Glacier Bay National Park Things to Do

Western hemlock are beautiful evergreen trees that grow in Southeast Alaska and Glacier Bay.

The Beach Trail trailhead provides access to Bartlett Cove Campground and the forest loop trail.

This USGS marker, placed in 1966, shows the mean high tide line when this marker was originally placed. Today, the tide cannot reach this location due to isostatic rebound.

Glaciers are moving rivers of ice, so what happens when that ice meets the sea? Drama! Ice often breaks off and slams into the ocean with tremendous force, this is known as calving.

Why is ice blue? Light plays a factor in the reasoning behind glacial ice's beautiful coloring.

Xunaa Shuká Hít—roughly translated as "Huna Ancestor's House"—is the first permanent clan house in Glacier Bay since Łingít villages were destroyed by an advancing glacier over 250 years ago.

Cow parsnip is a notorious edible plant of southeast Alaska. Watch out, as coming into contact could cause painful skin reactions.

The horned puffin is a slightly less common puffin found in the summer months in Glacier Bay.

Bartlett Cove is the launch point for adventures into Glacier Bay. Bartlett Cove contains Glacier Bay's headquarters, as well as the lodge, visitor center, campground, and visitor information station (VIS).

The Beach Trail in Bartlett Cove provides access to the Forest Loop Trail and Campground, as well as the beach.

The Bartlett Cove Dock is where the action happens! Launch your adventure by boat here, or visit the dock to take in the sights.

The Beardslee Islands are a collection of islands just north of Glacier Bay's park headquarters in Bartlett Cove. Experience wilderness in its purest form from a human-powered boat, walk countless miles of wild coastline, and explore limitless lush forests.

The Beartrack Mountains are located just to the north of the Beardslee Islands in Glacier Bay National Park

A striking black bird with bright orange beak, the black oystercatcher visits Glacier Bay on its migratory journey each year.

black-legged kittiwakes migrate to Glacier Bay each summer to nest and breed.

Common murres are often seen on South Marble Island in Glacier Bay National Park in the summertime.

The glaucous-winged gull is a year-round occupant of Glacier Bay.

Glaciers have carved nearly the entire landscape in and around Glacier Bay.

The kittlitz's murrelet is one of the few animals that rely on glaciers for their habitat. Glacier Bay is one region in which to find these birds.

The marbeled murrelet is a common seabird of Glacier Bay National Park.

Pelagic cormorants are often seen with wings stretched far apart, drying them in the sun. Looking closely at their black feathers, a beautiful iridescence can occasionally be seen. These birds migrate to Glacier Bay each summer.

Pigeon guillemots are black and white birds with vivid red/orange feet. They flock to Glacier Bay in large numbers each migration season.

Tufted puffins are a highlight of any visit to coastal Alaska. They dig burrows in the grassy hillsides of South Marble Island in Glacier Bay.

Black bears love the forests of Glacier Bay, where tall trees and thick brush offer protection from predators.

Black-legged kittiwakes are a common summer sight in Glacier Bay. These birds can be found throughout the bay, including cliffs and glacier faces, where they utilize icebergs to perch and watch for food.

Brown bears are one of the most charismatic land mammals of Glacier Bay. They can be found anywhere from the intertidal shores of Glacier Bay, to the forests and the mountaintops above.

Thimbleberries look similar to raspberries when ripe, with even more texture and flavor.

Dry Bay is the geographic area encompassed by Glacier Bay National Preserve. Explore wild Alaska from the comfort of several wilderness lodges. Hunting and other activities usually prohibited in National Parks are allowed within the National Preserve.

Dundas Bay was once home to a productive cannery in remote Alaska. Today, the bay is incorporated into Glacier Bay National Park.

The Forest Loop in Glacier Bay features a beautiful accessible boardwalk to guide you through a lush forest.

Geikie Inlet is an approximately 8 mile long inlet in the mid-bay area of Glacier Bay, located within Glacier Bay National Park.

Glacial erratics are found throughout Glacier Bay National Park. Massive glaciers once moved earth and stone here, depositing large boulders that we see today called erratics.

The Visitor Information Station has all the info you need for your next boating or backcountry trip in Glacier Bay! Start your adventure here.

What are the ingredients to a glacier? Precipitation, pressure and time are just a few pieces of what forms the glaciers of Glacier Bay.

Gloomy knob is a smooth rocky outcropping rising steeply from Glacier Bay. Mountain goats love this terrain and are often seen scaling the cliffs.

Grand Pacific Glacier, once the largest glacier in Glacier Bay, now sits dormant at the top of Tarr Inlet. Its story of advance and retreat is tied to the history, geology, and culture of Glacier Bay National Park.

The Gustavus ferry terminal and dock is where the Alaska Marine Highway system arrives and departs from the town of Gustavus, Alaska.

Gustavus, Alaska is the gateway to planning an adventure in Glacier Bay National Park. Gustavus has all the amenities of a small town, with food, lodging, and transportation options available for visitors.

Harbor seals are the widest distributed pinniped in the world, and can be found in various points within Glacier Bay National Park.

Hemlock and spruce differ and relate in many ways. Learn about Glacier Bay's forests.

Humpback whales migrate to Glacier Bay each summer, and are the highlight of any wildlife search in the Bay.

Icy Strait is the body of water that connects the Gulf of Alaska to the Inside Passage from east to west. Glacier Bay opens from roughly the center of Icy Strait.

Interstadial stumps are tree stumps left behind after glacier ice passed over them, killing the trees, but preserving the wood. Some interstadial wood is only hundreds of years old, while stumps in Glacier Bay have been dated to over 10,000 years old.

Jaw Point marks the approximate entrance to Johns Hopkins Inlet. After rounding Jaw Point, viewers are given a "jaw-dropping" view of Johns Hopkins Glacier.

Johns Hopkins Glacier is located at the end of a 6 mile inlet, where it dumps ice chunks that later become pupping habitat for harbor seals.

Keep an eye out in late spring for this plant's tiny pink flowers! One of the first flowers of the season, they attract rufous hummingbirds and other early pollinators.

Sitka alder can be found throughout Glacier Bay, this plant is a pioneer and survivalist, taking root in the remnant glacial outwashes of the bay.

Chocolate Lilies defy their name, and smell quite bad! They are edible, however. The Tlingit harvest and cook the plant's bulb, which is similar to rice.

Fiddlehead ferns are a key ingredient to any recipe for Southeast Alaska rainforest ecology.

Lamplugh Glacier is a stunning, dynamic glacier in Glacier Bay. Wildlife traverse its edges. The top of the glacier extends into the expansive Brady Icefield.

Margerie Glacier is a crown jewel of Glacier Bay. Dropping ice into the bay with power and beauty, its picturesque white-blue ice draws visitors from across the world.

Moose were first spotted in the Glacier Bay region in the 1960s. These herbivores are often seen in the forests and wetlands of Glacier Bay National Park.

Mount Cooper is named for one of Glacier Bay's most prominent early scientists, Dr. William S. Cooper, who began several vegetation-glacier relationship studies within the Glacier Bay area.

Mount Fairweather is the tallest mountain in Glacier Bay National Park and the crown jewel of the Fairweather mountain range.

Mount Wright stands at the opening of Muir Inlet, the east arm of Glacier Bay.

Mountain Goats are a common sight on rocky outcroppings in Glacier Bay.

Muir Inlet is the east arm of Glacier Bay. Somewhat less traveled than Glacier Bay's east arm, this inlet is named for John Muir, who helped protect Glacier Bay National Monument.

Nagoonberries are a unique berry cherished and harvested since time immemorial by the Huna Tlingit who call Glacier Bay their homeland.

Nurse logs provide a "nursery" for plants in the forests of Southeast Alaska.

Plant succession is a critical element of Glacier Bay's scientific story. As glaciers recede and melt, what happens to the new land? Plant succession tells the story of how plants re-colonize new ground.

The Raven and Eagle Totem Poles stand tall in front of the Huna Tribal House in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.

Reid Inlet is home to Reid Glacier in Glacier Bay National Park. Reid Glacier extends down from the Brady Icefield high above the mountains and waters of Glacier Bay.

At this root ball we conclude this guided tour of the forest loop trail in Bartlett Cove (Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve).

Russell Island was little more than a rocky outcropping emerging from a glacier when John Muir first visited Glacier Bay. Today, trees have sprouted and wildlife regularly patrol its shores.

Sea Otters are a keystone species and a must see on any visit to Glacier Bay National Park.

The Tlingit canoe is an iconic tool relied on for generations for travel and subsistence. See a canoe currently on display in Glacier Bay National Park.

Seabirds are a key piece of Glacier Bay's ecosystem. The Bay's productive waters draw many species of migratory birds here each summer, alongside several year-round resident bird species.

Gray currants are a tart berry with a grayish coating on its berries, hence its name.

Beach strawberries grow throughout Glacier Bay, and its neighboring community of Gustavus was once known as "Strawberry Point".

Sitka Spruce thrive in the dense forests of Southeast Alaska and Glacier Bay.

Sitakaday is the water-based entryway to Glacier Bay, a funnel point where currents are strong and wildlife thrives.

South Marble Island is a hotspot for wildlife in Glacier Bay. Steller sea lions, tufted puffins, and many more birds and animals call this island home.

Learn the birds that call South Marble Island home in Glacier Bay National Park.

Steller sea lions can be found in Glacier Bay year round, and are a popular attraction for visitors to see in the park.

S’áxt’ Devil's Club S’áxt’ is the ginseng of the north woods. Tlingit harvest the roots and inner bark to make teas, tonics, and salves. They are used to treat everything from the common cold to cancer. The plant’s berries ripen into a bright red cluster and are relished in the early autumn by bears and thrushes.

Tarr Inlet holds two of Glacier Bay's most famous glaciers, Margerie and Grand Pacific.

The Healing Totem Pole is located in Bartlett Cove, Alaska. It stands as a visual history of the relationship between the Huna Tlingit who call Glacier Bay their homeland, and the National Park Service, who manage the National Park today.

The Glacier Bay Lodge offers hotel accomodations, a restaurant and bar, as well as the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve visitor center.

You're at the top of the hill... Where did the hill come from? Glaciers pushed rock and dirt into this hill many years ago, called a glacial moraine.

Take a walk on the Łingít trail to see the first permanent clan house in Glacier Bay since Łingít villages were destroyed by an advancing glacier over 250 years ago.

If you’re visiting Glacier Bay on a budget, one of the more accessible wilderness areas of the park is the Beardslee Islands. Kayak through these peaceful, wild waters and look for wildlife along the shoreline for a true Glacier Bay adventure.

Bartlett Cove has the only developed trails in the park. The forests and shorelines offer great hiking opportunities through a beautiful setting and a chance to see all manner of wildlife. Spend some time, stretch your legs, and discover the wonders of the park!

The Bartlett Cove Campground is steps away from incredible views of the Fairweather Mountains and the bay. Spend a night in this enchanting rainforest campground and listen to whales from where you sleep.

The town of Gustavus is considered the gateway to Glacier Bay. This charming Alaskan community offers plenty for travelers to explore as they make their way to the park.

Stop by the Glacier Bay Visitor Center to watch a program, join a ranger on a walk, or just explore the exhibits yourself. There's plenty to learn for visitors of all ages.