Bartlett Cove Campground

• No reservations. Campground is first-come, first-served. Campers are required to attend a camper orientation to register for a site.

Bartlett Cove

Bartlett Cove is the launch point for adventures into Glacier Bay. Bartlett Cove contains Glacier Bay's headquarters, as well as the lodge, visitor center, campground, and visitor information station (VIS).

• Bartlett Cove is a body of water that branches off from the entrance of Glacier Bay. To the south is Sitakaday Narrows, and then Icy Straight. To the northeast are the Beardslee Islands, a collection of forested islands. Bartlett Cove itself contains two large docks, one used for fueling, another a public dock allowing visiting boats to dock for various amounts of time. Boats are often found moored in the middle of Bartlett Cove on the Eastern side. At the head of the public dock, the Visitor Information Station is situated, and the Glacier Bay Lodge can also be seen from the water further to the east.

Bartlett Cove Beach Rocks

The Beach Trail in Bartlett Cove provides access to the Forest Loop Trail and Campground, as well as the beach.

Bartlett Cove Public Use Dock

The Bartlett Cove Dock is where the action happens! Launch your adventure by boat here, or visit the dock to take in the sights.

• A large wooden dock with two tall metal pilings enclosed near each end. The dock can fit about two dozen small vessels when full. A sign near the center of the dock shows the NPS arrowhead and Glacier Bay logo, and reads, “Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Bartlett Cove”. Several informational signs are posted with boater and visitor information.

Beardslee Islands

The Beardslee Islands are a collection of islands just north of Glacier Bay's park headquarters in Bartlett Cove. Experience wilderness in its purest form from a human-powered boat, walk countless miles of wild coastline, and explore limitless lush forests.

Beartrack Mountains

The Beartrack Mountains are located just to the north of the Beardslee Islands in Glacier Bay National Park

Birds of South Marble: Black Oystercatcher

A striking black bird with bright orange beak, the black oystercatcher visits Glacier Bay on its migratory journey each year.

Birds of South Marble: Black-legged Kittiwake

black-legged kittiwakes migrate to Glacier Bay each summer to nest and breed.

Birds of South Marble: Common Murre

Common murres are often seen on South Marble Island in Glacier Bay National Park in the summertime.

Birds of South Marble: Glaucous-winged Gull

The glaucous-winged gull is a year-round occupant of Glacier Bay.

Birds of South Marble: Horned Puffin

The horned puffin is a slightly less common puffin found in the summer months in Glacier Bay.

Birds of South Marble: Kittlitz's Murrelet

The kittlitz's murrelet is one of the few animals that rely on glaciers for their habitat. Glacier Bay is one region in which to find these birds.

Birds of South Marble: Marbled Murrelet

The marbeled murrelet is a common seabird of Glacier Bay National Park.

Birds of South Marble: Pelagic Cormorant

Pelagic cormorants are often seen with wings stretched far apart, drying them in the sun. Looking closely at their black feathers, a beautiful iridescence can occasionally be seen. These birds migrate to Glacier Bay each summer.

Birds of South Marble: Pigeon Guillemot

Pigeon guillemots are black and white birds with vivid red/orange feet. They flock to Glacier Bay in large numbers each migration season.

Birds of South Marble: Tufted Puffin

Tufted puffins are a highlight of any visit to coastal Alaska. They dig burrows in the grassy hillsides of South Marble Island in Glacier Bay.

Black Bear - Bartlett Cove

Black bears love the forests of Glacier Bay, where tall trees and thick brush offer protection from predators.

Black-Legged Kittiwakes - Tarr Inlet

Black-legged kittiwakes are a common summer sight in Glacier Bay. These birds can be found throughout the bay, including cliffs and glacier faces, where they utilize icebergs to perch and watch for food.

Brown Bear - Tlingit Point

Brown bears are one of the most charismatic land mammals of Glacier Bay. They can be found anywhere from the intertidal shores of Glacier Bay, to the forests and the mountaintops above.

Ch´eix´ - Thimbleberry - Glacier Bay Ethnobotany

Thimbleberries look similar to raspberries when ripe, with even more texture and flavor.

Dry Bay: Glacier Bay National Preserve

Dry Bay is the geographic area encompassed by Glacier Bay National Preserve. Explore wild Alaska from the comfort of several wilderness lodges. Hunting and other activities usually prohibited in National Parks are allowed within the National Preserve.

• Dry Bay (Glacier Bay National Preserve) is located in the Northwest corner of Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve.

Dundas Bay

Dundas Bay was once home to a productive cannery in remote Alaska. Today, the bay is incorporated into Glacier Bay National Park.

Forest Loop Trail - Boardwalk

The Forest Loop in Glacier Bay features a beautiful accessible boardwalk to guide you through a lush forest.

Geikie Inlet

Geikie Inlet is an approximately 8 mile long inlet in the mid-bay area of Glacier Bay, located within Glacier Bay National Park.

Glacial Erratic - Forest Loop Trail

Glacial erratics are found throughout Glacier Bay National Park. Massive glaciers once moved earth and stone here, depositing large boulders that we see today called erratics.

Glacial Landscape Features in Glacier Bay

Glaciers have carved nearly the entire landscape in and around Glacier Bay.

Glacier Bay Visitor Information Station

The Visitor Information Station has all the info you need for your next boating or backcountry trip in Glacier Bay! Start your adventure here.

• The visitor information station is made up of three small buildings connected by a boardwalk, tan in color. The main building has several windows, the second largest has a covered seating area and bathrooms, the smallest building is a small gear cache.

Glacier Recipe: What Makes a Glacier in the Bay?

What are the ingredients to a glacier? Precipitation, pressure and time are just a few pieces of what forms the glaciers of Glacier Bay.

Gloomy Knob

Gloomy knob is a smooth rocky outcropping rising steeply from Glacier Bay. Mountain goats love this terrain and are often seen scaling the cliffs.

Grand Pacific Glacier

Grand Pacific Glacier, once the largest glacier in Glacier Bay, now sits dormant at the top of Tarr Inlet. Its story of advance and retreat is tied to the history, geology, and culture of Glacier Bay National Park.

Gustavus Dock & Ferry Terminal

The Gustavus ferry terminal and dock is where the Alaska Marine Highway system arrives and departs from the town of Gustavus, Alaska.

Gustavus, Alaska

Gustavus, Alaska is the gateway to planning an adventure in Glacier Bay National Park. Gustavus has all the amenities of a small town, with food, lodging, and transportation options available for visitors.

Harbor Seal - Johns Hopkins Inlet

Harbor seals are the widest distributed pinniped in the world, and can be found in various points within Glacier Bay National Park.

Hemlock vs Spruce in Glacier Bay

Hemlock and spruce differ and relate in many ways. Learn about Glacier Bay's forests.

Humpback Whale - Glacier Bay

Humpback whales migrate to Glacier Bay each summer, and are the highlight of any wildlife search in the Bay.

Icy Strait

Icy Strait is the body of water that connects the Gulf of Alaska to the Inside Passage from east to west. Glacier Bay opens from roughly the center of Icy Strait.

Interstadial Stumps - Whidbey Passage

Interstadial stumps are tree stumps left behind after glacier ice passed over them, killing the trees, but preserving the wood. Some interstadial wood is only hundreds of years old, while stumps in Glacier Bay have been dated to over 10,000 years old.

Jaw Point

Jaw Point marks the approximate entrance to Johns Hopkins Inlet. After rounding Jaw Point, viewers are given a "jaw-dropping" view of Johns Hopkins Glacier.

Johns Hopkins Glacier

Johns Hopkins Glacier is located at the end of a 6 mile inlet, where it dumps ice chunks that later become pupping habitat for harbor seals.

Kanat’á - Early Blueberry - Glacier Bay Ethnobotany

Keep an eye out in late spring for this plant's tiny pink flowers! One of the first flowers of the season, they attract rufous hummingbirds and other early pollinators.

Keishísh - Sitka Alder - Glacier Bay Ethnobotany

Sitka alder can be found throughout Glacier Bay, this plant is a pioneer and survivalist, taking root in the remnant glacial outwashes of the bay.

Kóox - Chocolate Lily - Glacier Bay Ethnobotany

Chocolate Lilies defy their name, and smell quite bad! They are edible, however. The Tlingit harvest and cook the plant's bulb, which is similar to rice.

K’wálx - Fiddlehead Ferns - Glacier Bay Ethnobotany

Fiddlehead ferns are a key ingredient to any recipe for Southeast Alaska rainforest ecology.

Lamplugh Glacier

Lamplugh Glacier is a stunning, dynamic glacier in Glacier Bay. Wildlife traverse its edges. The top of the glacier extends into the expansive Brady Icefield.

Margerie Glacier

Margerie Glacier is a crown jewel of Glacier Bay. Dropping ice into the bay with power and beauty, its picturesque white-blue ice draws visitors from across the world.

Moose - Gustavus Forelands

Moose were first spotted in the Glacier Bay region in the 1960s. These herbivores are often seen in the forests and wetlands of Glacier Bay National Park.

Mount Cooper

Mount Cooper is named for one of Glacier Bay's most prominent early scientists, Dr. William S. Cooper, who began several vegetation-glacier relationship studies within the Glacier Bay area.

Mount Fairweather

Mount Fairweather is the tallest mountain in Glacier Bay National Park and the crown jewel of the Fairweather mountain range.

Mount Wright

Mount Wright stands at the opening of Muir Inlet, the east arm of Glacier Bay.

Mountain Goat - Gloomy Knob

Mountain Goats are a common sight on rocky outcroppings in Glacier Bay.

Muir Inlet

Muir Inlet is the east arm of Glacier Bay. Somewhat less traveled than Glacier Bay's east arm, this inlet is named for John Muir, who helped protect Glacier Bay National Monument.

Glacier Bay National Park Visitor Center

• Glacier Bay National Park Visitor Center
• OPEN 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.

Visitor Information Station - Backcountry Office

• Visitor Information Station - Backcountry Office
• 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. Open annually between May and September.

• Experience the Huna Tribal House
• Take a walk on the Łingít trail to see the first permanent clan house in Glacier Bay since Łingít villages were destroyed by an advancing glacier over 250 years ago.

• Kayak the Beardslees
• If you’re visiting Glacier Bay on a budget, one of the more accessible wilderness areas of the park is the Beardslee Islands. Kayak through these peaceful, wild waters and look for wildlife along the shoreline for a true Glacier Bay adventure.

• Hike the Trails at Bartlett Cove
• Bartlett Cove has the only developed trails in the park. The forests and shorelines offer great hiking opportunities through a beautiful setting and a chance to see all manner of wildlife. Spend some time, stretch your legs, and discover the wonders of the park!

• Camp at Bartlett Cove
• The Bartlett Cove Campground is steps away from incredible views of the Fairweather Mountains and the bay. Spend a night in this enchanting rainforest campground and listen to whales from where you sleep.

• Explore Gustavus
• The town of Gustavus is considered the gateway to Glacier Bay. This charming Alaskan community offers plenty for travelers to explore as they make their way to the park.

• Stop by the Glacier Bay Visitor Center
• Stop by the Glacier Bay Visitor Center to watch a program, join a ranger on a walk, or just explore the exhibits yourself. There's plenty to learn for visitors of all ages.

Boat through Glacier Bay!

Follow a journey into Glacier Bay, with locations and descriptions hand-picked by Glacier Bay Park Rangers.

Ethnobotany Walk in Bartlett Cove

Find the useful plants of Glacier Bay and Bartlett Cove! The Tlingit have called Glacier Bay home since time immemorial. Learn the Tlingit words for the many edible and useful plants found in Glacier Bay. Tour starts at the Whale 68 (Snow) exhibit, but can be started at the far end of the Tlingit trail and completed in reverse. CAUTION: Glacier Bay is home to several inedible or dangerous plants. Do not consume wild plants unless you are certain it is safe to eat.

Guided Walk - Forest Loop Trail

Join this guided walk written by a Glacier Bay Park Ranger. The Forest Loop Trail is a great short hike in Bartlett Cove, able to completed in an average of about 45 minutes.

The Birds of South Marble Island

Learn the many species of birds who call South Marble Island home! This rocky island is not only home to endangered Steller Sea Lions, but also many birds who feast in the productive waters surrounding the island. Keep a look out for humpback whales who also frequent this area.

Walk Bartlett Cove

Walk through Bartlett Cove's developed area, discover rich cultural history, scientific research, and natural wonders. This tour starts at the Visitor Information Station (VIS) due to the large parking area, but could be completed in any convenient order.