Glacier Bay National Park (Gustavus)

Glacier Bay, a World Heritage Site in Southeast Alaska. Boat tours from Bartlett Cove head deep into the fjords to see tidewater glaciers calving, humpback whales and sea otters.

Glacier Bay National Park in Southeast Alaska is a fjord about 100 km long, carved where the sea reaches deep into the mountains. Together with Canada's Kluane and other neighboring parks, it is a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. A little over two centuries ago the bay was entirely covered by ice. The glaciers have since retreated about 100 km, leaving a bay where you can watch glacial succession and calving from a boat. The village of Gustavus at the mouth of the bay and Bartlett Cove serve as bases. Bartlett Cove has the park's only lodge, the visitor center, the Huna Tribal House and rainforest trails. The full-day boat tour departs from here and runs up the West Arm, past seabirds and sea lions on South Marble Island, Reid Glacier and Lamplugh Glacier, deep into Johns Hopkins Inlet, and finally to Margerie Glacier and Grand Pacific Glacier at the head of the bay. The round trip takes about 8 hours. Muir Inlet in the East Arm has no tour boats and can only be explored by kayak. Icy Strait, just outside the bay, is a summer feeding ground for humpback whales, and whale-watching boats leave from Gustavus. Seasons: tour boats run from late May to early September. June–Aug brings the most settled weather and the best whale watching. Services largely shut down the rest of the year. Summer temperatures are about 10–18°C, with frequent rain and fog, so bring waterproof clothing and warm layers. Getting there: no roads connect the area to the outside world. Take a seasonal Alaska Airlines flight from Juneau (about 30 minutes), a small plane or a state ferry to Gustavus, then a shuttle to Bartlett Cove. Plan on 2–3 days. Note: book tour boats and the lodge months in advance. This is bear country, so hike in groups and carry bear spray.

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