Glacier Bay National Park

Glacier Bay's most dramatic feature is its series of tidewater glaciers, which flow from the high ice fields of the Fairweather Range and the Brady Ice Field down to the ocean, where they calve icebergs into the bay with thunderous crashes. The most famous of these is Margerie Glacier, a 21-mile-long glacier that is roughly 250 feet tall at its terminus and is a regular stop for cruise ships; it is one of the few glaciers in the park that is currently stable rather than retreating. The Grand Pacific Glacier, at the head of the bay, marks the Canadian border and is the glacier that filled the entire bay when Vancouver visited in 1794. Its retreat over the past two centuries has uncovered a landscape in various stages of succession, from bare rock recently exposed by ice to mature hemlock and spruce forest that is hundreds of years old, and this has made Glacier Bay a globally important site for the study of primary succession. The park's glaciers are dynamic: the Johns Hopkins Glacier, one of the few advancing glaciers in the park, is often surrounded by harbor seals pupping on the ice, and the Lamplugh Glacier is known for its striking blue color, the result of dense ice absorbing all light except blue.

Glacier Bay is one of the premier marine wildlife viewing destinations in the National Park System. Humpback whales are common in the bay during summer, and visitors on cruise ships and tour boats frequently see them breaching, tail-lobbing, and engaging in cooperative 'bubble-net' feeding, where a group of whales swims in a circle blowing bubbles to herd fish into a column and then lunges through the surface with open mouths. The park has roughly 10 to 15 humpback whales that are resident in summer, and the population has been studied for decades. Orcas, both resident and transient, are also seen, though less frequently; transient orcas hunt seals and other marine mammals, while resident orcas focus on fish. Steller sea lions, harbor seals, and sea otters are common, and the park's waters support a rich ecosystem that includes halibut, salmon, and numerous seabird species, including tufted puffins, marbled murrelets, and pigeon guillemots. The park is also part of the larger Glacier Bay-Admiralty Island Biosphere Reserve and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, jointly with Wrangell-St. Elias and Kluane National Park in Canada, forming one of the largest internationally protected areas in the world.

The only developed area of Glacier Bay is Bartlett Cove, the park's headquarters and the only area accessible by road (from the small town of Gustavus, which has a state ferry terminal and a small airport). Bartlett Cove has a visitor center, a campground, and a lodge, and it is the starting point for boat tours up the bay. The Forest Trail, a 1-mile loop, passes through mature rainforest and includes a view of a replica Huna Tlingit tribal house. The Bartlett River Trail, 4.8 miles round trip, follows the river to the estuary and offers wildlife viewing, particularly of birds and bears. For paddlers, Glacier Bay is a premier sea kayaking destination, with opportunities to paddle among icebergs and to remote inlets; kayaks can be rented from the park concessioner or brought in, and multi-day trips require a permit and bear canister. The Beardslee Islands, near Bartlett Cove, are a popular day and overnight kayaking destination with calmer water and good wildlife viewing. More ambitious kayakers paddle up the west arm of the bay to areas like the Johns Hopkins Inlet, though this requires experience with glacier travel, tidal currents, and cold-water immersion hazards.

Most visitors to Glacier Bay arrive by cruise ship, which enters the bay as part of an Alaska itinerary and stops at glaciers but does not dock at Bartlett Cove; the park offers a ranger program on cruise ships during the summer. For independent travelers, the only access to Bartlett Cove is by air or ferry to Gustavus, a small town about 10 miles from the park. Alaska Airlines provides seasonal jet service to Gustavus, and the state ferry system provides service from Juneau. The Glacier Bay Lodge, the only lodging in the park, is open from late May to early September and should be reserved well in advance. The Bartlett Cove Campground is free and first-come, first-served. The best time to visit is from June through August, when the weather is mildest and the days are longest, with up to 18 hours of daylight. The park has no roads beyond Bartlett Cove, so most exploration is by boat, kayak, or on foot. Weather is cool and wet year-round, with summer temperatures in the 50s and 60s and frequent rain; visitors should bring layers and rain gear. Winter visits are rare, as most services are closed and access is difficult.