National Park · NPS · AK
Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Photo: NPS / T. VandenBerg, Cruising Glacier Bay
Alerts and conditions
Overview
Covering 3.3 million acres of rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers, temperate rainforest, wild coastlines and deep sheltered fjords, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is known as Homeland to the Huna and Yakutat Lingít, and is a highlight of Alaska's Inside Passage. From sea to summit, Glacier Bay offers limitless opportunities for adventure and inspiration.
From the National Park Service
History
The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.
What to see and do
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Auto and ATV
- ATV Off-Roading
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Climbing
- Mountain Climbing
- Fishing
- Food
- Flying
- Guided Tours
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
- Kayaking
- Whitewater Rafting
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Plan your visit
Hours
Glacier Bay Operating Hours and Seasons: There are no entrance gates at Glacier Bay National Park, so we are technically open 24-hours a day; however, services may be extremely limited depending on the time of your visit. The main visitor season is from late-May through early-September with the peak being the month of July. Check the VISITOR CENTERS tab below to see hours for specific facilities, and read the exceptions that detail seasonal changes in hours.
Glacier Bay Visitor Center Desk Hours: Located on the second floor of Glacier Bay Lodge in Bartlett Cove, 10 miles from Gustavus. Staffed daily in summer with park rangers. Stop by for exhibits, park information, trip planning, bookstore, reading area, hydrophone kiosk, interpretive programs, park films, brochures, and much more.
Visitor Information Station (VIS) Hours: Located near the head of the public-use dock in Bartlett Cove, 10 miles from Gustavus. The "VIS" provides trip planning information, boating and camping permits, and offers boater/camper orientation sessions for visitors heading into the wild backcountry of Glacier Bay. Stop by and meet a park ranger.
Getting there
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve lies west of Juneau, Alaska, and can only be reached by plane or boat. The only road in the area merely connects the small town of Gustavus and its airfield to park headquarters at Bartlett Cove (10 miles). Alaska Airlines provides daily jet service from Juneau to Gustavus in the summer months. Year-round scheduled air service is also provided by a variety of small air taxis and charters. The Alaska Marine Highway ferries also provide regular service from Juneau.
Visitor centers
Campgrounds
- Bartlett Cove Campground (33 sites)
Weather
Summer temperatures average 50° to 60° F (10° to 15° C). Rain is the norm in lush southeast Alaska. It is best to be prepared to enjoy the park in any kind of weather, especially rain. Suggested clothing includes waterproof boots, rain gear, a hat, gloves, wool or pile layers or a warm coat. Good rain gear is essential here. April, May and June are usually the driest months of the year. September and October tend to be the wettest.
Phone: 9076972230
Whose lands these are
These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.
Photos
Pair it with
- Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park NPS · 79 miles
- Admiralty Island National Monument USFS · 120 miles
- Sitka National Historical Park NPS · 134 miles