Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Chugach Mountains, Alaska

  Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is a lovely place that everybody likes. A great deal of precipitation falls at Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve; most of the rain falls through October while June is commonly the driest month.
A tour to Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is a wonderful choice when you must spend some time in the fresh air. But wait, there's more enjoyable things to do in the Chugach Mountains. You get a tremendous view of Mount Cooper from Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, and in close proximity to Glacier Bay National Park
    & Preserve you hit upon a golf course called MT Fairweather Golf Course. For the duration of the days of summer at Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve highs are regularly in the 50's, and the overnight is slightly cooler of course, commonly in the 40's. The cold days of the winter
come with highs in the 30's while Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve overnight low temperatures all through the wintertime are in the 20's.
It's a popular place to travel to for folks from Gustavus. There is nice outdoors recreation at Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve that you could utilize. There are so many enjoyable things to do for everybody.
The prettiness of Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is there for you to enjoy. The top of Mount Cooper is easily spotted from Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve; you'll meet a lot of folks
 
    & Preserve you hit upon a golf course called MT Fairweather Golf Course. For the duration of the days of summer at Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve highs are regularly in the 50's, and the overnight is slightly cooler of course, commonly in the 40's. The cold days of the winter
scenery, Glacier Bay offers us now, and for all time, a connection to a powerful and wild landscape.

The park has snow-capped mountain ranges rising to over 15,000 feet, coastal beaches with protected coves, deep fjords, tidewater glaciers, coastal and estuarine waters, and freshwater lakes. These diverse land and seascapes host a mosaic of plant communities ranging from pioneer species in areas recently exposed by receding glaciers, to climax communities in older coastal and alpine ecosystems. Diverse habitats support a variety of life including

 
seabirds, marine and terrestrial mammals that provide ideal conditions for wildlife viewing and for research as we endeavor to learn more about the world around us.

   

CONTACTS

Email - GLBA_Administration@nps.gov

Fax- 907-697-2654

Write to
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
P.O. Box 140
Gustavus, AK 99826-0140

Phone
Headquarters - (907)697-2230
Yakutat District - (907)784-3295

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The park is open year round. The Glacier Bay National Park Visitor Center is open from mid-May to mid-September.

Getting There
PLANE - Year-around air service is available to Gustavus from Juneau and neighboring communities via small planes. These air-taxi companies are common in Alaska. A major airline provides daily jet service between Juneau and Gustavus in the summer.

CAR - There are no roads to Glacier Bay and no Alaska state ferry service. The only road in the park runs 10 miles between Bartlett Cove and Gustavus. Seven miles of trails wind along the beaches and through the rainforest in the Bartlett Cove area.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Passenger ferries offer transportation between Juneau and Gustavus mid-May through mid-September. Limited tour boat, cruise ship and charter boat services are available. Private pleasure boats are welcome. A ten-mile road by taxi or bus connects Gustavus to Bartlett Cove.

Weather & Climate
Glacier Bay is a rainy place. Bartlett Cove averages 75 inches of rain per year, most of that in September and October. The rain, wind, topography and tides all play a role in creating our exciting weather. Long periods of rainy, cool, and overcast weather are common in southeast Alaska. Summer daytime temperatures range from 45- 65F. A hat, gloves, raingear and sturdy, waterproof footgear are recommended.

Accessibility
The Glacier Bay Visitor Center located on the second level of the Glacier Bay Lodge and the first portion of the Forest Loop Trail is accessible to wheelchairs. There are no paved roads.

Getting Around
The only road in the park runs 10 miles between Bartlett Cove and Gustavus. Seven miles of trails wind along the beaches and through the rainforest in the Bartlett Cove area. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is most easily seen from a boat; the distance between Bartlett Cove and the tidewater glaciers is 65 miles. Activities include sightseeing, wildlife viewing, boating, kayaking, and the park ranger programs.

FEES/PERMITS

Entrance Fee
ENTRANCE FEE
Free!
There are no entrance or user fees for non-commercial visitors.

CAMPING

Bartlett Cove
All campers are required to attend a free camper orientation which is given on demand at the Visitor Information Station near the dock. Campers may obtain their backcountry permit and check out a bear-resistant food canister at this time (both are required for backcountry camping and are free of charge). A free campground (14-day limit) with bear-resistant food caches, firewood, and a warming hut, is located at Bartlett Cove. No reservations are accepted, but a permit is required. Campground permits are issued at the Visitor Information Station on a first-come, first-served basis. If desired, campers may be dropped off in the backcountry by the Park’s concession-operated tour boat.
For More Information on this campground please call 907-697-2230

LODGING

Glacier Bay Lodge
Late May to early September
The Glacier Bay Lodge offers overnight accommodations, a restaurant, gift shop and fuel sales (gasoline, #2 diesel, and white gas). Glacier Bay Lodge is open mid-May through mid-September. The nearby town of Gustavus has several lodges and bed and breakfast establishments with limited accommodations September through April. A free primitive National Park Service campground is available at Bartlett Cove, May 1st through September 30th camping permits are required.
For More Information on this lodging please call (800) 451-5952

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
GLACIER BAY VISITOR CENTER
Phone - (907) 697-2230
Special Programs - Daily park rangers offer evening programs, films/videos in the Visitor Center auditorium, walks and hikes through the forest and along the shore, and present a public address commentary and slide program on board tour boats and cruise ships entering Glacier Bay. The Glacier Bay Visitor Center is located on the second level of the Glacier Bay Lodge in Bartlett Cove. It has an information desk, an Alaska Natural History Association book store, and an auditorium.
Exhibits - Exhibits that illustrate the park's natural and cultural history, including hands-on mammal and rock displays, are available in the Visitor Center.
Available Facilities - The Glacier Bay Lodge operates a day tour boat trip during the summer months. The Lodge also offers a camper/kayaker drop-off service at designated locations in the bay. Various large cruise ship and tour boat companies bring visitors into the park. Guided kayak adventures and kayak rentals are available. There are guided kayak, backpacking, and raft trips down the Alsek River. In the Preserve hunting and fishing guides are available. For more information and a list of companies providing visitor services to Glacier Bay see Planning Your Visit.


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Local climate location: ELFIN COVE 46 miles away



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Latitude: 58.83
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* Distances listed are direct linear distances, actual travel distance may be different.

Outdoors related information copyright © Stratus-Pikpuk, Inc. - Detailed hotel information copyright © Interactive Hotel Solutions. Pictures of park and text about park by the US National Park Service. Operating hours and fees are valid at the date of publishing and are subject to change, please contact park directly for current information.