What is Alaska's most accessible glacier located just 12 miles from downtown Juneau?
Come explore the beautiful
Juneau's most popular attraction (and the most easily accessible Alaska glacier) is the mighty, magnificent Mendenhall Glacier, located just 13 miles from downtown Juneau and only a few minutes from the airport.
Below is a list of some of Alaska's most accessible glaciers. The Matanuska Glacier is the largest glacier in Alaska that can be reached by road. It is 26 miles long and 4 miles wide at its terminus. It originates from within the Chugach mountain range of Southcentral Alaska.
Mendenhall Glacier is one of the many large glaciers that flow from the 1500 square mile expanse of rock, snow and ice known as the Juneau Icefield. As glacial ice continues to build, gravity pulls the ice down slope. The glacier slowly scours the bedrock and grinds down its 13-mile journey to Mendenhall Lake.
Exit Glacier, The Most Accessible Glacier from Anchorage, Alaska.
Off-shooting from this massive sea of ice, you'll have the opportunity to gaze upon the Norris, Hole-in-the-Wall, East Twin, West Twin, & Taku Glaciers. No other method of travel will give you the opportunity to see so many glaciers in one go, making this one of the best excursions in Juneau Alaska.
History of Hubbard Glacier
It's located about 200 miles northwest of Alaska's capital city of Juneau.
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve lies west of Juneau, AK and can only be reached by plane or boat. The only road merely connects the small town of Gustavus and its airfield to park headquarters at Bartlett Cove (10 miles).
1. Matanuska Glacier. Matanuska Glacier is a 2-hour scenic drive north of Anchorage and it's the largest glacier accessible by car in the United States! This makes it not so much of a hike, but it's definitely one of the easiest ways to stand on top of a glacier in Alaska.
This tour can accommodate manual and electric wheelchairs; however, not all trails at the Mendenhall Glacier Recreation Area are wheelchair accessible. The lift on the vehicle can accommodate a maximum weight of 600 lbs., maximum length of 40 inches and maximum width of 27 inches.
What is the most accessible city in Alaska?
Anchorage is one of the most accessible ways to enjoy Alaska. Accessible transportation, accommodations, and scenic trails around town make it easy to access some of the best views and experiences Alaska has to offer.
Kenai Fjords is the most accessible of Alaska's national parks. Unlike most other national parks in Alaska, there is actual driving in the park (however limited) that allows access to hiking trails.
The Juneau Icefield is the fifth largest icefield in North America, stretching 1,500 square miles across the Alaskan panhandle. The Icefield encompasses 38 large glaciers and 100 small valley glaciers, meaning you have the chance to see many glaciers in a single trip.
Walking on a glacier in Alaska is an activity that every adventurous traveler should experience firsthand. Juneau is one of the best places for this with many glaciers and different types of excursion options. Looking for the easiest and most affordable way to step foot on a glacier?
Naturalist John Muir later called it Auke (Auk) Glacier, for the Auk Kwaan band of Tlingit Indians. In 1892 it was renamed for Thomas Corwin Mendenhall of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, who helped determine the boundary between Canada and Alaska.
According to the GLIMS data set, the three largest glaciers in the world are Vatnajokull Glacier in Iceland, Flade Isblink Ice Cap in Greenland, and Seller Glacier in Antarctica.
| Glacier Name | Length |
|---|---|
| Hubbard Glacier | 122 km or 75 miles |
| Fedchenko Glacier | 77 km or 48 miles |
| Siachen Glacier | 75 km or 47 miles |
| Biafo Glacier | 67 km or 42 miles |
91% in Antarctica. 8% in Greenland. Less than 0.5% in North America (about 0.1% in Alaska) 0.2% in Asia.
Mendenhall, one of the most beautiful and accessible glaciers in North America, is just 13 miles from downtown Juneau and a few minutes from the airport. It's a must-see destination for any Alaska vacation. You won't believe your ice!
There are three general types of glaciers: alpine or valley glaciers, ice sheets, and ice caps.
Why is Juneau not accessible?
The absence of a road network is due to the extremely rugged terrain surrounding the city. This in turn makes Juneau a de facto island city in terms of transportation, since all goods coming in and out must go by plane or boat, in spite of the city's location on the Alaskan mainland.
You cannot reach the Hubbard Glacier by car. Unless you have a private boat, you will need to join an Alaska cruise to see the Hubbard Glacier. Or, you can take a scenic flight-seeing tour and witness the ancient glacier from the air.
The Hubbard Glacier starts at Mt. Logan (19,850 ft) in the Yukon Territory of Canada and ends within Wrangell-St. Elias National Park & Preserve.
Just 50 miles northwest of Juneau (25 minutes by air), Glacier Bay is the largest national park in Southeast Alaska, the world's largest protected marine sanctuary, and a World Heritage Site.
There is no road leading to Juneau and the most popular way of visiting is by ferry. It is not possible to drive directly to Juneau. You can drive to Bellingham in Washington State and take a ferry.
The long stretch of shoreline south of the Bartlett Cove docks allows for a pleasant stroll. You could walk for miles. An extended hike to Point Gustavus (six miles one way) can be completed in a full day. Low tide reveals a myriad of intertidal life.
#1: Alaska is BIG!
Only 20 percent of Alaska is accessible by road. Despite a land mass of 586,412 square miles, Alaska only has 12 numbered highways. This means most of Alaska is wilderness – untamed, untouched wilderness, rare to find anywhere else in the US.
If you're going on an adventure with us, you don't need an Vehicle Reservation Ticket to go into Glacier WITH us. If you plan to enter Glacier National Park, with or without us, you still need to buy a park pass.
While many people go to Mendenhall Glacier with a tour group or on a shore excursion, you can also get to the glacier on your own. You can take a taxi from Juneau, drive to the glacier with a rental car, or take the city bus to Glacier Spur Road and walk the rest of the way (1.5 miles).
One of the most popular glaciers in Juneau, the Mendenhall Glacier can be visited on this privately guided tour. Hike through the Tongass National Forest and around the majestic Mendenhall Glacier on foot.
How far is Mendenhall Glacier from cruise ship?
Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center is located approximately 13 miles from downtown Juneau and cruise ship docks. There are several transportation options from the Juneau cruise ship docks.
Recently, we here at the Department of Data were perplexed to discover that Alaska ranks near the top of our list of states where people choose to spend their retirement years. By which we mean: An unusual share of the retirement-age population in Alaska comes from out of state.
Whittier, Alaska, is a small, remote town 60 miles south of Anchorage that is commonly referred to as the "town under one roof." How small is Whittier? About 217 people live there, and it's accessible only by boat or a one-way, one-lane tunnel.
The Dalton Highway runs for 414 miles from Livengood, a small community 80 miles north of Fairbanks, to Deadhorse on the shores of the Arctic Ocean.
With no road access to Juneau, it is the only state capital in the country that is accessible only by airplane or boat. One of the reasons Juneau has so much character is that it is one of Alaska's oldest cities.
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska is the least-visited US national park.
Many popular destinations and visitor attractions in Alaska are primarily accessible by highway, including Denali National Park and Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, Homer, Anchorage, Talkeetna, Valdez, Fairbanks, and more.
Juneau Icefield is one of the largest icefields in the world. It has a large, low-slope plateau area lying above 1500 m. Our study includes 1050 glaciers, with the main icefield being surrounded by valley and mountain glaciers.
Alaska's glaciers extend geographically from the far southeast at lat 55°19'N., long 130°05'W., about 100 kilometers east of Ketchikan, to the far southwest at Kiska Island at lat 52°05'N., long 177°35'E., in the Aleutian Islands, and as far north as lat 69°20'N., long 143°45'W., in the Brooks Range.
Though it is possible to hike to the Juneau Icefield, the best way to witness the majesty of this vast space is by flying over it. Several experienced glacier tour operators lead tours up to the Juneau Icefield by helicopter and small plane.
Is Juneau walkable from cruise ship?
Juneau is a very walkable city. Most cruise ships dock right in downtown, and visitors can leave the ship and walk all throughout downtown, shopping and exploring. There are some attractions that are outside of downtown area. To reach those, a tour or taxi are a great option.
Take The Mendenhall Glacier Shuttle
Since one million cruise ship passengers visit Alaska and Juneau each year, there are daily shuttles to the visitors center during the summer months. Passengers can pick up shuttle buses outside the Roberts Tramway Ticket Office close to the cruise terminal.
Ice Caves at Mendenhall Glacier
There are public access trails to the ice caves at the park, but enter at your own risk if trekking alone. Though spectacular, it's recommended that glaciers should only be explored with a professional guide. Tours of the ice caves are offered from July through September.
Where in Alaska Can I See Ice Caves? Any of Alaska's many thousands of glaciers may, at one time or another, feature glacier caves. One of the most popular Alaska destinations for exploring glacier ice caves, though, is the Mendenhall Glacier, a massive body of ice located about 10 miles from downtown Juneau.
Mendenhall Lake, formed by Menden- hall Glacier, has a maximum depth of 200 feet and covers a surface area of about 1.12 square miles.
Kenai Fjords is the most accessible of Alaska's national parks. Unlike most other national parks in Alaska, there is actual driving in the park (however limited) that allows access to hiking trails.
The Matanuska Glacier is in Glacier View, Alaska. It makes for the perfect day trip if you're staying in Palmer or Anchorage. If you're traveling from Palmer, it's only an hour-and-a-half drive. If you're traveling from Anchorage to the Matanuska Glacier, the journey is a little over two hours.
The Muldrow Glacier, on the north side of Denali in Alaska, is undergoing a rare surge. In the past few months the 39-mile-long river of ice has been moving as much as 90 feet a day, 100 times its usual speed.
Jackson Glacier is the easiest glacier to see in the park and it is the 7th largest.
Only 20 percent of Alaska is accessible by road. Despite a land mass of 586,412 square miles, Alaska only has 12 numbered highways. This means most of Alaska is wilderness – untamed, untouched wilderness, rare to find anywhere else in the US. When planning your Alaska vacation, distances can be deceptively large.
How do you get from Juneau to Gustavus?
Since 2011, the Alaska Marine Highway ferry system has provided regular service from Juneau to Gustavus. The ferry trip varies in length depending on the specific ferry being used and the number of stops along the way. Expect the trip to last 4-6 hours.
ABOUT WHITTIER
Formerly inaccessible by road, the town is now is accessible through the Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel, a 2.7 mile-long road/rail tunnel that connects Whittier to the Portage area and the rest of the Alaska road system.
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska is the least-visited US national park.
The only way to access Matanuska Glacier is by joining a guided glacier tour, available year-round. There's more camping even further south at King Mountain State Recreation Site, located at Mile 76 of the Glenn Highway.
Can you walk on Matanuska Glacier? During the guided tour, you can walk on the glacier. The tours are about 2-3 hours long. You will walk from the lodge out to the terminus of the Matanuska Glacier.
Some international travelers will fly into Calgary, Alberta, and take the four-hour drive south to the northern regions of Glacier National Park.