glacier. Don’t wait though, the caves are melting rapidly and will be gone once the glacier recedes out of the lake and becomes landlocked.Ĭheck this out: How to visit the Mendenhall Ice Caves before they melt They are not easy to reach and a visit requires a long hike or long paddle across the lake but the effort is insanely rewarding. If you’re looking to get even closer to the Mendenhall Glacier, don’t miss out on a visit to the ice caves. Take the time to get up close and personal to it, the power and beauty of the ice shouldn’t be missed. Take it from us, don’t skimp out when it comes to seeing this glacier. Only 20% of those people venture beyond the crowds in search of a more intimate nature experience. Most visitors to Juneau that are intent on seeing the Mendenhall Glacier head for the Visitors Center. This is not a view you’ll get if you never leave the port area in downtown. This area changes as the tide move leaving ever-changing reflections and patterns of water in the tidal zone. Another way to enjoy Auke Bay is by stepping into the Devil’s Hideaway for a local beer and some killer fish tacos.įurther out the road is the spectacular Eagle Beach. It is possible to rent kayaks here or take fishing charters and enjoy the laid backwaters away from the downtown. We initially pulled off in Auke Bay to photograph a group of Eagles that were fishing in the bay, however, we found the area very picturesque and charming. They love the city and it is not uncommon to see dozens of them sitting on the light posts near the downtown area. While your chances of seeing them are good on a cruise through the Inside Passage (we saw loads on our UnCruise) the density of them in Juneau is rivaled by none. I’m going to go out on a limb here and proclaim Juneau as the Bald Eagle capital of the USA. Not to mention the collection of trailheads, you could spend several days out the road. This small stretch of road is packed with staggering mountain landscapes, coastal pullovers and interesting stops along the way. The only road in Juneau stretches 42 miles and while this might seem like it’s not worth seeing, it’s the exact opposite. You’ll actually have a chance to be away from the crowds. The tourist path is well beaten but if you take some time to step away from it, you’ll discover such a quiet and natural place. There are very few places in the world where you can view snow-capped mountains while hiking in the temperate rainforest.Īlaska, in general, is a place that rewards exploration. ![]() With over 250 miles of trails around Juneau, you have the chance to truly submerge in nature and enjoy all the diversity that Alaska offers within its rainforests. Sure, you can take the tram up and get a great view, but the view on the trail comes with lush forests and unique angles. Hiking the trails on Mount Roberts will give you views of the city you won’t find elsewhere. Take off a few extra days from work on either side of that cruise and get into the real Alaska. Commonly mistaken as ‘just a cruise port’, we’re on a mission to show people that Juneau is so much more than that. Some of the most incredible things you can do in Alaska are accessible by spending a few days in Juneau. What we can’t quite figure out is why people blow through Juneau in a hurry to get on their cruise ships. The atmosphere, people and incredible scenery that surrounds the city are honestly rivaled by very few other places we have visited in our 16 years of travel. People aren’t kidding when they talk about Juneau’s beauty and it took us all of 2 seconds to realize we had made the right choice to spend some time in Juneau.Īfter spending 5 days in Juneau, we can easily say we’d move there in a heartbeat. Just outside the window was some of the most amazing mountain scenery we have ever flown over and we had a front-row seat. ![]() At that moment, I peeled my eyes away from the movie I was watching, opened the window blind and found myself in momentary shock. The pilot came over the loudspeaker and announced our initial descent into Juneau, Alaska. ![]()
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