Why Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a vast protected region in Southeast Alaska, situated west of Juneau between the Gulf of Alaska and Canada. Encompassing over 3.2 million acres, the destination features an expansive wilderness area along with nearly 600,000 acres of protected marine ecosystems. The landscape is defined by steep-walled glacial fjords, rugged mountains such as the Fairweather Range—where Mount Fairweather stands as the highest peak at 15,300 feet—and the large Brady Icefield. The park surrounds Glacier Bay itself, extending from Icy Strait to the Canadian border, while national preserve lands lie to the immediate northwest near Dry Bay.
Human activity in the region traces back thousands of years, though advancing glaciers and changing coastlines have obscured much early physical evidence. Historically, the Haida, Eyak, and Tlingit inhabited the coastal areas, with the Tlingit coming to dominate the region. Today, the park encompasses two Tlingit ancestral homelands, and the National Park Service collaborates with Hoonah and Yakutat Tlingit organizations on management. Initially designated as a national monument in 1925, the area was later expanded and established as a national park and preserve in 1980. It is also recognized as part of a binational UNESCO World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve.
The area is renowned for its dynamic glacial landscape, containing 1,045 glaciers in total. Among these are seven active tidewater glaciers—such as Margerie, Grand Pacific, and Johns Hopkins—that flow directly into the water, with several actively calving icebergs into the bay. While general glacial retreat has been documented since European exploration in the late 18th century, some glaciers continue to advance or remain stable. The varied ecosystem ranges from wet tundra, Sitka spruce, and Western hemlock forests in the lower bay to alpine tundra, high icefields, and post-glacial meadows at higher elevations.
Abundant wildlife thrives across the marine and terrestrial environments. Offshore waters shelter humpback whales, orcas, sea otters, Steller sea lions, and harbor seals, while the land supports brown bears, black bears, gray wolves, moose, and mountain goats, alongside birds such as bald eagles. Visitors engage in a wide variety of outdoor recreation, including backcountry hiking, mountaineering, camping, sea kayaking, and sport fishing for Dolly Varden, rainbow trout, and halibut. In the preserve, activities also extend to white-water rafting along the Alsek River as well as regulated sport hunting and trapping.
Because no roads lead directly into the park, arrival is primarily by sea or air. Most travelers arrive aboard cruise ships, where park rangers provide educational programs, while others reach the area via small excursion vessels or twice-weekly state ferry service connecting Juneau, Hoonah, and nearby Gustavus. In-park accommodations are available at Glacier Bay Lodge, and maintained hiking trails exist near Bartlett Cove. Weather conditions vary across multiple climate zones, with visitors needing to prepare for wet environments and potential brown bear encounters.
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