The Coolest Outdoor Adventures You Can Have in and Around Juneau

CYCLING

Juneau offers options for bike riders of all levels and ages. Most roads have wide roadside bike lanes or adjacent paved bike trails. Here’s a free online bike map. CycleAlaska is a great resource for detailed cycling information.

Guided Bike and Brew Glacier View Tour

This is a flat, 8 1/2-mile guided ride on roads, bike paths, and trails through the Tongass National Forest to the Mendenhall Glacier. The coastal temperate rainforest is lush, green, and possibly a bit wet, so bring the right gear. The tour returns to downtown for a local craft beer tasting at the Flight Deck.
Total estimated time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Cost booking: Advance bookings through cruise ships only; independent travelers can call CycleAlaska for availability in the next 24 hours [$109]

Guided Bike and Tram Elevation Sensation Tour

This 9.2-mile ride starts at Eaglecrest Ski Area lodge at 1,200-foot elevation with about a 5-mile hill down to sea level, then follows paved road along forest and ocean to Outer Point. You’ll see a cool view of Mendenhall Glacier from across the saltwater.
Total estimated time: 4 1/2 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Cost booking: Advance bookings through cruise ships only; independent travelers can call CycleAlaska for availability in the next 24 hours [$119]

How to do it by yourself: CycleAlaska, located beside Douglas Bridge near downtown, rents out mountain bikes, hybrids, road bikes, tandems, and bikes for kids. There are a variety of rides ranging from easy to difficult that you can start straight from the store:

Douglas Island, Sandy Beach Historic Treadwell Mine: 3 miles of gently rolling roadside lanes
Mendenhall Glacier round trip: 26 miles of flat roadside lanes paved bike trails
Douglas Island, Outer Point: 11 miles of flat/gently rolling roadside lanes

If you’re able to transport your bike by car, you can access many additional trails and roads with excellent riding and beautiful scenery. However, Cycle Alaska doesn’t provide bike racks. Juneau city buses have room for two bikes. Know that it is both illegal and a very bad idea to ride on Egan Highway from downtown to Mendenhall River Bridge. Always use bike paths!