Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Alaska

  Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is a beautiful segment of wilderness that is popular with folks from near and far. Going to Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is a pleasant idea when you've gotta get out. There is brilliant outdoors recreation at Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve that you can benefit from.
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is a common site to spend time for folks from Gustavus. The top of Mount Cooper is easily observed from Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, and MT Fairweather Golf Course is a golf course close by.
    There are a lot of enjoyable activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Mount Cooper is trouble-free to spot from Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, and there are plenty of people from Gustavus here. The high level of rain makes Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve a reasonably
wet spot; through October this area sees the most rain, and the driest month is June. Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve has beautiful nature scenery for your viewing pleasure.
During the summer at Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve highs are regularly in the 50's. For the period of the moonlight hours it's mostly in the 40's. The cold days of the wintertime come with highs in the 30's with temperatures at Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve dipping down into the 20's all through winter nights.

The marine wilderness of Glacier Bay

 
    There are a lot of enjoyable activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Mount Cooper is trouble-free to spot from Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, and there are plenty of people from Gustavus here. The high level of rain makes Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve a reasonably
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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Longitude: -136.97

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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.