Visiting Alaska in June
The month of June in Alaska is lovely. The days are endless and full of sunshine. June is the season of the Midnight Sun and the Summer Solstice. June also marks the start of the summer travel season in Alaska. Cruise ships, hotels, and tours begin to fill up with visitors. All the businesses are open for the season, and there is lots to see and do!
June in Alaska
Is June a good month to visit Alaska?
June is a beautiful month in Alaska and a great time to visit! The weather in June is usually sunny and warm, with very few days of rain. June is considered the start of the summer season, so you will see higher prices on hotels, rental cars, and airfare, but it is much less crowded with travelers than in July.
Weather in Alaska in June
June is usually a beautiful month in Alaska. The sun is high most of the day, and it never sets in some parts of northern Alaska! This is great for maximizing your time in Alaska, as there is plenty of daylight to see and do everything. Make sure to pack your eye mask! There are fewer days of rain in June, and sometimes it can even feel hot.
Average temperatures and daylight for different cities in Alaska in June:
Juneau - 18 hours of daylight & 45 to 65 degrees (average 13 days of rain)
Anchorage - 19 hours of daylight & 45 to 65 degrees (average 4 days of rain)
Fairbanks - 21 hours of daylight & 50 to 75 degrees (average 7 days of rain)
Utqiagvik - 24 hours of daylight & 25 to 40 degrees (average 2 days of rain)
Spencer Glacier and Placer River float trip
*Disclaimer - we are not weather fortune tellers. The weather in Alaska can be very unpredictable. Though we describe the average weather in June, we always recommend preparing for anything from snowstorms to sunscreen. Read more about what to pack for your trip to Alaska.
Does it rain in Alaska in June?
June is one of the least rainy months in Alaska. Anchorage has an average of 4 days of rain during June. It is generally rainier throughout the year in Southeast Alaska, in towns such as Ketchikan and Juneau. Juneau has an average of 13 days of rain during June.
Benefits of Visiting Alaska in June
There are so many benefits to visiting Alaska in June. June is a beautiful month. It is typically warm and pretty dry. The days are long, allowing plenty of time to explore Alaska. June is the official start of the summer season, so hotels are open, activities and tours are operating, and more flights are available to get to Alaska.
In June, Denali National Park reopens for the summer, and there is access to the main Visitor Center, hiking trails, and bus tours. Many of the smaller towns, such as Talkeetna, Valdez, and Seward, which are pretty quiet most of the year, are back in full swing for the busy summer.
The wildlife in Alaska is vibrant in June. Many of the baby animals that were born in the spring are out and about. In June, the hiking trails are usually reestablished and free of snow (note that some trails may still be muddy).
Hiking in Anchorage in June
Drawbacks of Visiting Alaska in June
With the benefits of visiting Alaska in June, there are also some drawbacks. The main tourist season in Alaska is very short (only three months!) compared to many other places. That means that many people are trying to visit Alaska at the same time, making for larger crowds of people at each destination. The prices during the summer months are also higher than at other times of the year. This goes for airfare, hotels, and rental cars.
The short season can also make finding available rental cars and hotel rooms challenging. This is why we always suggest that those who want to visit Alaska in the summer try to plan as far in advance as possible. This allows for better prices and a better selection of hotel rooms, rental cars, and activities.
If you are looking for a time to visit Alaska with fewer people and better prices, we highly recommend traveling to Alaska in May.
Read more about visiting Alaska in May.
Brown bears fishing at Brooks Falls in June
What to Do in Alaska in June
There are tons of things to do in Alaska in June! Here are a few of our recommendations.
Bear viewing in Katmai National Park from Homer
Ride the Alaska Railroad and raft down a glacial river from Girdwood
Take a Kenai Fjords National Park wildlife cruise in Seward
Take a helicopter flight to dogsled on a glacier
Go for a glacier trek on the Matanuska Glacier
Go flightseeing around Denali from Talkeetna
Helicopter flightseeing and glacier dogsledding trip
Contact us if you would like assistance in planning your dream trip to Alaska and booking fun activities!
Wildlife in Alaska in June
Most of the migratory wildlife will arrive in Alaska by June. This is the best month to watch for wildlife babies such as moose calves, seal pups, and bear cubs. Here is some of the wildlife you can see in Alaska in June.
Marine Wildlife - humpback whales, gray whales, walrus, harbor seals with pups, orca whales, and beluga whales
Land Animals - brown bears with cubs, Dall sheep, moose with calves, mountain goats with kids, black bears with cubs, and caribou
Bird Life - puffins, seabirds, migratory songbirds, sandpipers, arctic terns, ducks, and ducklings
Orca whales swimming outside of Seward, Alaska
Visit Alaska in June
Does June sound like the perfect month for you? Then contact us to design your trip to Alaska!
Brown bear fishing along the river in Cooper Landing
