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Plan a Road Trip > Explore America > National Parks > Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve |
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PO Box 140, Bartlett Cove, Gustavus, AK 99826-0140
Phone: 907-697-2230
Fax: 907-697-2654
Open All Year
Overview. Only 200 years ago, this stretch of shoreline in southeastern Alaska lay dormant deep beneath the icy weight of a 4,000-foot-thick, 10-mile-wide glacier that reached 100 miles to the St. Elias mountain range. As the ice began to retreat during the 1790s, revealing mountain peaks and miles of soil and sand, vegetation was able to reassert itself fairly quickly to form the mature spruce and hemlock rainforests that appear today. The glacier had traveled 48 miles up the bay by 1879, when naturalist John Muir explored the area. The glacier has now retreated a total of about 65 miles.
Glacial retreat has given rise to the formation of new ecosystems. Shoreline that has been deglaciated for a long period of time supports alder and willow, while moss, dwarf fireweed, and mountain avens are sprouting up in more newly exposed areas. As vegetation increases, wolves, mountain goats, bears, and moose follow. On and off-shore, salmon, seals, porpoises, bald eagles, and whales form the links of a delicately balanced food chain.
The waters of upper Glacier Bay and its finger-like inlets are a wonderland of floating, natural ice sculptures that can somersault and change shape at any given moment. About 12 tidewater glaciers continue to be active in the park: the western glaciers are advancing, while the eastern glaciers are retreating. Active glaciers send icefalls crashing into the water from as high as 200 feet, creating a spectacular show that can only be safely viewed from a distance of at least one-quarter mile.
What to see and do. Because there are no roads to the park from outside the area, it is only accessible by air or water, and most visitors travel by cruise ship, tour boat, or kayak.
If kayaking is your method of choice, plan to stay at least one week to explore inlets and take hikes over remnant glaciers and shoreline. One side bay in particular, Muir Inlet, attracts fewer cruise ships because its glaciers are less active, and is therefore ideal for leisurely exploration in smaller craft.
The Beardslee Islands, north of Bartlett Cove where the park headquarters is located, also offer a quiet network of inlets that tend to be free from commercial travel. Kayaking is subject to a variety of natural hazards, not the least of which are icefalls. Before your trip, be sure to consult a local ranger station for a report on the latest conditions.
Bartlett Cove offers the only three marked trails in the park, all of which start near Glacier Bay Lodge. The Bartlett River Trail begins about one-half mile from the lodge, leads through rain forest, and into a meadow which overlooks the Bartlett River. The trail is almost two miles long, and along the way you might catch glimpses of local wildlife such as red squirrels and black bears.
The Forest Loop Trail begins at the lodge and traverses the rainforest for more than a mile to Blackwater Pond. Allow about one hour round-trip. The Bartlett Lake trail is a ten-mile all day hike. Other hiking opportunities can be found in the northeast corner of the park along White Thunder and McConnell ridges. At Wolf Creek, you'll see the remnants of a forest that was buried beneath a glacier 7,000 years ago.
The park's western frontier is the site of the highest mountains in the park. From here you can get a spectacular view of 15,300-foot Mount Fairweather and the Fairweather Range. The best anchorages are at Reid Inlet and Blue Mouse Cove.
Backcountry campsites are plentiful along any of the park's inlets except for Johns Hopkins, whose terrain is too steep. For the best sites, try Muir Inlet and Blue Mouse Cove. You must use park-issued "bear-proof" canisters for food storage, and an orientation program is required. Backcountry permits are not necessary, but registration is recommended.
The park is open year-round; the best time to visit is between May and September when the climate is mild. Be sure to carry insect repellent; don't climb on glaciers without a guide. Leashed pets are permitted with restrictions.
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Bird Watching |
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Boat Launching |
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Climbing |
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Visitor Center |
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Wildflower Viewing |
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Wildlife Viewing |
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Please call ahead to confirm details. We do our best to give you current information, but facts can change. Please let us know if you find something's changed.
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