Talkeetna Jet Boats – Fun, High Speed River Safaris

One of the most popular things to do in Talkeetna is the jet boat tour on the Susitna River. Mahay’s Jet Boats are the fast, fun tour you’ll find heading up the river and it’s a great way to learn about the area and life in the MatSu Valley. I’ve done the jet boat tour several times so have lots to share about it. If you have any questions about the jet boat tours out of Talkeetna or exploring the area, please leave a comment or send us a note!

What to Expect on the Talkeetna Jet Boat Tours

There are a few different jet boat tours you can do on the Susitna River out of Talkeetna: the Wilderness Excursion, Chulitna Gorge and Devil’s Canyon Adventure. The shortest trip is the Wilderness Excursion which takes you up the river and includes a stop at a recreated trapping camp and indigenous Alaska native camp, which goes ten miles up river for 20 miles round trip. The next option is the Chulitna Gorge trip which takes you 25 miles up the Susitna River and has quite the expanse of scenery. The longest trip is the Devil’s Canyon Adventure which lasts all day and is 130 miles round trip. This is quite the trip and you get to see an incredible amount of the Susitna Valley and hopefully lots of wildlife.

I think the shorter Wilderness Excursion is great with kids or if you don’t want to be on the water all day. You get to spend time on the river and if you’re lucky get an amazing view of Denali (formerly Mt McKinley) and you’ll stop at an island in the river to learn some history and go for a nature walk. Since the short trip goes many times throughout the day there are lots of opportunities to jump on one of the tours.

Being Prepared for a Jet Boat Ride on the Susitna River

Unless the weather is icky, you should be plenty warm for a summer ride on the Mahay’s Jet Boats out of Talkeetna. The cabin is covered and windows shut for most of the trip, so if you are wearing pants and a sweater or pullover you should be fine. On colder days, it can get quite chilly when you’re blasting up the Susitna River on a jet boat, so just look at what the weather is doing and be smart about it.

Phone photography is great on a jet boat ride. It can be bumpy so a large camera isn’t very useful. I say that but then also, if you happen to see wildlife on the riverbanks during your tour, you may want to snap photos for which a big lens is always nice. You’ll have to use your best judgement when it’s tour time, and be sure to ask the guides how the wildlife has been lately to help you make a camera decision.

Tips for a Fun Jet Boat Tour from Talkeetna

If you’re thinking about the longer jet boat tours on the Susitna River out of Talkeetna, then you need to book that as soon as you know your dates. While there are lots of wilderness excursions throughout the day, there are limited spots for the Devil’s Canyon or Chulitna Gorge trips. These longer trips cover a huge distance and are very popular.

If you’re booking the shorter trip, plan it to either start your day or to head out and be back before dinner. This was you can easily plan other activities around your tour time. Earlier tours tend to be better for wildlife sighting, but in the peak of summer sighting times are a bit off due to the almost never-ending daylight. Check with the Mahay’s Jet Boats office for advice around tour times.

Parking at Mahay’s Jet Boat Tours in Talkeetna

There is plenty of parking for doing the jet boat tours out of Talkeetna. You can either park at the main Mahay’s Jet Boat Tours office in Talkeetna and then ride the shuttle bus over to the launch site, or you can drive yourself. The parking area at the launch site is plenty big and costs nothing. To get to the parking, you need to drive to a different spot than the office. (Google maps link here):

• From Talkeetna Spur Road head east onto E Second Street
• Cross the train tracks and then LEFT on Terminal Ave
• After the Swiss Alaska Inn turn LEFT on Front Steet
• the Mahay’s Jet Boat Tours parking is at the end of the street.