"Glacier Bay National Park" Top 5 Page for this destination Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve by mikelisaanna

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve Travel Guide: 147 reviews and 267 photos

Glacier Bay National Park - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Glacier Bay National Park is one of the most scenic national parks in the USA. Located on the southeastern coast of Alaska, it is inaccessible by road. In order to visit the park, you have to come by either boat or plane. The bay was first discovered by the explorer George Vancouver in 1794, at which time it was almost completely covered in ice. Almost a century later, the bay was visited by famous naturalist John Muir, who discovered that the glaciers had retreated dramatically in the intervening years, with one of the largest ones, the Grand Pacific glacier, having retreated about 65 miles. Glacier Bay became a National Monument in 1925 and was upgraded to a National Park in 1980. It is also a World Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We visited Glacier Bay as part of a cruise (they allow a limited number of cruise ships into the bay each day). Our boat sailed up the bay, stopping about a quarter mile away from the Margerie glacier, and then about a mile away from the massive Grand Pacific glacier at the end of the fjord. Later, we sailed over to another arm of the bay, where we saw the Johns Hopkins glacier.

When we entered the bay, park rangers boarded our boat and gave us an excellent talk about the park and its glaciers and wildlife. They also provided us with information and commentary as we passed by each of the major glaciers. In addition, the rangers did a separate nature talk for the childern on the ship.

Last visit to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve: Jul 2007
Intro Updated Jan 19, 2008
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Reviews (4)

Passengers on our cruise ship admiring a glacier - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

You can't drive to Glacier Bay National... Transportation (1)

There are nor roads into Glacier Bay National Park from the rest of Alaska. To get there, you must fly, or arrive by... more travel advice

The Johns Hopkins Glacier - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Johns Hopkins Glacier Things to Do (3)

The Johns Hopkins Glacier is another one of the famous glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park. It is 12 miles long and... more travel advice

The Grand Pacific Glacier - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Grand Pacific Glacier Things to Do (3)

The Grand Pacific Glacier is one of the biggest glaciers in Glacier Bay National Park. At its mouth, it is about two... more travel advice

Margerie Glacier - Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Margerie Glacier Things to Do (3)

The Margerie Glacier is a glacier in Glacier Bay National Park that runs all the way down to the water, where it is... more travel advice

Comments (3)

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RickinDutch Feb 4, 2010 at 1:32 PM

Went kayaking out of Gustavus a few years back. Wonderful spot!
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nickandchris Dec 7, 2009 at 2:16 PM

Alaska is somewhere I would love to get to. More beautiful photos.....
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Yaqui May 2, 2009 at 7:10 PM

How beautiful this place is! How lucky you all were to see something so amazing! Glad you made the time and how very brave you all are! Nice page!