Leconte Glacier & Petersburg Tour

Join Muddy Water Adventures as we explore southeastern Alaska on this sightseeing tour from Wrangell! Ride in comfort on our brand-new vessel, the Island Cat, which has a large cabin that fits up to 21 passengers, an onboard bathroom, and is custom-built to provide the smoothest and most stable ride in Wrangell. It even has multiple viewing decks so you won’t miss a thing! On this tour we’ll visit glaciers, watch ice calving, and see wildlife! We’ll also make a stop to visit the neighboring town of Petersburg, Alaska.

Excited to visit LeConte Glacier but short on time? We also offer the LeConte Glacier half-day tour by Jet Boat which includes the same wildlife viewing and iceberg-filled landscapes but skips the Petersburg stop. Please click the LeConte by Jet Boat tab for more details on our LeConte half-day tour option.

This full day adventure starts when we depart Wrangell for an approximately one to two hour ride to LeConte glacier. When tides don’t allow us to travel through Dry Straight, a shallow channel between Wrangell and LeConte, we’ll take the long way through the Wrangell Narrows. This allows us to stop in the neighboring town of Petersburg for lunch and to stretch our legs.

After a two hour stop, we make our way to the glacier! We will navigate through the icebergs to get as close to the face as possible, giving you hours of close up ice views before we return to port. Depending on the tides, we may go to Petersburg before or after the glacier.

The Stikine Icefield is one of the few remnants of the once-vast ice sheets that covered much of North America during the Pleistocene age. It covers 2,900 square miles along the crest of the Coastal Mountains that separate Canada and the U.S., extending 120 miles from the Whiting River to the Stikine River.

Near the south end of the Stikine Icefield, LeConte Glacier is the southernmost active tidewater glacier in the northern hemisphere. Since first charted in 1887, it has retreated almost 2.5 miles. Today, LeConte is considered in a stable position. Due to the deep water (810 feet) of the bay, LeConte calves instead of advancing.

Harbor seals choose LeConte’s protected water and abundant icebergs as a breeding, birthing, and rearing area. Remember not to disturb these little ones. Abandonment of a young pup by its mother is a common occurrence, particularly if they are disturbed by hunting or other activities by humans.

Note: Petersburg is included, but not required! If your party would like to skip the Petersburg stop, please let us know.

For guests who are looking for a half-day tour of LeConte Glacier, we also offer a 4-hour tour of LeConte by Jet Boat. This includes all the epic glacial views and wildlife watching but skips the Petersburg stop. Please find the pricing and details for this option below.