Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a large protected area in southeast Alaska that encompasses coastal fjords, tidewater glaciers and temperate rainforest. It protects extensive glaciated landscapes and marine waters and is prominent for glacier viewing and marine wildlife.

Top visitor attractions are tidewater glaciers and the deep fjord corridors where cruise and tour vessels navigate to view calving ice and wildlife such as seals, sea birds and whales. The park’s drama comes from glacier fronts, steep fjord walls and abundant coastal ecosystems.

The area was first protected in earlier 20th-century conservation actions and was designated as a national park and preserve under federal legislation in 1980; management balances wilderness protection, subsistence use and visitor access. The park’s glaciers have advanced and retreated over recorded history, shaping the landforms seen today.

Glacier Bay lies in the Alaska Panhandle, northwest of Juneau, and is reached primarily by boat or small aircraft; much of the park is coastal and maritime in character, with settlements and staging points located at the fjord entrances.

• Scale: The park and preserve together cover over three million acres of coastal temperate rainforest, fjords and glacier-carved terrain.
• Best approach: Most visitors experience the park by water - cruise ships and tour boats travel the park's fjords for glacier viewing and wildlife sightings.

What to See #

• Margerie Glacier: Margerie Glacier - an active tidewater glacier within Glacier Bay that is often visible from tour vessels and known for periodic calving events.
• Johns Hopkins Glacier and inlet: Johns Hopkins Inlet and Glacier - a deep inlet historically accessed by boats and used as a gateway for visitors in portions of the park.