glacier-bay | AK | Find park

Passengers line the deck to enjoy the icy scene at Margerie Glacier

Icebergs, calved from tidewater glaciers are a common sight in Glacier Bay National Park.

Glacier Bay offers a rare glimpse into the Ice Age

Brown bears frequently forage along the shoreline of Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay is a paradise for wilderness aficionados.

Glacier Bay provides endless possibilities for wilderness camping.

Physical Address:

1 Park Road

Gustavus, AK 99826

Mailing Address:

Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

PO Box 140

Gustavus, AK 99826

contact-details

Phone Number: 9076972230 Voice
Phone Number: 9076972654 Fax

Email Address: glba_administration@nps.gov
Description:

Fees

Entrance Fees

Entrance Passes

Covering 3.3 million acres of rugged mountains, dynamic glaciers, temperate rainforest, wild coastlines and deep sheltered fjords, Glacier Bay National Park is a highlight of Alaska's Inside Passage and part of a 25-million acre World Heritage Site—one of the world’s largest international protected areas. From sea to summit, Glacier Bay offers limitless opportunities for adventure and inspiration.

park designation:National Park & Preserve

Directions:

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve lies west of Juneau, Alaska, and can only be reached by plane or boat. The only road in the area merely connects the small town of Gustavus and its airfield to park headquarters at Bartlett Cove (10 miles). Alaska Airlines provides daily jet service from Juneau to Gustavus in the summer months. Year-round scheduled air service is also provided by a variety of small air taxis and charters. The Alaska Marine Highway ferries also provide regular service from Juneau.

For detailed directions, please visit this link.

Directions

Operating Hours:

Glacier Bay Operating Hours and Seasons

There are no entrance gates at Glacier Bay National Park, so we are technically open 24-hours a day; however, services may be extremely limited depending on the time of your visit. The main visitor season is from late-May through early-September with the peak being the month of July. Check the VISITOR CENTERS tab below to see hours for specific facilities, and read the exceptions that detail seasonal changes in hours.

Glacier Bay Visitor Center Desk Hours

Located on the second floor of Glacier Bay Lodge in Bartlett Cove, 10 miles from Gustavus. Staffed daily in summer with park rangers. Stop by for exhibits, park information, trip planning, bookstore, reading area, hydrophone kiosk, interpretive programs, park films, brochures, and much more.

Exceptions:

Closed for Winter Season (September 2, 2023 - May 27, 2024)

Visitor Information Station (VIS) Hours

Located near the head of the public-use dock in Bartlett Cove, 10 miles from Gustavus. The "VIS" provides trip planning information, boating and camping permits, and offers boater/camper orientation sessions for visitors heading into the wild backcountry of Glacier Bay. Stop by and meet a park ranger.

Exceptions:

Closed for Winter (October 1, 2024 - May 1, 2025)

Xunaa Shuká Hít (Huna Tribal House) Hours

Xunaa Shuká Hít (Huna Tribal House) is open on a limited basis during the summer season (Memorial Day to Labor Day) for scheduled ranger programs. In 2016, after almost 20 years of planning, NPS and the Hoonah Indian Association dedicated Xunaa Shuká Hít (Huna Tribal House), a traditional Tlingit structure designed to symbolically anchor the Huna Tlingit in Glacier Bay, their ancestral homeland.

Exceptions:

Closed for Winter (September 2, 2023 - May 27, 2024)

Weather Information:

Summer temperatures average 50° to 60° F (10° to 15° C). Rain is the norm in lush southeast Alaska. It is best to be prepared to enjoy the park in any kind of weather, especially rain. Suggested clothing includes waterproof boots, rain gear, a hat, gloves, wool or pile layers or a warm coat. Good rain gear is essential here. April, May and June are usually the driest months of the year. September and October tend to be the wettest.