Glacier Bay National Park ⓘ

The design is based on accounts and photographs from the historical and ethnographic records. These ingenious buildings had gabled roofs held up by four interior posts that supported two massive horizontal beams upon which the rest of the roofing members rested. The walls and floors were of thick, adze finished planks. Inside were square pits, about 25 feet to a side and about 4 feet deep, where daily life circulated around a central hearth. They traditionally housed extended families and a cluster of houses would comprise a clan's winter village. Multiple clans would reside together, and legends tell us that the principal pre-Little Ice Age village of the four Huna clans was located in what is now Bartlett Cove. The "Return to Homeland" event took place August 25, 2016 coinciding with the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service. Project Background briefing sheet provides more information on this collaborative project and status. The elders longed for a place where ancestral wisdom could be held and shared. In this short Cultural Welcome video , they offer you a traditional welcome to Xunaa Shuká Hít's treasured space:

Glacier Bay National Park is the ancestral Homeland of the Huna Łingít clans who sustained themselves for centuries on the abundant resources of the land and sea. Although villages inside the Bay were overrun by the Little Ice Age glacial advance of the 1700's, the Huna Łingít re-established numerous fish camps and several villages in Glacier Bay soon after glacial retreat. The Huna Tribal House memorializes the clan houses that once lined the shores of present day Bartlett Cove, now the site of National Park Service headquarters in Glacier Bay. The project also provides an opportunity to revitalize Łingít artistic traditions. Through a cooperative agreement between the tribal government and NPS, master craftsmen have trained a cadre of local apprentices and students in traditional Łingít art and design, carving, adzing, and spruce root weaving. Over seven years, carvers have crafted and installed the elaborately carved and painted cedar panels that adorn the house front, four richly detailed interior cedar house posts and an interior house screen which depicts the stories of the four primary Huna Łingít clans. Raven and Eagle totems were completed and installed in 2017 as well as the Healing Pole in August 2018. These precious cultural elements impart spiritual value to the Tribal House and its surroundings, but as importantly, their design and completion has expanded the circle of tribal members who share in cultural knowledge.

The Tribal House serves as a box of knowledge to learn about Łingít culture as well as for Łingít communities and organizations to offer cultural workshops on topics such as Native art, woodworking, weaving, song and dance, healthy living, and more.

Lt. Whidbey was not the first to see Glacier Bay. His record includes mention of the indigenous people who paddled out in their canoes from what is now Pt. Carolus to meet his boats and offer to trade. Were these descendents of the people who once lived in the Bay but were forced out by the advancing glacier? Lingít oral history is corroborated by modern science -- it appears that lower Glacier Bay was habitable for many centuries up until about 300 years ago, when a final glacial surge would have forced the human habitants to flee their Homeland. A rich oral tradition and detailed place names speak volumes of the history of the area.

How long they might have been there is unknown. There were people living over 9,000 years ago at nearby Groundhog Bay, but we may never know who they were. A site on Baranof Island shows that people with an unmistakable northwest coast culture have been in the region for at least the last 3,000 years.

Even as Glacier Bay itself lay encased in ice, indigenous people carried on their activities in many places along the nearby coast, places that may have been free of ice for as long as 13,000 years. The oldest known site in Glacier Bay National Park, located in Dundas Bay, is about 800 years old. Indigenous people were in Lituya Bay, on the park's wild outer coast, to greet French explorer La Pérouse in 1786. Although a series of earthquake-triggered tidal waves, the latest in 1959, devastated most of the shoreline of Lituya Bay, a pocket of undisturbed forest still harbors archeological evidence of their life there.

The Lingít have traditionally occupied much of Southeast Alaska, from Yakutat in the North to Ketchikan in the South. Oral history and scientific findings corroborate that the ancestors of the Huna Lingít occupied Glacier Bay long before the last glacier advance. This place was their home and was known as S'e Shuyee or "edge of the glacial silt." Beginning around 1700, the long-stationary glacier surged forward and overran their settlements. The clans survived this time of extreme hardship by dispersing throughout the Icy Strait, Excursion Inlet, and northern Chichagof Island areas. Eventually they settled in the village of Xunniyaa "shelter from the north wind", today known as Hoonah. Later, as the ice retreated they returned to their Ancestral Homeland, it had been transformed and scraped clean by the glacier. Now it was known as Sit' Eeti Gheeyi or, "The bay in place of the glacier."

Through glacial advance and western expansion, the Huna Lingít have experienced setbacks, sadness, and cultural loss. Despite these changes, the Huna Lingít persevere and embrace a sense of renewal. Today, the Huna Lingít enjoy a modern life, while also embracing their Homeland, its resources, and retaining strong connections to their culture and tradition. Efforts to resume traditional harvesting of gull eggs , and the recently completed Huna Tribal House in Bartlett Cove are examples of a new era of cooperation between the Huna Lingít and the National Park Service.

Lingít Place names of the Huna Káawu. Learn the original Lingít names of Glacier Bay's special places.

Enter Glacier Bay and you cruise along shorelines completely covered by ice just 250 years ago. Explorer Capt. George Vancouver documented Icy Strait as choked with ice in 1794, and Glacier Bay was a barely indented glacier. That glacier was more than 4,000 feet thick, up to 20 miles or more wide, and extended more than 100 miles to the St. Elias Range of mountains. But by 1879, naturalist John Muir found that the ice had retreated 48 miles up the bay. By 1916 the Grand Pacific Glacier stood at the head of Tarr Inlet, about 65 miles from Glacier Bay's mouth. Such rapid retreat is known nowhere else. Scientists have note that this is the fastest-documented glacial retreat in recorded history.

While early explorers like Vancouver, naturalists like John Muir, and other western peoples claim to have "discovered" Glacier Bay, the Bay has been known as Homeland to the Huna Lingít since time immemorial, or time before memory.

In 1794, as the mother ship H.M.S. Discovery, Captained by George Vancouver, lay at anchor in Pt. Althorp, a survey crew under the command of Lt. Joseph Whidbey painstakingly maneuvered their longboats through the ice-choked waters of Icy Strait. The remarkably accurate chart the survey produced shows a mere indentation in the shoreline, "terminated by solid compact mountains of ice," where Glacier Bay is today. The great glacier that filled the Bay was by then in rapid retreat, and was the source of the floating icepack that so hindered Whidbey. Any visitor who came by at the glacial maximum, a few decades earlier, would have found the glacier’s tongue extending out into Icy Strait almost to Lemesurier Island.

"NAVIGATING TROUBLED WATERS" Part 1: A History of Commercial Fishing in Glacier Bay, Alaska

Title Pages Cover, Dedication, Table of Contents, Foreword, Author's Note, Stylistic Notes

Fish Report #1 Commercial Fishermen, Pelican, King Salmon, Halibut, Crab, Sharks, Gustavus Homesteaders, Harbor Seals, Shrimp

Fish Report #3 Limited Entry, Magnuson Act Fosters Japanese Market for AK Seafood, Tanner Crab

Fish Report #5 King Salmon, Halibut, Crab, Hoonah Cold Storage, Pelican Cold Storage, Point Adolphus Seafoods, Processing in Gustavus, Sea Otters Return, Tenders, Leslie Hillman

Fish Report #6 King Salmon, Halibut, Crab, Pelican Cold Storage Changes Hands again, Cell Phones, Sinking of Westerly, Sinking of Oaxaca

A: Commercial Fishing Timeline in Glacier Bay B: Legislation: Public Law 105-277, and Public Law 106-31 C: Federal Register, Final Rule/Vol. 64, No. 202/10-20-99 D: List of Lifetime Access Permits E: Breakdown by Community of LAP's F: Dungeness Crabber Buyouts G: Commercial Fishing Compensation H: US Supreme Court Decision

In 1879, John Muir relied on Łingít guides when he first visited Glacier Bay, seeking glaciers, adventure and spiritual enrichment. Muir was the first in a long line of distinguished scientists/naturalists to visit the park, perform research, and bring this remarkable area to the world's attention. Muir was greatly intrigued with the fledgling science of glaciology, and believed that his beloved Yosemite Valley had been carved by ice long ago. He came to Alaska, in part, to witness glaciers in action and substantiate his theory. Largely due to his enthusiastic writings, Glacier Bay became a popular tourist attraction, as well as the focus of scientific inquiries, during the late 1880's and 90's.

Muir's last visit to Glacier Bay was in 1899. He had agreed to join the illustrious Harriman Alaska Expedition somewhat reluctantly, as its grandiose style did not suit him. Assembled by the railroad tycoon Edward Harriman, the expedition brought together an impressive collection of scientists, artists, photographers and writers to explore the Alaska coast, from the southeast boundary all the way to the Seward Peninsula. The expedition members spent five days in Glacier Bay, and collected a wealth of data between memorable adventures.

Creation of the new monument meant the prohibition of most forms of commercial or extractive activities—and inevitable conflicts with local people, both native and white. Although mining was originally disallowed, Franklin Roosevelt was convinced to open the monument to mining in 1936. Sporadic gold-mining occurred until passage of the Mining in the Parks Act in 1976 (one very significant claim—a nickel-copper deposit beneath the Brady Glacier—remains in private hands and may one day be developed).

Conflicts with other human uses were most apparent after the Monument boundaries were expanded—more than doubling its size--in 1939. With the expansion, which had been eagerly sought by the Park Service mainly because of the wildlife habitat that would be preserved, Glacier Bay became the largest unit of the National Park system (a distinction it has since lost, although it is still larger than any park outside Alaska).

Commercial fishing was allowed to continue in the newly expanded monument, although there was actually no legal basis for it. Native seal hunting, a contentious issue for decades, was finally terminated in 1974. A number of fox farmers, and especially the homesteaders at Gustavus, who had settled starting in the 1910s and 20s, unhappily found themselves included within the expanded Monument in 1939. Resolution of most local conflicts, however, was put on hold over the next few years as World War II came to Alaska.

Glacier Bay Historic Resources Study Read more about the European exploration, early tourism development, homesteading and other activities in and near what is now Glacier Bay National Park.

Gustavus Historical Archives and Antiquities Maintaining the historical integrity of Gustavus & surrounding areas by collecting and preserving important early documents, photos and artifacts.

For decades there had been talk of elevating Glacier Bay’s status to that of national park. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980 finally achieved this goal, and also extended the park boundary northwest to the Alsek River and Dry Bay. ANILCA fundamentally changed Alaska's make up forever, read more about the act, what parks it created and changed, and more .

Further protection and recognition of Glacier Bay’s significance occurred in 1986, when the Glacier Bay-Admiralty Island Biosphere Reserve was established under the United Nations Man and the Biosphere Program. In 1992 Glacier Bay became part of an international World Heritage Site , along with neighboring Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Canada’s Kluane National Park.

In the nearly 75 years since Calvin Coolidge took up his pen, the forces of controversy and compromise have forged a mature national park, which nonetheless continues to evolve. The national and global significance of Glacier Bay has been well established, and its preservation assured. But the devil is in the details. The human drama of the park has always focused on finding an equitable balance among three potentially conflicting arenas: preserving this irreplaceable treasure "unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations", defining and accommodating legitimate local uses, and providing for the needs of the visiting public.

Navigating Troubled Waters A History of Commercial Fishing in Glacier Bay, Alaska Jim Mackovjak's 170 page analysis of the history of fishing in Glacier Bay. Learn about the early canneries, and development of the industry, followed by establishment of the park and ultimately the end of commercial fishing and compensation to those who made a living off of the sea.

A Land Reborn: A History of Administration & Visitor Use in Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve

The Huna Lingít, whose Ancestral Homeland includes Glacier Bay National Park, traditionally harvested gull eggs every year. Gull eggs are an important traditional food source for the Huna Lingít. Family harvest trips once served as a way to maintain ties with their homeland and to pass on stories, moral codes, and cultural traditions to the younger generation. In the 1960s, enforcement of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and National Park Service (NPS) regulations formally ended this traditional harvest in Glacier Bay. In recent years the NPS and the Hoonah Indian Association have cooperated on a range of programs designed to encourage and reinvigorate cultural activities within the National Park, including the potential harvest of gull eggs. In 2010, the NPS determined that egg harvest could occur within the park without impacting gull populations or other park resources. Based on these findings, Congress passed the Huna Lingít Traditional Gull Egg Use Act in July, 2014 authorizing harvest of glaucous-winged gull eggs in Glacier Bay National Park. With the long awaited passage of this legislation, plans can be developed for the first gull egg harvest in many years.

The park has monitored gull populations in preparation for the upcoming egg harvest. Since 2012 wildlife biologists have counted over 2000 glaucous-winged gulls nesting in seven areas potentially suitable for egg harvest. In 2012, the number of eggs was low, several colonies were abandoned before the end of the breeding season, and only one fledgling was observed in all seven colonies. However, in subsequent years, egg production was high and numerous chicks hatched and fledged in multiple colonies. Such variation from one year to the next suggests that gull success depends on annual weather conditions, food sources, and limited predation. This yearly variability highlights the value of ongoing monitoring.

A harvest of eggs will not take place until regulations are promulgated and a harvest plan is developed jointly with the NPS and Huna Indian Association. Until that time, park biologists will continue to collect data on gull nesting as the next generations of Huna Lingít families hope to soon renew their meaningful connections with their Glacier Bay Homeland.

The idea of preserving special natural and cultural places in public ownership ran contrary to the prevailing national mood during the 19th century. At that time, Americans saw nature as something to be subdued and were strongly influenced by the relationship humans had toward nature in the Old World. But as the wilderness receded and remnants of prehistoric civilization and revolutionary landmarks were lost, some saw the need to protect outstanding examples of the nation's heritage. George Catlin, noted painter of the American Indian, first expressed the national park idea. On a trip to the Dakotas in 1831, Catlin became concerned about the westward movement's effects on Indian civilization, wildlife, and wilderness. He wrote of his dream that there might be "by some great protecting policy of the government preserved...in a magnificent park...a nation's park, containing man and beast, in all wildness and freshness of their nature's beauty!"

In 1864, the Federal Government first moved to protect a grand natural landscape when it granted Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias to the state of California to be "held for public use, resort, and recreation...inalienable for time." Eight years later in 1872, following exploration of the Yellowstone region in Montana and Wyoming territories, Congress created Yellowstone National Park as "a public park or pleasure-ing [sic] ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people." Had those territories been states, the park might have been turned over to them for administration, like Yosemite. Instead, Yellowstone was to be cared for by the Department of the Interior as the world's first national park. F

our more national parks were created in the 1890s: Sequoia, General Grant (forerunner of King's Canyon), Yosemite (to which California later returned Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove), and Mount Rainier. Without funds or staff to manage the parks, the Secretary of the Interior arranged with the Secretary of War to have Army engineers and cavalry units develop and protect most of them.

Concern about looting and destruction of Indian ruins and artifacts in the southwest inspired a new category of protected areas after the turn of the century. In the Antiquities Act of 1906, Congress authorized the President to proclaim features of historic and scientific interest on public lands as national monuments. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the first--Devil's Tower National Monument, a massive magma formation in Wyoming. Later, national monuments ranged from cliff dwellings like Montezuma Castle, Arizona, and historic features like the Statue of Liberty, to large natural areas like Death Valley, California. Some areas initially protected as national monuments, like Petrified Forest, the Grand Canyon, and Death Valley, were later made national parks by Congress.

By 1916, the Department of Interior oversaw 14 national parks and 21 national monuments--but without effective administration. In that year, Congress created a new bureau within Interior to manage these areas with the purpose: "to conserve the scenery and the natural and historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations." Thus was born the National Park Service.

Stephen T. Mather, the first director, and Horace M. Albright, his assistant and successor, inaugurated the uniformed ranger force, interpretive programs, and a range of policies and practices aimed at protecting the parks while promoting public enjoyment of the parks' resources.

The young National Park Service dealt mostly with natural areas west of the Mississippi. Beginning in the 1890s, a number of historic battlefields and forts in the east had become national military parks and monuments, but under War Department supervision. Other national monuments established in national forests fell under the Department of Agriculture, while memorials and park lands of the nation's capital came under a separate office there.

In a 1933 government reorganization, all of these areas were united under Park Service administration forming a single national park system truly national in scope. Fort McHenry National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, the Washington Monument, and other such inheritances paved the way for later cultural acquisitions as far-flung as Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia and War In The Pacific National Historical Park on Guam.

A third variety of national park lands further enlarged the system in the 1930s--areas intended to serve mass recreation at least as much as to preserve natural or cultural features. The Blue Ridge Parkway and Natchez Trace Parkway, begun as Depression-era public works projects, were carefully landscaped for "recreational motoring" over scenic and historic terrain. The Park Service began to build and administer recreational facilities on several major water impoundments, as at Lake Mead National Recreation Area behind Hoover Dam. Cape Hatteras National Seashore, authorized by Congress in 1937, was the first of several national seashores and lakeshores. More recently, beginning in 1972 with Gateway National Recreation Area in and around New York City and Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco vicinity, a number of parks, intended for large urban populations, joined the system.

Although new parks still arrive from time to time, the last major expansion of the system came in 1980 when Congress directed additions in Alaska totaling some 47 million acres! These spectacular national park lands more than doubled the acreage of the system. Still largely remote and unspoiled, with a vast array of mountains, glaciers, wildlife, archaeological sites, and other features, the Alaska parks constitute America's greatest promise of a wilderness legacy unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations.

Presently, the National Park System has grown to over 400 areas. But these are not the only manifestations of the national park idea. In a movement promoted by Stephen T. Mather during the early years of the National Park Service in the 1930s, the states developed their own park systems. Internationally, Yellowstone served as a precedent for some 1,200 national parks and comparable preserves now maintained by more than 100 nations around the world.

Concern for natural and cultural resources has also found expression in Park Service programs directed beyond parks. The Service's National Register of Historic Places is America's official list of cultural properties worthy of preservation, and its programs for designating and aiding national natural landmarks and national historic landmarks encourage the preservation of nationally significant lands and features in both private and public ownership. In preserving America's special places for public enjoyment, national parks help maintain America's special identity for her citizens and for visitors from around the world. "The best idea America ever had" may not be too far from the mark.

Discover History in the National Park Service Stories of America's diverse places and people are everywhere.

Although the Huna Lingít no longer live permanently in Glacier Bay, you will find tangible evidence of their presence in and around Bartlett Cove. The sea otter hunting canoe on display next to the Visitor Information Station was carved by a team of Native carvers in 1987. Look for two Lingít trail markers carved into living spruce trees near Glacier Bay Lodge; one on the trail leading down to the dock from the lodge and the other along the Forest Loop Trail. These carvings serve as reminders of ancient ties to the land. But a perceptive visitor might also sense the intangible aspects of the Lingít's enduring connection to homeland. As you explore Bartlett Cove, allow yourself to hear the beat of traditional drums and the voices of ancestors recounting ancient clan stories.

Ultimately, we will each carry within us slightly different versions of the essence that is Glacier Bay. We each have the opportunity for new discoveries - or rediscoveries - of the wonders of this special place.

After almost 20 years of collaborative planning, the National Park Service (NPS) and the Hoonah Indian Association (HIA), unveiled the Huna Tribal House, a traditional Łingít structure designed to anchor the Huna Łingít in Glacier Bay, their Ancestral Homeland. Built on the shores of Bartlett Cove near Glacier Bay National Park headquarters, the 2,500 square foot structure serves as a venue for tribal members to reconnect with their traditional Homeland, life-ways, and ancestral knowledge—a focal point for conveying the story of the Huna Łingít, their traditional life-ways, and their evolving relationship with the National Park Service to the visiting public;and a site for appropriate National Park Service administrative activities.

Since its inception, the Tribal House has been a fully collaborative effort between the National Park Service and the Hoonah Indian Association (the federally recognized tribe of the Huna Łingít clans). The tribe actively participated in all phases of the project including development of project mission and objectives, preparation and review of the Environmental Assessment, project design, creation of cultural elements for the facility, and developing operational and interpretive plans. Through a Cooperative Agreement and subsequent modifications, HIA completed various cultural elements for the Tribal House including the elaborately carved and painted interior and exterior house screens and interior house posts. Tribal craftsmen completed carving totem poles to flank the facility in 2017.

Originally conceived as a building intended to memorialize the Huna clans' tie to Glacier Bay Homeland, the Tribal House has become much more for both the Huna Łingít and the National Park Service. The process of working together on this common dream has ensured the preservation of traditional skills and knowledge, encouraged inter-generational learning, engendered communication on a range of issues, and healed and strengthened relationships between the park and the tribe. Most importantly, the project serves as a springboard for healthy communication about how to move forward on other more complex issues related to park management and resource uses. This project recieved regional and national attention as a model for moving beyond consultation to true collaboration.

Glacier Bay National Park is the Ancestral Homeland of the Huna Łingítwho sustained themselves on the abundant resources found throughout the Bay prior to the Little Ice Age. Although villages inside the Bay were overrun by glacial advances in the 1700's, the Huna Łingít re-established numerous fish camps and several seasonal villages soon after glacial retreat. The 1925 establishment of Glacier Bay National Monument (and later National Park in 1980) led to a period of alienation and strained relationships between tribal people and the National Park Service.

In response to input from the Hoonah Indian Association, the 1997 Comprehensive Design Plan for Bartlett Cove included the development of a plank house to serve as an "anchor" for traditionally associated people. Further analysis and design took place in 2011-2013. The $2.9 million contract was awarded to P.K. Builders of Ketchikan, AK. Construction on the facility began in 2015.

Current Status Construction on the Huna Tribal House was completed on schedule in June 2016. The National Park Service and tribal craftsmen cooperatively installed the cultural elements ( carved house screens, house posts ) in mid-July. Totem poles were completed and installed in 2017.

The Grand Opening Celebration took place on August 25, 2016 and included the ceremonial welcoming of traveling canoes, a traditional Łingít house dedication ceremony, and traditional song and dance. The event attracted many hundreds of tribal members, other native representatives, Congressional delegates, other interested organizations, and the visiting public. The event was documented and live-streamed for those unable to attend. The National Park Service and the Hoonah Indian Association adopted a joint incident command structure to ensure that the event was safely open to the broadest range of visitors.

The Tribal House serves as a venue for tribal members to share their culture and history with the visiting public. The National Park Service and the tribal government are exploring ways to build federal career pathways for tribal members interested in sharing their culture and expertise at the Tribal House.

The Tribal House is also used for a range of cultural activities including language retreats, traditional memorial gatherings, spirit camps, and Tribal Council meetings. Such activities facilitate the preservation of ethnographic resources important to the park, encourage tribal participation in park management, and continue to strengthen relationships between the tribe and the National Park Service.

Future projects, include the carving of a "Healing Totem Pole" to commemorate the evolving relationship between the Huna clans and the National Park Service, are planned such that the story of healing a strained relationship will become part of the fabric of our communication with each other and park visitors. Wayside exhibits and audio-visual media opportunities are being developed. The tribal government is simultaneously exploring a range of tribal programs and activities to take place at the Tribal House so Xunaa Shuká Hít can be a place of discovery and of re-connection for generations to come.

The form line design in the lower section of the pole represents the spirit of the glacier that overran the main Łingít villages in Glacier Bay during the Little Ice Age, around 1750. Łingít elders say the glacier advanced “as fast as a running dog,” crushing the clan houses that lined the shores. The clans fled for safer places far from the glacier. Elders say this was a very sad and difficult time – the people had to adjust to new food sources, new territories, starvation and disease.

The form line design on this side of the pole represents Lituya Bay, the territory of the T’a k deintaan (Duck-dain-tahn) Clan. About the same time as the glacial advance in Glacier Bay proper, the villages in Lituya Bay were destroyed by a giant tsunami caused by a landslide.

After the glacier retreated, sometime in the late 1700’s, Łingít from Hoonah returned to Glacier Bay, building a summer village called G aathéeni ( Got-heen-ee ), which means Sockeye River. For many years, the Huna Łingít travelled back and forth between this seasonal village, other summer fish camps, and the permanent settlement in Hoonah. These figures represent the canoes the people traveled in and the fish racks that used to line the shoreline of Bartlett Cove.

In 1925, Glacier Bay became a National Monument. Most Łingít did not understand what that meant; in fact, many elders only spoke Łingít and did not even speak English well and certainly did not read the formal letters and newspaper articles that described the new National Monument.

For a period of time, the Huna Łingít continued to visit Homeland and harvest the foods that had always been harvested. However, over time, the National Park Service began enforcing laws and regulations that made some traditional practices illegal. For example, it was no longer legal to hunt seals or gather seagull eggs in Glacier Bay.

The Huna Łingít call this period the Second Little Ice Age. One elder described the federal government as a “ faceless, soulless being with too many hands .” The chains represent the Huna people’s feeling of being barred from Homeland, traditional foods, and the ancestors they believe remain in Homeland. The Łingít felt that the federal government in Washington, DC did not understand the importance of their traditional way of life.

Elders were heartbroken for many years. The tears along the pole represent all the treasures the Huna Łingít felt they had lost - homes, halibut, gumboots, etc.

About 25 years ago, the National Park Service began talking with the tribal government, Huna elders, and other tribal members about how to better facilitate the enduring connection between the Huna Łingít and their Homeland while strengthening our relationships. Groups of Huna elders and culture bearers travelled to Bartlett Cove for meetings, and NPS staff made frequent visits to Hoonah – figuratively travelling across rough waters to find common ground . In 1995, the NPS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hoonah Indian Association agreeing that both entities would work together to mend our relationship and restore the Huna people to Glacier Bay. The Huna Łingít called this process Woosh ji.een ( Woosh-gee-een ) – working together, (it literally means “hands together”).

Over the intervening years, NPS and HIA have collaborated on numerous projects and programs that reconnect tribal members to their Ancestral Homeland. We have cooperatively planned Journey to Homeland Trips, successfully reauthorized gull egg harvest, and most importantly, we built a Tribal House together. In 2016, two handcrafted dugout canoes journeyed from Hoonah to Glacier Bay Homeland across much less turbulent waters to dedicate Xunaa Shuká Hít (Huna Ancestors’ House). Today, we ( NPS flat hat and Tribal cedar bark hat) “hold the Tribal House up ” together - cooperatively managing it through a Cooperative Agreement with the Hoonah Indian Association. The Tribal House supports traditional ceremonies, gatherings, workshops, camps, and meetings and is open to park visitors who want to learn more about Łingít culture.

The footprints running the length of the totem remind us that the Huna clans have returned over and over again to “walk in the footsteps of their ancestors.”

A journey through Glacier Bay is more than a journey through geography. It's a journey through time. We begin in the modern age and finish in the ice age, traveling north from the forested lower bay to the rocky, icy upper bay (roughly 65 miles/105km). We pass through hundreds of bold changes and subtle transitions where plants and animals pioneer new ground and surprise even the most seasoned observers of nature. A bear crosses a glacier. A moose swims an inlet. A seedling spruce emerges from granite, reaching for the sky. Life is tough and tenacious here. No wonder Glacier Bay holds powerful stories, and attracts scientists, preservationists, and travelers from around the world.

One of those scientists was a plant ecologist from Minnesota, a quiet man with an easy smile who studied relationships. He came to Glacier Bay in 1916, and over several decades returned many times to make careful observations. His name was William S. Cooper . What he found so inspired him—a wild land, undefiled, untamed, returning to life in the wake of glacial recession—that he shared his findings with colleagues at the Ecological Society of America. Might it be possible, they asked, to preserve Glacier Bay? To keep it wild; as a place where nature can unfold in ways that will teach and enlighten us forever? Cooper knew the history of Glacier Bay. The Huna Łingít occupied the area for countless generations, living in the shadows of glaciers , prospering from the bounty of the land and sea. Captain George Vancouver had sailed the area in 1794, and created a rough map that showed the bay filled with a single great glacier . Eighty-five years after Vancouver, naturalist/preservationist John Muir had visited the bay by canoe, and found the glacier receding as fast as a mile per year. Muir wrote about Glacier Bay with such lyrical heart—his words like music—that he changed America's national perception of Alaska from one of daunting cold to enchanting beauty.

Like the little plants he studied, William Cooper was tough and tenacious. Like John Muir, he found in Glacier Bay a power that inspired him to become something more than what he had been. He wrote letters, made personal appeals, and suffered criticism. No great act of public lands conservation is made without a fight. It paid off on February 26, 1925 when Glacier Bay became a national monument . Fifty-five years later, President Jimmy Carter signed the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act that created Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve on December 2, 1980... it would have made William Cooper smile and John Muir sing.

Glacier Bay Historic Resources Study Read more about the European exploration, early tourism development, homesteading, and other activities in and near what is now Glacier Bay National Park.

A Land Reborn A History of Administration & Visitor Use in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Gustavus Historical Archives and Antiquities Maintaining the historical integrity of Gustavus & surrounding areas by collecting and preserving important early documents, photographs, and artifacts.

Sailing through Glacier Bay today, you travel along shorelines and among islands that were completely covered by ice just over 200 years ago. When Captain George Vancouver charted adjacent waters of Icy Strait in 1794, he and his crew described what we now call Glacier Bay as just a small five-mile indent in a gigantic glacier that stretched off to the horizon. That massive glacier was more than 4,000 feet thick in places, up to 20 miles wide, and extended more than 100 miles to the St. Elias mountain range. By 1879, however, naturalist John Muir discovered that the ice had retreated more than 30 miles forming an actual bay. By 1916, the Grand Pacific Glacier – the main glacier credited with carving the bay – had melted back 60 miles to the head of what is now Tarr Inlet.

Today’s visitors can see the answer to that question during the course of one trip into the tidewater glaciers. Such a journey is like going back to the last ice age. The land near the mouth of the bay, long-ago released from the grip of glaciers, has had the most time to recover and is now blanketed by mature spruce and hemlock forests. As you travel toward the glaciers the vegetation gets younger and smaller, until you reach the face of the ice where nothing grows at all. The successional processes so evident here offered unparalleled opportunity for scientific observation and glaciologists, geologists, plant ecologists and other scientists came here to study this dynamic landscape. While recounting his scientific work in Glacier Bay, a plant ecologist named William Cooper so inspired his colleagues at the Ecological Society of America that they started the movement to protect the bay and its environs.

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge declared Glacier Bay a national monument. Today Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve continues to protect these natural resources which offer a glimpse into ice ages past in the midst of a flourishing and dynamic natural environment.

Glacier Bay Bird Checklists Did you know that there are two versions of the checklist? A pamphlet version for birders on the go, and a series of detailed frequency notes for those who want to know more about Glacier Bay's birds. Get one, or both, depending on your needs. Happy Birding!

Pamphlet Version Four-page print friendly pdf: The Birds of Glacier Bay CHECKLIST (0.3mb PDF)

As of February, 2016, 281 species of birds have been recorded in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve. The high diversity and abundance of birdlife is due to the variety and extent of favorable breeding habitats available within the park, many of which contain ample food resources and low numbers of land predators.

Thousands of seabirds nest on cliffs and rocky shores both within the bay and on the park’s outer coast, where they prey on small fish and other sea life. Small to medium-sized colonies of gulls, guillemots, puffins, and cormorants disperse along park shores, especially in the northern half of Glacier Bay, Cross Sound and the southern portion of the outer coast. Relatively major colonies occur on the Marble Islands, Boussoule Head, Cenotaph Island, beside Margerie and Johns Hopkins Glaciers, and at the mouth of Hugh Miller Inlet. Large flocks of phalaropes, molting sea ducks, and foraging gulls are prominent summer residents, while flocks of loons, gulls, murrelets, and sea ducks dominate the winter scene. Bald Eagles are conspicuous inhabitants on shorelines throughout the park.

Considered at-risk elsewhere in their range, a world-class population of Marbled Murrelets occurs within and just outside of the park’s waters. This extraordinary small diving bird is believed to breed extensively in the old growth forests along Icy Strait, though finding evidence of breeding activity can be difficult. Marbled Murrelets do not assemble nests. A pair of birds will lay their lone egg on a stout moss-covered branch high up in a spruce or hemlock tree. The parents will fly to the sea at dawn and return at dusk daily to feed the chick, which sits on the branch camouflaged and quiet. When it is time for the chick to fledge, the parents depart one morning and never return. The chick, realizing that it is on its own, leaps off the branch on its first flight and finds its own way to the ocean which can be up to 30 miles away.

Glacier Bay also hosts a large portion – as much as 20 percent – of the world’s population of Kittlitz's Murrelets. It is believed that perhaps 95 percent of the Kittlitz's worldwide population breeds in Alaska with the remainder breeding in the Russian Far East. While the abundance of Kittlitz's Murrelets in Glacier Bay remains steady, other areas – such as along coastal Wrangell-St. Elias – have demonstrated localized declines, raising concern about the species' range-wide status. Kittlitz's Murrelets place their nests on the ground, often nesting in recently de-glaciated mountainous areas, which separates them from the closely related and more abundant Marbled Murrelets, which tend to nest in old growth forests. Glacial loss with changing climate raises concerns over the fate of Kittlitz's Murrelets. Efforts are currently underway to better understand the ecology, abundance, and trend of Kittlitz's Murrelets in Glacier Bay, and the extent to which vessels may disturb foraging birds.

In the winter, the number of land birds present in the park dwindles. Common Ravens, Northwestern Crows, Black-billed Magpies, Pacific Wrens and American Three-toed Woodpeckers are not uncommon. Large mixed flocks of Pine Siskins and Common Redpolls feed on alder cones and grass seeds.

Glacier Bay is blanketed by a mosaic of plant life, from a few pioneer species in recently exposed areas to intricately balanced climax communities in coastal and alpine regions. Since virtually all the vegetation in the bay has returned to the land in the past 300 years following the retreat of the glaciers, this area is one of the premier sites on the planet to study plant recolonization.

In the classic story of plant succession , spores or seeds are blown into a new area by the wind or carried in by birds or other animals. Lichen spores that land on the appropriate rocky surface will anchor themselves to the rock using root-like structures called “rhizomes.” Unlike most plants, lichens absorb essential nutrients from the air and rain rather than through roots in soil. As they grow, lichens secrete an acid that dissolves the rock around them, creating soil.

As soil develops, more seeds and spores arrive, such as those of mosses, avens (Dryas), horsetail and fireweed. In time, these pioneer communities can develop into dense thickets of nitrogen-fixing alder and cottonwood that enrich the soil and provide shelter for other colonizing species such as willow.

Farthest away from the glaciers in time and space, the lowlands near the mouth of Glacier Bay have become cloaked in a spruce/hemlock rainforest and lush, spongy tracts of muskeg. In the surrounding mountains, thick mats of flowers and heath carpet the alpine hills and meadows.

Coastal Temperate Rainforest Setting The coastal rain forest that surrounds Glacier Bay stretches from northern California to Prince William Sound and Kodiak Island. It owes its vast extent to a warm oceanic current which extends along a 2000 mile stretch of coast and induces a moderate, wet climate. Coastal mountains block this maritime influence, limiting the rain forest to a relatively narrow belt along the sea. The Tongass National Forest, which extends south and east of Glacier Bay, contains 14 percent of the world's total acreage of temperate rain forest.

This forest is dominated by giant conifers, of which western hemlock and Sitka spruce are the most prevalent. The abundant rainfall accelerates forest growth, and some of the largest accumulations of organic material on the globe are found here in the form of living plants, rich forest litter and deep peaty soils. Fire is extremely rare, and old-growth conditions are frequently attained (uneven-aged trees, multi-storied canopy, deep soils and high shrub and forb diversity). Forests commonly are interspersed with ancient peatlands, and deer are generally abundant. After over 200 years out from under the ice, the lower parts of Glacier Bay are starting to show many of these characteristics, although deer have not yet arrived in any number.

Oceanographic Setting A fortunate combination of characteristics makes seas of the Glacier Bay region highly productive. The waters are enriched and warmed by a northerly branch of the Kuroshio current from the adjacent Gulf of Alaska, then further fertilized by runoff from the land. Complicated shoreline and bottom topography combine with exceptionally large tidal and storm energies to produce strong currents that stir nutrients to the surface “photic zone.” Two other factors are necessary to translate nutrients into productivity – light for phytoplankton to photosynthesize rapidly, and water column stability to allow these tiny organisms to stay in the zone of light near the surface.

These factors are optimized when a high sun angle, copious freshwater runoff and moderating winds all occur simultaneously in spring and early summer. For a few weeks, the concentrations of plant plankton reach proportions comparable to the richest parts of the continental shelf, resulting in waters that are incredibly nutrint-rich. Animal plankton as well as many larger animal species time their reproduction to coincide with this brief but fertile period. Vast shoals of small fishes feed upon this animal plankton; they in turn provide prey for many larger fishes, birds and mammals. Seaweed and salt-marsh vegetation also begins to grow in early spring and supports an abundance of grazers. As summer arrives, hordes of migrants return to join the winter holdouts in harvesting the bounty.

Glaciation Ice has been a major force in the Glacier Bay region for at least the last seven million years, and major ice ages have come and gone dozens of times. The interaction of this ice history with a highly complex geology has produced an extreme fjordal mountainscape matched by few places in the world.

Wisconsin ice age The last major stage of the world’s latest great ice age, peaking 22-16,000 years ago, buried nearly all of the park and preserve. A great ice plateau sloped from elevations of about 5000 ft in the park’s northern reaches to about 2000 ft at Icy Strait/Cross Sound and extended far out onto the continental shelf. At that time, ice covering the park was part of an unbrokn ice sheet which spanned the continent at that latitude.

Small, presently terrestrial areas flanking Lituya Bay were almost certainly ice free, and it is probable that contiguous portions of the continental shelf were also above water and ice-free during at least part of that time. Evidence from elsewhere in Southeast Alaska suggests that these areas may have been glacial “refugia” that were inhabited by subarctic terrestrial and marine mammals.

By about 14,000 years ago, deglaciation was proceeding in Icy Strait and Glacier Bay. At that time, crustal depression caued by the weight of the ice pressing down on the land had raised relative sea level at least 150 ft and possibly as much as 300-500 ft above that at present. By 10,000 years ago essentially modern climatic conditions were ushered in. The land rose, pushing apparent sea level to below its present position, and essentially modern forest forest conditions appeared along with the region’s first human inhabitants.

The boundaries of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve encompass an extensive and diverse North Pacific coastal ecological community or "biome." Ice fields, expansive river and stream systems, and tidewater glaciers are significant natural features that influence what plants and animals are able to survive in any given location. Steep, sculpted peaks and scoured, rock-strewn valleys show scars of glacial activity and mark the advances and retreats of glaciers dating back over 115,000 years to before the Wisconsin Ice Age. Bedrock outcroppings expose the complex geology of southeast Alaska. The sheltered waters of Glacier Bay ebb and flow with the region's huge tides, which can change as much as 25 feet during a six-hour period. Ocean waves pound the beaches of the wild and remote Gulf of Alaska coast. Between the bay and the coast, snow-clad peaks of the Fairweather Range capture the moisture coming in off the Gulf of Alaska and, in turn, spawn the park's largest glaciers. At the base of these lofty peaks, deglaciated foothills and outwash plains rapidly turn green as the ice retreats and seeds find their way to the newly revealed land .

During the most recent ice advance (4000-250 years b.p.), the weight of the massive ice-age glaciers was so great that it depressed the earth's crust into the molten mantle below. Once the glaciers retreated and the weight was removed, the earth's crust began rising back up in the mantle.

Sound confusing? Imagine an air mattress (earth's crust) floating on water (mantle). If you piled blocks of ice up on the air mattress, the mattress would be depressed into the water surface and float lower. But as the ice melted, the mattress would slowly rise until it reached equilibrium.

This process of the land rising up is called "isostatic rebound." The rate that the land is rising varies. Currently it approaches an inch a year in places, but in the recent past it has been recorded at nearly two inches a year near the glaciers. Islands that once were separate are joining. New islands and peninsulas emerge from the waters. Beaches continue to rise and expand. Glacial retreat has opened the lands and waters of Glacier Bay to an array of plant and animal communities. On land, these range from barrens near the glaciers where very little grows to the lush mature spruce and hemlock forests and peatlands near the mouth of the bay. In the marine waters, a similar progression is underway, although distance from tidewater glaciers rather than time seems to be key to marine community development.

For over 100 years, scientists have been drawn to Glacier Bay to study the way life returns to the land and sea so recently dominated by glaciers. Their findings are of global importance and have furthered our understanding of how the earth recovers from previous ice ages.

When the ice retreated in Glacier Bay, it left behind a scoured landscape of rocks and mud. In time, plants returned to the seemingly sterile land. Eventually, animals returned to the land and waters within the bay. Today, a full checklist of creatures call Glacier Bay home for at least part of the year, and the number could grow as more creatures find their way to this evolving landscape. As you explore Bartlett Cove or as you cruise up the bay, keep your eye out for some of these more frequently seen members of the community.

When spotting wildlife on the water, use just your eyes first. Watch for any movement or unusual shapes on the surface, then use binoculars to take a closer look. Patience and determination are often rewarded and binoculars help magnify the experience.

Like all members of the eared seal family Otariidae , Steller sea lions can support themselves on their flippers while ashore, and their rear flippers pivot, allowing them to get around with surprising speed. In the water they become fluid, executing a seemingly endless series of underwater flips, turns, and rolls. Mature males can weigh almost 2,000 pounds, though females average only 600 pounds. During mating season, large bulls compete at established rookery sites on Glacier Bay's outer coast to collect harems of females. Unsuccessful and immature males often congregate at haul-out areas like South Marble Island. Though the number of sea lions is growing in Glacier Bay, the population in Western Alaska has decreased by 80 percent since the late-1970s leading to that portion of the population's current listing as endangered.

Harbor seals have a dappled gray coat that can be highly variable between individuals. A thick layer of fat allows them to keep warm in otherwise chilling conditions. Unlike the sea lion, harbor seals have no external earflap and when out of the water, cannot support themselves on their flippers. On ice floes, they resemble plump sausages that move around by scooting on their ample bellies. In the water, they display admirable grace as they hunt for fish. Up to 1,700 seals converge in Johns Hopkins Inlet each summer for pupping and mating. Ongoing research in the park indicates that the population in the inlet has declined 75 percent in the past decade.

The Glacier Bay sea otter population has rebounded from zero to almost 9,000 in the last 20 years. Voracious eaters of shellfish like crabs and clams, they exert a strong influence on their environment and scientists anticipate dramatic changes will take place in the underwater world of Glacier Bay . Sea otters perform many of their daily tasks such as eating, bathing, and sleeping while floating on their backs. Lacking a thick layer of blubber, otters instead have the densest fur of any mammal with up to one million hairs per square inch. Generally dark brown, their faces get whiter as they age.

At five feet long and about 120 pounds, harbor porpoise are the smallest cetaceans in Alaska waters. Often seen in groups of two to ten throughout the bay, they announce themselves by offering a brief glimpse of their small triangular dorsal fin cutting slowly through the water's surface when they come up to catch a breath. Harbor porpoise are generally dark gray with a slightly pointed face. They do not ride bow waves, like their relative the Dall's porpoise. Dall's porpoise are larger (6.4 feet and 300 pounds) and resemble small orcas in their black and white coloration. Though Dall's porpoise can be seen in the bay, they are more often seen near the entrance and in Icy Strait.

Seeing a humpback whale in Glacier Bay is an unforgettable experience for many visitors. The true giants of Glacier Bay's waters, these endangered animals are 40-50 feet (12-16 m) long and weigh over 35 tons (32,000 kg). The humpback is a baleen whale that migrates seasonally. Most Glacier Bay whales swim to Hawaii each winter to mate and give birth, a 2,500-mile (4,000 km) journey that takes about a month each way. These whales do not eat while they are wintering in the tropics. All spring, summer, and fall in Alaska, they gorge themselves on high-calorie small schooling fish such as capelin and herring.

Colloquially called the "orca", scientists prefer the common name, "killer whale" when referring to this impressive whale species. They are the member of the dolphin family, and may reach lengths of 23 to 26 feet and weigh four to eight tons. There are three unique ecotypes of killer whales, similar to a subspecies, that may visit Glacier Bay. The resident popluation of killer whales generally stay local to their home area, and are primarily fish eaters. The transient population of killer whales travel and migrate further distances, and primarily eat marine mammal prey. Offshore killer whales' rarely travel into Glacier Bay, as they generally remain in the open ocean. Did you know? A 12-foot articulated juvenile female killer whale is on display in Glacier Bay's neighboring community Gustavus' public library. Read all about this skeleton recovery, articulation, and installation project here.

2026 Backcountry Permit (Click the link above to download a fillable permit. 1 mb pdf download.) A permit is required for backcountry camping in Glacier Bay between May 1 and September 30. An annual Backcountry Camping Orientation is required to receive a backcountry permit between May 1 and September 30. Orientations are available at the Visitor Information Station (VIS) at 9 am and 2:30 pm daily . Permits must be received in person and must be carried at all times. Return your permit to the VIS upon your return. Utilize the black drop-box outside the VIS front door during off-hours and please notify VIS staff of your return. Permits not marked as "returned" within 24 hours of the expected return date on a permit will be treated as an emergency. Submit your permit application to glba_vis@nps.gov no more than 48 hours before your arrival. Please do not send permit applications until plans are finalized. Permits must still be collected in-person before your departure from Bartlett Cove.

Planning a trip into the backcountry? Careful planning and consideration are required to ensure your safety while traveling in Glacier Bay’s immense wilderness. Remember, safety is your responsibility! Abiding by all rules and regulations while in Glacier Bay is also your responsibility . Visitor Information Station The Backcountry and Boating Office, commonly referred to as the Visitor Information Station (VIS), serves as the permit office and information center for backcountry users. The office processes all backcountry, campground, and boater permits, monitoring public use activities in the Bay in order to protect park resources and provide for visitor safety. Rangers can guide visitors through up-to-date information on regulations, closures, safety, logistical information regarding their trip, and provide local knowledge for the areas visitors may be exploring.

If you would like to speak with a Ranger before your trip, please visit our office, give us a call at (907) 697-2627, or e-mail us glba_vis@nps.gov. Camping in Bartlett Cove Camping in Bartlett Cove is limited to the developed campground. Obtain a free campground permit from the Visitor Information Station between May 1 and September 30 . Permits and detailed information is available on the Bartlett Cove Campground page . Backcountry Permits and Orientation From May 1 to September 30 , all overnight backcountry users (including kayakers) must register for a free permit and complete a mandatory orientation in person at the Visitor Information Station . There is no limit to the number of permits issued per day. The yearly orientation requirement is for your benefit: to answer your questions, inform you of special wildlife and safety closures, regulations, safety information, and to assist in planning your trip. The VIS has bear-resistant food canisters that you can check out for the duration of your trip. Please notify the VIS of any cannisters you may need when you apply for a permit. Please plan to attend your orientation in person at the VIS. Backcountry camper orientations will be offered twice daily. Contact the Visitor Information Station at (907) 697-2627 for questions and additional information.

Advisories and Temporary Closures Wildlife, negative bear encounters, or other safety concerns will occasionally cause advisories to be issued or areas to be temporarily closed for overnight camping.

Logistics Transportation Getting to Glacier Bay can be half of the challenge! Bartlett Cove and the nearby community of Gustavus are not located on a traditional road system. There is a single paved road that runs 9 miles between the airport in Gustavus and the public dock in Bartlett Cove. Please contact businesses directly with any questions. Alaska Marine Highway -- The only vehicle access outside of Gustavus is by ferry. The ferry runs multiple times per week, please check the ferry schedule for updated information as sailings are subject to change. Flying -- The only other option to access Gustavus. Various air taxi services fly into Gustavus from Juneau all year. Alaska Airlines ( "The Jet" ) operates in Gustavus seasonally during the summer months. Air taxis will charge by the weight of gear ($/lbs) and Alaska Airlines charges by the bag. Air taxis may also be chartered for backcountry pickups & drop-offs or for direct flights into Bartlett Cove. Once in Gustavus, ground transportation and local taxi services are available to move you and your gear to Bartlett Cove. Other Camper Resources There is one grocery store in Gustavus that sells food and other provisions ( e.g. bear spray, fuel, etc. ), but be aware that food and other items will carry a high cost and low or limited selection. Remember you are traveling to rural Alaska. If you have extra gear that you will not be using in the backcountry, the VIS has a secure, locking gear cache where you can store items during your trip. The gear cache typically has a selection of leftover food, fuel, and fuel canisters, which are available for campers' use.

Camper Drop-off Service During the summer months, kayakers can arrange with Glacier Bay Lodge to be dropped off and/or picked up by the daily tour boat at designated camper dropoff locations upbay. Advance reservations are recommended for kayakers as the number of kayaks the daily tour boat can carry is limited. To make reservations, contact the Glacier Bay Lodge at 888-229-8686.

Additional Reminders & Safety There are a variety of park regulations that pertain to both campers and kayakers. You are responsible for knowing and abiding by these regulations.

Choose your campsite with care. Help to keep Glacier Bay wild. NPS Photo Group Size Limits Maximum group size in wilderness is twelve people. Several areas are designated annually for commercial operators where multiple large groups may recreate at the same time. Otherwise, groups should space themselves to be out of sight/sound of others. Leave No Trace Help us to ensure that future generations will enjoy Glacier Bay as it is today. Choose a campsite where you will leave little or no impact. A good campsite is found and not made. Campsites should be at least 100 feet from fresh water sources. Check at the Visitor Information Station for areas that are closed to backcountry use. Know these areas, and mark them on your maps and charts. Do not approach wildlife. Some animals are easily disturbed. You are responsible for knowing and following all applicable regulations during your visit to the park. Glacier Bay is wild, clean and unpolluted. Remember to carry out all trash (do not burn). Use the intertidal zone for campfires, and preparing and eating food. Generally, the next high tide will erase traces of your presence. Learn more about the seven principles of Leave No Trace in preparation for your trip. Backpacking More than a million acres await the backcountry traveler, however there are no trails in the Glacier Bay backcountry. Dense alder thickets and steep rocky cliffs can make foot travel very challenging and often impossible. The terrain is rugged by any standard. Be prepared to hike over rough and rocky ground. Shoreline and gravel streambeds usually offer the best routes.

The Backcountry and Boating Office, commonly referred to as the Visitor Information Station (VIS), serves as the permit office and information center for backcountry users. The office processes all backcountry, campground, and boater permits, monitoring public use activities in the Bay in order to protect park resources and provide for visitor safety. Rangers can guide visitors through up-to-date information on regulations, closures, safety, logistical information regarding their trip, and provide local knowledge for the areas visitors may be exploring. If you would like to speak with a Ranger before your trip, please visit our office, give us a call at (907) 697-2627, or e-mail us glba_vis@nps.gov.

From May 1 to September 30 , all overnight backcountry users (including kayakers) must register for a free permit and complete a mandatory orientation in person at the Visitor Information Station . There is no limit to the number of permits issued per day. The yearly orientation requirement is for your benefit: to answer your questions, inform you of special wildlife and safety closures, regulations, safety information, and to assist in planning your trip. The VIS has bear-resistant food canisters that you can check out for the duration of your trip. Please notify the VIS of any cannisters you may need when you apply for a permit. Please plan to attend your orientation in person at the VIS. Backcountry camper orientations will be offered twice daily. Contact the Visitor Information Station at (907) 697-2627 for questions and additional information. See Alsek River or Mountaineering in the Fairweather Range for permitting in those areas.

Both Black and Coastal Brown Bears are frequently seen throughout the park. These are wild animals and should always be considered to be potentially dangerous. When hiking, lessen your chance of a bear encounter by looking for bear signs, making noise, and traveling in groups. Consider carrying bear spray in the backcountry. It is important that bears never come in contact with human food, so NEVER leave food unattended. Keep a clean camp. Store food and any scented items in bear resistant food containers at least 100 yards from your campsite. Do all cooking and eating in the intertidal zone at least 100 yards from your campsite. If you do encounter a bear, remain calm, identify yourself as a human (talk to the bear) and stand your ground. Do not run. You can not outrun a bear and fleeing may trigger the bear’s chase response. Help keep Glacier Bay bears wild by knowing park regulations and practicing proper food storage. Bear-resistant food canisters are provided to campers at no charge. Become familiar with bear canisters and food storage regulations in Glacier Bay.

You'll live and breathe by the tides here in Glacier Bay! A basic understanding of tides and currents is crucial to safely traveling in the backcountry. There is up to a 25 foot tidal offset and strong currents of up to seven knots. Standing waves, whirlpools and tidal rips are common in some parts of the bay ( e.g. Sitakaday Narrows, Adams Inlet, Berg Bay, ect. ) Familiarizing yourself with tides in Glacier Bay before you arrive is highly recommended .