Summary
$0
Entrance fee
None
Live cameras
Historic Crowd Data
Avg. monthly visitors, 2015–2024 · National Park Service
Light
Moderate
Busy
Very Busy
Peak season is June–August, when around 64% of annual visitors arrive. For lighter crowds, aim for October–April.
Plan Your Visit
Wilderness & Weather SafetyCold, wet, remote▾
Boat & Plane AccessNo entrance fee▾
Tidewater Glaciers65-mile retreat▾
Glaciers of Tarr Inlet3▾
Margerie Glacier
The most-visited glacier — actively calving, ~21 miles long, primary destination for tour boats and cruise ships
Grand Pacific Glacier
The original glacier that carved the bay; now largely grounded with a less dramatic ice front than in the past
Johns Hopkins Glacier
The most actively calving of the three, with dramatic submarine calving of basal icebergs
Historical Retreatcontext▾
Late 1700s
Captain Vancouver's 1794 survey found the bay was essentially ice-choked — "a small five-mile indent in a gigantic glacier"
Today
The ice has retreated roughly 65 miles — one of the fastest documented glacial retreats on record; NPS notes 11% less glacial ice than in the 1950s
Johns Hopkins Inlet Closureseasonal▾
May 1 – June 30
Closed to all vessels annually to protect a major harbor seal pupping and mating aggregation
Cruise Ships & Tour Boats100+ year tradition▾
Things to Do6 categories▾
Bartlett Cove Hiking Trails5 trails▾
Forest TrailEasy
Loop through temperate rainforest and beach habitat near the dock
1 mi loop
Bartlett River TrailModerate
Meanders along an intertidal lagoon with wildlife-viewing opportunities
4 mi RT
Bartlett Lake TrailStrenuous
Less-maintained route climbing over a moss-covered moraine to a backcountry lake
8 mi RT
Tlingit TrailEasy
Forested shoreline walk past a traditional canoe display to the Huna Tribal House
0.5 mi one-way
Explore the ShoreUp to 6 mi one-way
Self-guided intertidal walk toward Point Gustavus, best at low tide
Sea Kayaking4 ways▾
Bartlett Cove LaunchSeasonal
Guided day trips and kayak rentals through Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks · 907-697-2257
Camper Drop-off ServiceReservations recommended
Glacier Bay Lodge's daily tour boat carries kayakers upbay, closer to the tidewater glaciers
Backcountry PermitMay 1 – Sep 30
Free permit plus mandatory orientation at the Visitor Information Station for overnight trips
Bear-Resistant CanistersFree, required
Park provides approved food canisters at no charge for backcountry food storage
Whale Watching3 rules▾
Humpback WhalesSummer season
Glacier Bay and Icy Strait support a monitored humpback whale population tracked by NPS researchers
Whale Waters Speed Limit13 knots max
NPS designates seasonal "whale waters" hot spots where vessels must slow down to reduce collision risk with feeding whales
Close-Encounter Rule10 knots, ¼ nm buffer
Vessels within a quarter nautical mile of a humpback whale must reduce speed further
Xunaa Shuká Hít — Huna Tribal HouseBartlett Cove▾
The Tribal HouseDedicated Aug 25, 2016
The first permanent Tlingit clan house in Glacier Bay since villages were destroyed by an advancing glacier over 250 years ago
ConstructionOpen to all visitors
2,500-sq-ft cedar house built over seven years by Hoonah Indian Association craftsmen with the NPS
Healing Totem PoleInstalled 2018
Carved pole added outside the house as part of the site's artwork
Sport Fishing2 types▾
SaltwaterState & park regs apply
Halibut and salmon, especially Chinook and coho, in coastal waters
FreshwaterState & park regs apply
Sea-run and resident trout, steelhead, cutthroat, and Dolly Varden char in park streams and lakes
Flightseeing & Birdwatching2 ways▾
FlightseeingSeasonal
Weather-dependent aerial glacier tours depart from nearby communities such as Gustavus and Juneau
BirdwatchingYear-round
274 bird species have been recorded in the park, from shorebirds to bald eagles
Bald Eagle
Common along the shoreline
Horned Puffin
Nests on rocky sea cliffs
Marbled Murrelet
Threatened old-growth specialist
Pigeon Guillemot
Dives for fish near the glaciers
Arctic Tern
Longest migration of any bird species
CampingFree · Walk-in▾
Bartlett Cove CampgroundFirst-come, first-served▾
Location¼ mile south of the dock, in rainforest
AccessWalk-in only — no vehicle or RV camping
PermitFree, required at the Visitor Information Station
Stay Limit14 consecutive days, 30 days/year
NPS camping info ↗
Backcountry CampingFree permit▾
AccessBoat or kayak required beyond Bartlett Cove
RequirementMandatory orientation at the Visitor Information Station
NPS backcountry info ↗
Landmarks4 stops▾
Key Locations4 stops▾
Bartlett Cove
Park headquarters, lodge, campground, trails, dock
Margerie Glacier
Head of Tarr Inlet, the park's most-visited glacier
Johns Hopkins Inlet
Home to a major harbor seal aggregation, seasonally closed
Gustavus
Gateway town, ~10 miles from Bartlett Cove, home to the airport (GST)
Park Contact Information