Where are the glaciers? That was our first question when we arrived at Glacier Bay National Park. As it turns out we didn’t have the typical experience here. In fact, we’re part of the 10% of park visitors that set foot on land in Glacier Bay National Park. The other 90% see the park from the deck of an Alaska cruise ship and spend just 8-10 hours in the park.

Glacier Bay National Park is the first official national park that we visited in Alaska. If you’ve been following our adventure for a while, you’ll know that we’re on a mission to see all 61 US national parks. You’ll also know that zipping from place to place isn’t really our thing. We try to embrace slow travel so that we can immerse ourselves in the history and culture of the places we visit. There are eight national parks in Alaska, and we plan to explore six of them this summer.

While I’m sure the Alaska cruise ship views are lovely, there’s so much to do, see, and learn about here when you visit by land. We created a full guide to visiting Glacier Bay National Park via land (well, and sea kayak) to help anyone interested in experiencing this tranquil place beyond the deck of a cruise ship.

But Where Are the Glaciers?

I should note right away that if you visit by land you can still absolutely get those up-close views of the famous Alaska glaciers, but it’ll cost you. The glaciers aren’t visible from Bartlett Cove (they’re 40+ miles further north in the bay) so you must take a boat (or flightseeing tour which is just as pricy) to reach them. Currently there’s one National Park concessioner that offers day trips by boat to the glaciers and the ride starts at $225 per person.

The tour cost is understandable given the glaciers are so far away from Bartlett Cove. However, the price tag was too hefty for our budget at this point on our Alaska road trip. While our time here may not have been filled with glaciers as we expected, it was teeming with snowy mountain views, wildlife (including our closest bear encounter to date), and history of the people who lived here until they were chased across Icy Straight by the glacier.

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Best Time of Year to Visit Glacier Bay National Park

Like most places in Alaska, the peak travel season at Glacier Bay National Park is just a few short summer months. While the park is technically open year-round, services including the visitor center and information station are only open from late-May through early-September.

We were in Glacier Bay National Park for the summer solstice. While this isn’t technically the land of the midnight sun—official sunset was an early 10:15pm—the nights were still bright enough to render our headlamps and flashlights unnecessary and the birds were chirping away at midnight as if already anticipating dawn. We recommend visiting in late June or early July for the warmest and driest weather.

Arriving in Gustavus, Alaska

Our third ride on the Alaska Marine Highway—the Alaska State Ferry system that services places along the Inside Passage only accessible by sea or air—brought us from Juneau to the tiny town of Gustavus (population 442). Or more accurately the port for the town of Gustavus. After unloading Stan the Tan Van from the ferry we looked around and wondered, where is the town? This is something we’d continue to wonder. The closest thing to a main street in Gustavus is a crossroads with the town’s one gas station (which happens to be a pre-WWII replica Mobil gas station complete with a petroleum museum), café, and liquor store. My advice is to arrive well supplied.

One thing Gustavus has in plenty is dirt roads driven by the friendliest people on earth. Seriously, every single person here waves. Every. Single. One. We could hardly keep up with the waving some days. What you’ll also find here is a gateway for outdoor adventures and some of the most serene landscapes you’re likely to ever see.

How to Get to Glacier Bay National Park (Other Than on an Alaska Cruise Ship)

As I mentioned, you can take the Alaska Marine Highway (aka the Alaska State Ferry system) from Juneau to Gustavus. We brought Stan the Tan Van, because why not bring your whole house, right? In hindsight, we could’ve saved some money by leaving him at the Juneau ferry terminal and getting walk-on tickets instead. Live and learn friends.

Another option is to fly. The closest airport to Glacier Bay National Park is a small airfield in Gustavus. You can take an air taxi or Alaska Airlines flight to get here.

If you flew or booked a walk-on ferry ticket, you’ll still need to travel the 10 miles of road from Gustavus to Glacier Bay National Park in Bartlett Cove. From the ferry terminal or airport you can get a shuttle to the national park through the Glacier Bay Lodge (for $15 each way if you’re not staying at the lodge) or you can take a taxi (see the bottom of this page for Gustavus taxi contacts). I don’t know about Uber or Lyft, but even if there were drivers, cell service is scarce here so your best bet is to arrange transportation ahead of time.

We typically don’t encourage hitchhiking, but we found this to be another common mode of transport in and out of the park. We gave a fellow camper a ride back to the airport and he rewarded us with some of his leftover supplies. A word of warning: If you’re thinking of buying organic Cheetos (officially I think they were called cheesy puffs), don’t waste your time. Happily, the supplies also included a bottle of Bulleit Bourbon which we were very grateful for on a particularly cold night.

Things to Do in Glacier Bay National Park

There’s lots to keep you busy in the Bartlett Cove area of Glacier Bay. We filled our days (I’d say and nights, but those didn’t really exist) with hikes through the dense forest, shoreline dinners with the sun still sitting high in the sky, paddling excursions across the choppy cove waters, and marine wildlife sightings. Here are some of our recommended things to do in Glacier Bay National Park.

Hiking in Glacier Bay National Park

Forest Trail

This is an easy mostly flat loop hike through a forest on the glacial moraine. You can opt for the daily ranger-led walk on this trail where the park service provides additional information about the area.

Tlingit Trail

Starting at the Visitor Information Station, this trail takes you past whale and canoe exhibits to the Huna Tribal House and Healing Pole. You can learn more about these places in the next section.

Shoreline Trail

This path goes beyond the campground for miles paralleling the line where the lush forest and rocky coast meet. On clear days you get views of the snow-capped mountains and in early summer the land was dotted with vibrant wildflowers.

Bartlett River and Lake Trails

For most of our time in Glacier Bay we had exceptionally good weather, which was a welcome change from the relentless rain during our first two weeks in Alaska. However, the rain reared its head again the day we set out on these hikes. After reaching Bartlett River we caved and decided not to go all the way to the lake as it’s a full day hike by itself and we were already feeling thoroughly soggy. The river hike was lovely—through dense forest and opening onto the silty waterway.

Huna Tribal House

The Huna Tlingit people lived-in present-day Glacier Bay for centuries, until they were chased away by the glacier in the late 1700s. During this time, Glacier Bay looked completely different than it does today. There was no bay at all. Instead it was a valley with streams and forests and a giant glacier looming in the distance. During the Little Ice Age of the late 1700s the glacier grew at incredible speed, overtaking the land where the Tlingit people lived and forcing them to relocate to what is now Hoonah.

While they moved locations, Glacier Bay was and is still considered the homeland of the Huna Tlingit people. They created seasonal camps here soon after the glacier retreated. The establishment of a national monument in the 1920s (and later a national park) strained the relationship between the tribal people who called this land home and the National Park Service (NPS) who was tasked with implementing new laws and regulations here.

In recent years, the tribal government and NPS have cooperated to come to new agreements about how this land can and should be used. The Huna Tribal House was created to showcase and encourage these efforts. The structure was designed to align with ancestral clan house architecture styles, while including modern amenities that make it useful for current generations. The beautifully crafted carving inside the house depicts the stories of four Huna Tlingit clans and their roots in Glacier Bay.

Today the house provides a place for tribal members to reconnect with their homeland and visitors to learn about the fascinating history and people that have lived here for many generations. You can attend multiple daily free programs offered by cultural specialists at the Huna Tribal House.

Kayaking in Glacier Bay National Park

While we didn’t book the pricey boat tour, we still wanted to get out onto the water during our time in Glacier Bay National Park. After all, the park’s namesake is the bay. We opted for a full day non-guided kayak rental.

One thing to note if you’re renting a kayak for the day is you can really only paddle within Bartlett Cove. Our kayak instructor warned us that if we tried to go further, we’d be carried by the tide much deeper into Glacier Bay and likely stranded there unless we had hulk-like biceps to paddle us back. Given my weak arm strength we decided to heed this warning.

Even staying within the cove was adventurous and offered lots of wildlife viewing as well as a different perspective on the area. The mountains look even more grand, the seals a bit less friendly (we kept our distance), and the waves (especially from the larger boats entering the cove) much more exuberant.

The kayaks are heavy duty so you’d really have to be rocking to tip them over, but our instructor still went over all the details of what to do if you flip. Fortunately, we stayed upright and didn’t need to learn firsthand.

The rental company also helps plan and outfit multi-day trips where you’re taken by boat with your kayak and gear to a wilderness campsite further up the bay. You spend a few days there paddling around and camping. Then get picked up again by boat and brought back. This is something we’d love to do on a future trip to Glacier Bay National Park.

Glacier Bay National Park Cruise (Day Tour)

As I mentioned one of the main activities in Glacier Bay is the daily boat tour. We didn’t take it ourselves because…budget travel. However, we chatted with plenty of people who did and they all raved about the trip. It’s recommended that you book tickets in advance.

Where to Stay in Glacier Bay National Park

Camping (Tent Only): The park operates a free walk-in campground at Bartlett Cove which is where we stayed. Only tent camping is allowed and you walk your gear ¼ mile from the parking lot to the camp sites. We’ve outlined everything you need to know about camping at Glacier Bay National Park below.
Camping (RV Friendly): If you have an RV in tow and don’t want to pitch a tent in the woods, there’s one campground in the town of Gustavus just 10 miles from the park.
Glacier Bay Lodge: There’s a lovely lodge—with all the Twin Peaks vibes—right in the park.
Hotels: In nearby Gustavus you’ll also find multiple lodges, inns, and B&Bs.

If you’re looking for more info on planning a trip to Alaska, checkout our full travel planning checklist here.

What to Know About Glacier Bay Camping (at Bartlett Cove)

If you have the opportunity to camp at Glacier Bay National Park, I highly recommend it. We’ve seen our fair share of campgrounds, but this one takes the cake for unique wildlife experiences. One morning we woke to the sound of a whale spouting. The powerful exhale echoing across the bay like the sea itself was sighing. Another morning we were quietly reading at our camp when a black bear lumbered down the trail right past us, on his way to the food cache. No doubt smelling the organic Cheetos. Here are a few essential things to know about Glacier Bay camping.

1. The camping at Glacier Bay National Park is strictly tent only. Don’t think you’ll be sneaky and break the rules by sleeping in your vehicle in the parking lot. The rangers check out the vehicles regularly. They don’t seem to mind however, if you dry all your camp gear out in the parking lot after a rainy night.
2. The campground is walk-in only. It’s located a ¼ mile from the parking lot. The park provides wheelbarrows to make the moving process easier.
3. You need a permit to camp in the national park campground, but it’s free. The free permit can be obtained from the Visitor Information Station building. The ranger will also go over a brief orientation with you during the permitting process.
4. All cooking and eating must be done in the intertidal zone. What is the intertidal zone you might ask? Well, it’s simply the approximately 30 feet of rocky coastal area between the tide lines. Basically, if you’re standing on shoreline that gets covered by water at some point in the day, you’re good to cook and eat there. Just make sure to check the tide charts so you don’t end up knee deep halfway through your dinner preparations.
5. There’s a warming shelter in the campground with a small stove and pre-cut wood. This is a good place to dry out your clothes at night and play some games in front of a crackling fire.
6. There’s a designated area for campfires within the intertidal zone. This is the only place campfires are allowed.
7. All food and scented items (ex. toothpaste, deodorant, insect repellent, probably even smelly socks) must be stored in the food cache whenever it’s not in immediate use. There are three food caches throughout the campground. Trust me, if a bear trots up to your campsite, you’ll be glad your food is in the cache and not your camp.
8. Potable water is available at the Ranger Information Station about a ¼ mile from the campground.

Budget Travel Tips for Glacier Bay National Park

We’re finding that the national parks in Alaska are some of the most expensive to visit that we’ve yet encountered. That said, I understand there’s a lot of expense to operate in these remote areas. It’s not easy or cheap to get around here so you pay for access to these places. The most important thing is that these areas be conserved and protected, yet as a firm believer that the outdoors are for everyone, I have been a bit disheartened by some of the prices.

As we visit six national parks in Alaska this summer, we’re looking for opportunities to do things inexpensively while still experiencing as much of each park as possible. We’ll be sharing what we learn and providing budget tips for visiting the Alaska national parks.

The main expenses of travel are transportation (getting there will likely be the most expensive thing), lodging, and things to do. For food, our recommendation is going to be the same for all the parks—come fully supplied with food for your stay. If you’re getting supplies in Alaska, I recommend doing it in the largest city possible. We found Juneau to have decent grocery store prices, so this is a good place to stock up on food before heading to Glacier Bay National Park.

Cheapest Transportation to Glacier Bay National Park

As mentioned, Glacier Bay National Park can only be accessed by boat or plane. The cheapest way to get here is to take a ferry on the Alaska Marine Highway. A walk-on only fare (meaning you’re not lugging your home on wheels with you everywhere like us) will be the lowest price and the earlier you can book, the better as prices rise closer to your sail date.

Once at the port of Gustavus you can take the national park shuttle for $15 each way, or a taxi, or hitchhike. As I mentioned earlier, I wouldn’t usually promote hitchhiking, however, it’s quite common here. I’d recommend trying to find someone on the ferry that’s going to the park with a vehicle and seeing if you can get a ride with them. Just be careful and if your creepy radar dings at all, play it safe and take official transport instead.

Cheap Lodging in Glacier Bay National Park

The cheapest lodging in Glacier National Park is the free campground. You can’t get cheaper than free!

Cheap Things to Do in Glacier Bay National Park

There are lots of free things to do in Glacier Bay National Park. Hike the trails and attend the many free park service programs or ranger-led activities offered throughout the day. If you’re looking to get out onto the water, we really enjoyed the non-guided kayak rental which when we visited was $50 per person for a full day.

What to Pack for Glacier Bay National Park

You can find our complete Alaska packing list here, but these are the things we found most essential while visiting Glacier Bay National Park.

1. Waterproof Hiking Boots – I’ve been loving my new waterproof KEEN hiking boots. Tom swears by his Salomon backpacking boots.

2. Rain Gear (his and hers)– We lucked out and had phenomenal weather with only one rainy day, but we were really happy to have our rain gear that day.

3. Dry Bags – Notice a trend yet? You’re likely to get wet in Glacier Bay and having a large and small dry bag to store your camera, phone, and organic Cheetos (if you didn’t heed my warning) in when the drops start falling is definitely a good idea.

4. Combo Hat/Mosquito Net – I dubbed this my Alaska hat because it’s perfect for sun, rain, and mosquitoes—all of which you’re likely to encounter in Glacier Bay.

5. Bear Spray – We were relieved we didn’t need to use this during our bear encounter, but you can bet we’ve been wearing our bear spray canisters like cowboys wore their pistols in the wild west. Although fancy gunspinning tricks aren’t recommended, lest you inadvertently discharge your canister on yourself.

6. Bourbon – Just kidding…but not really. It’s a quick way to warm up on cold nights. See, very practical😉

Hopefully this novel (err, I mean travel guide) helps you plan a trip to Glacier Bay National Park. Or has at least entertained you with some wildlife tales. Would you consider visiting Glacier Bay by land? Or would you prefer to see just the glaciers from a cruise ship?

Related Posts:

• Complete Alaska Packing List for Spring and Summer
• Essential Road Trip Checklist: How to Get Your Vehicle Road Trip Ready
• Our Favorite Things to Do in Sitka, Alaska

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