Adventure-Crew.com

The park is open year-round. National Park Service and concessionaire services are offered at Brooks Camp from June 1 through September 17. Backcountry activities are also best during this time. Every visitor is required to check in for a brief bear orientation on arrival. There is a daily cultural walk led by a ranger, evening slide shows about special features, the Dumpling Mountain Hike, a moderately strenuous hike 1.5 miles one-way and daily bus rides to the Valley of 10,000 Smokes.

A huge area is enclosed within the park. The lands and waters within its boundaries–3,674,541 acres in Katmai National Park and another 418,699 acres in Katmai National Preserve–span almost the width of the peninsula, and its boundaries extend along the base of the peninsula for more than 100 miles. The present park and preserve is only the fifth largest National Park Service unit in Alaska. Even so, their combined area is larger than Connecticut and Rhode Island put together, and is almost twice as large as the largest national park in the Lower 48 states.

Katmai was declared a national monument in 1918 to preserve the living laboratory of its cataclysmic 1912 volcanic eruption, particularly the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. The intervening years have seen most of the surface geothermal features cool. But the protection of brown bears has become an equally compelling charge for Katmai. To protect this magnificent animal and its varied habitat, the boundaries were extended over the years, and in 1980 the area was designated a national park and preserve. Within this reservation is found some of the most spectacular scenery in the state. The thrusting peaks of the Aleutian Range dominate the eastern half of the unit. To the west, the land broadens out into countryside dominated by low mountains and rolling hills punctuated by long, narrow lakes.

Katmai’s awe-inspiring natural powers confront us most visibly in its volcanics and its brown bears: in summer North America’s largest land predators gather along streams to feast on salmon runs, building weight from this wealth of protein and fat, preparing for the long winter ahead. Alaska’s brown bears and grizzlies are now considered one species. People commonly consider grizzlies to be those that live 100 miles and more inland. Browns are bigger than grizzlies thanks to their rich diet of fish. Kodiak brown bears are a different subspecies that is geographically isolated on Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska. Mature male bears in Katmai may weigh up to 900 pounds. Mating occurs from May to mid-July, with the cubs born in dens in mid-winter. Up to four cubs may be born, at a mere pound each. Cubs stay with the mother for two years, during which time she does not reproduce. The interval between litters is usually at least three years. Brown bears dig a new den each year, entering it in November and emerging in April. About half of their lifetime is spent in their dens. Because each bear is an individual, no one can predict exactly how a given bear will act in a given situation. These awe-inspiring bears symbolize the wildness of Katmai today.

Viewing brown bears in their natural habitat and fishing are very popular activities in Katmai. Although a bear may be encountered anywhere in Katmai from late May into December, the best times for bear viewing at Brooks Camp are late-June through July and September. There are few, if any, bears around Brooks in June and August, though they are seen occasionally during these times. July and September are crowded with both bears and people. Delays in getting to and from the bear viewing platforms are common and can occur at any time, although such delays offer opportunities for viewing other wildlife and the spectacular scenery all-around Brooks Camp.

Besides brown bear, Katmai provides a protected home to moose, caribou, red fox, wolf, lynx, wolverine, river otter, mink, marten, weasel, porcupine, snowshoe hare, red squirrel, and beaver. Marine mammals include; sea lions, sea otters, and hair seals. Beluga, killer, and gray whales can also be seen along the coast of the park. Katmai’s lake edges and marshes serve as nesting sites for tundra swans, ducks, loons, grebes, and that 20,000-mile annual commuter, the arctic tern. Sea birds abound along the coast, grouse and ptarmigan inhabit the uplands, and some 40 songbird species summer here. Seacoast rock pinnacles and treetops along lakeshores provide nesting sites for bald eagles, hawks, falcons, and owls.

A predictable eruption occurs at Katmai National Park and Preserve annually as salmon burst from the northern Pacific Ocean and into park waters. Sockeye (also known as red) salmon return from the ocean, where they have spent two or three years. Navigating first across the open ocean, and then up rivers, lakes, and streams, they return to the headwater gravel beds of their birth to deposit their own young before dying. Their size, averaging 5 to 7 pounds, varies proportionally to how long they spend feeding at sea. The salmon run begins here in late June. By July’s end a million fish may have moved from Bristol Bay into the Naknek system of lakes and rivers. Salmon stop feeding upon entering freshwater, and physiological changes lead to the distinctive red color, humped back, and elongated jaw they develop during spawning. The salmon spawn during August, September, and October. Stream bottoms must have the correct texture of loose gravel for the eggs to develop. The stream must flow freely through winter to aerate the eggs. By spring the young fish that have just hatched, called ‘fry’ or ‘juveniles’, emerge from the gravels and migrate into the larger lakes, living there two years. The salmon then migrate to sea, returning in two or three years to spawn and begin the cycle once again. Salmon provide food for the bears, bald eagles, rainbow trout, and directly or indirectly for the other creatures that forage along these streams. They also have been important to Katmai people for several thousand years, and commercial fishing -outside the park- remains the mainstay of today’s local economy.

Katmai is a meeting ground of coastal rain forest, boreal forest, alpine tundra, northern coastal tundra and Aleutian tundra floras. Two principal vegetation formations can be recognized from the mixtures of these floras: tundra and boreal forest. Katmai’s great diversity of habitats–forests, grasslands, fresh and salt water swamps, marshes, lagoons, estuaries, thickets, islands, beaches, rocky slopes, cliffs, volcanic ash, lakes and ponds–supports an abundance of animal life.

The boreal forest formation that occupies most of the lower elevations of Katmai have soils that are deeper and richer, summer temperatures are higher, there are no permanent snowfields, and winds have a lower intensity. Habitats are more diversified and include white spruce, birch and/or balsam poplar forests, alder and willow thickets and grasslands dominated by blue joint grass and blue grass. The appearance of the coastal forest is similar to the boreal forest, except that the dominant coniferous tree is Sitka spruce.

The 15 active volcanoes that line the Shelikof Strait here make Katmai National Park and Preserve one of the world’s most active volcanic centers today. These Aleutian Range volcanoes are pipelines into the fiery cauldron that underlies Alaska’s southern coast and extends down both Pacific Ocean shores–the so called Pacific Ring of Fire. This Ring of Fire boasts more than four times more volcanic eruptions above sea level than any other region in historic times. Nearly 10 percent of these more than 400 eruptions have occurred in Alaska; less than two percent in the rest of North America. The current theory of plate tectonics attributes this phenomenon to the collision of the series of plates than makes up the Earth’s crust. The Ring of Fire marks edges where crustal plates bump against each other. Active volcanoes within Katmai National Park and Preserve are; Katmai, Novarupta, Trident, Mageik, and Martin. Holocene volcanoes that have not erupted in the last 250 years are; Cerberus, Falling Mountain, Griggs, Snowy, Dennison, Kukak, Devils Desk, Kaguyak, Fourpeaked, Douglas, and Kejulik.

Volcanism is one of the principal geologic processes at Katmai. The high peaks of the unit were formed by volcanic activity, and many are still active enough to occasionally emit steam, smoke, ash, or lava. For example, Mount Trident discharged steam, ash, or lava in each of the years 1957 through 1965 and in 1968. Mounts Martin and Mageik produce steam constantly, and the plumes may often be seen from King Salmon, 60 miles distant. Other peaks in the area have also had periods of volcanic activity. A major eruption may occur at any time.

The Katmai area was largely unknown until 1912, when a geologic event directed worldwide attention to this area. In June 1912, Mount Katmai and Novarupta Volcano erupted with tremendous force and ejected enormous amounts of ash and pumice. Then followed an explosion of hot, glowing ash and pumice from Novarupta and associated fissures. Some of this ash and pumice moved through an adjacent vegetated valley, destroying most living things in its path. Within minutes, more than 40 square miles of this valley were buried by volcanic deposits as much as 300 feet thick. As the ejecta was expelled through Novarupta, the top of Katmai collapsed, forming a large caldera.

Novarupta quickly became quiescent. Many thousands of fumaroles (steam and gas producing vents) developed as the volcanic materials that inundated the valley settled, cooled and hardened. The vista in 1916 of the coalescing plumes of steam produced by these vents gave the valley its name–Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Since its formation, cooling has resulted in diminishing fumarolic activity so that today there are only a few active vents remaining. The semi-consolidated volcanic ejecta is now vegetated, but most of the valley floor consists of multihued rock cut by numerous deep and narrow canyons, some of which are more than 100 feet deep while only 5 to 10 feet wide. Mount Katmai has additional scientific significance. After the volcanic activity ceased, a glacier formed on the inside wall of the caldera. This glacier, which now extends down to the edge of the caldera lake, is perhaps the only glacier in the world having a known date of origin.

The Aleutian Range is the backbone of the Alaska Peninsula. The higher peaks of this range within the Katmai National Park were formed predominately by volcanic action and rise steeply from the Shelikof Strait coastline to altitudes greater than 7,000 feet. Mount Dennison, 7,606 feet, is the highest elevation in Katmai. The slopes and upper valleys surrounding these peaks contain glaciers on both sides of the Aleutian divide. A few of these glaciers descend on the east almost to sea level. The largest glaciers in the park are three to four miles wide and 10 to 12 miles long. The only travel routes of low relief across this portion of the Aleutian Range are at Becharof Lake, at Katmai Pass, at Kaguyak Pass, and through the lake country in the northern part of the park.

The first Europeans arrived in the Katmai country in the late eighteenth century, when Russian fur traders appeared on the Shelikof Strait. By the time of their arrival, the Koniag Eskimo were probably established in a number of villages along the coast; they were located (from north to south) at Cape Douglas, Swikshak Lagoon, Kaguyak, Hallo Bay, Devil’s Cove, Kaflia, Missak Bay, Amalik Bay/Takli Island, Dakavak Bay, Katmai, and Kashvik Bay. On the Bristol Bay side of the Aleutian Range, the Aglegmiut Eskimo were living in scattered sites within the present park. These locations–along the Brooks River, the mouth of the Savonoski River, the confluence of the Savonoski and Grosvenor rivers, and between Lake Coville and Lake Grosvenor–are the same ones which were noted earlier for their prehistoric occupation.

There are 497 miles of oceanic coast in Katmai National Park. There are several large rivers and creeks as well as major lakes also in the park area. Water quality in all of these lakes and rivers remains essentially unaltered by man. Some bodies of water are heavily silted with glacial outwash sediments or volcanic ash. Others contain clear, unsilted water. Water levels in the larger lakes may vary seasonally by as many as seven feet. American Creek, Big River, Brooks River, Funnel Creek, Hallo Creek, Headwaters Creek, Ikagluik Creek, Katmai River, Knife Creek (including Juhle Creek), and Kulik River have all been designated as potential rivers to be added to the National Wild and Scenic River System. This potential designation requires the National Park Service to manage/protect them as if they were Wild and Scenic until congress brings them into the system or takes them off the potential designation list.

The weather, not surprisingly, differs dramatically in the various parts of the park. Weather conditions at Brooks Camp, the most visited spot within Katmai, is characterized by overcast skies and frequent rain storms or drizzle during most of the summer. Heavy storms accompanied by intense winds known as williwaws occur and may persist for several days. Summer high temperatures average 63º F. and low temperatures average 44º F. The sky is clear or partly cloudy about 20% of the summer. During late spring and early autumn, skies are usually clear about 40% of the time and winds are generally moderate. During this time, high temperatures average 56º F. and low temperatures average 36º F. In the Brooks Camp area, however, summer winds are often sufficiently strong as to prevent airplane landings.

Winter weather at Brooks Lake from October through April is variable, average maximum daily temperatures from 18.5º to 47.5º F., and minimum temperatures between -2.8º and 39.2º F. All months usually have individual daily highs exceeding 40º F. and less than one-third of the days had maximum temperatures below freezing. Total annual precipitation varies from year to year but can average from 20 to 40 inches. Snowfall can average 1 to 14 inches per month from October to March.

Cool temperatures, frequent rains, and occasional strong winds comprise a controlling factor in visitor use of Katmai, making reliable equipment and clothing a necessity for any recreational activity. For a good camping and backpacking checklist, bring warm, layered clothing, rain gear, tent with rainfly, repair kit, sleeping bag and mat, good water-resistant hiking boots, food, bear proof food container, water filtering system, collapsible water container, 1-2 quart water bottle, cooking pots and utensils, multipurpose tool or knife, signal mirror or whistle, sunscreen, sun glasses, insect repellent, topographical map, compass, flashlight with extra batteries and bulb, camp stove, matches, first aid kit, and sneakers for river crossings. Gear must be able to withstand blowing rain and high winds up to 50-60 mph. Carry extra clothes to keep dry and watch for signs of hypothermia. Early symptoms are slurred speech, trembling, exhaustion, stumbling and impaired judgment. Be prepared and stay dry, drink plenty of water and eat high energy snacks. Be prepared to wait out storms. Be extremely cautious when crossing muddy waters. Streams rise quickly during rainstorms or heavy glacier melt.

River crossings cannot be approached using traditional techniques. Due to the suspended volcanic ash in the water, it is impossible to judge water depth visually. Many rivers in the valley are actually narrow gorges as deep as 100 feet in places, and all of the streams change constantly as ash sloughs off river canyon walks and erosion changes the channels. It’s not always possible to cross the rivers in the valley. If you cannot find a safe spot and you are unfamiliar with valley rivers, you should not attempt to cross. You may need to wait a day or two until lower water levels permit safe crossing. Follow these tips for a safe crossing. Watching the water’s surface and cross where you see small ripples (not waves), indicating shallow water. Cross early in the morning. Release your belt and straps so you can drop your pack. Wear shoes; don’t cross in socks or barefoot. Allow yourself a retreat, don’t commit to one route.

Private inholdings and Native village corporation lands lie within the boundaries of Katmai National Park and Preserves. You must obtain owner permission before using these lands. Of special concern are properties at the Kukaklek Lake outlet, the head and upper end of the Alagnak River, and the outlet area of Naknek Lake.

Current Weather

Please remember that the animals are wild and potentially dangerous. Do not feed or harass the animals. Observe them from a distance. Please see Wildlife Precautions page for info regarding encounters. Please note that firearms are not allowed in the park area.

There is an $8.00 per person/per night fee for those camping at the Brooks Camp Campground.

Brooks Camp Campground is the only Federal Fee Area within Katmai National Park & Preserve. It is open June to mid September. (Reservations accepted beginning January 5) Advance campground reservations and fee payment are required for Brooks Camp. All food and odorous items must be stored in the campground food caches. All cooking should be done inside the shared cooking shelters. Fires are allowed only in the fire rings. Cooking is not allowed over open fires. Campers arriving by air should bring empty fuel bottles and purchase fuel at the lodge. There is water, pit toilets and picnic tables.

For those coming to Brooks Camp as part of a lodging, touring, or fishing package provided by the many commercial operators to Katmai, reservations may have already been made through your provider. Please check with your provider at least three weeks prior to your arrival.

All backcountry camping should be 1.5 miles from Brooks Campground. Practice the Leave No Trace principles. Camp and travel on durable surfaces. A campsite must be moved once every seven days. Use camp stoves and do not cut standing trees for firewood. Leave the campsite as you found it-do not remove objects. Pack out what you pack in. Keep water clean by not putting soap, food, or human waste in streams or lakes.

Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve, Aniakchak Wild River, and Becharof National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Peninsula N.W.R., Alaska Maritime N.W.R., and Kodiak N.W.R. are all nearby.

Park Headquarters is in King Salmon, about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage. Several commercial airlines provide daily flights into King Salmon as there is no road access. Brooks Camp, along the Brooks River, approximately 30 air miles from King Salmon, is a common destination for visitors to the Park. Brooks Camp can only be reached via small float plane or boat.

Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Katmai National Park & Preserve:

Wasilla, AK – 49.51 miles

Nikiski, AK – 172.12 miles

Kenai, AK – 158.68 miles

Soldotna, AK – 147.50 miles

Seward, AK – 127.69 miles

By Plane:

Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport: 0.57 miles

Katmai National Park & Preserve Headquarters, P.O. Box 7, #1 King Salmon Mall, King Salmon, AK 99613
- or -
Katmai National Park & Preserve, Anchorage Office, 4230 University Drive, Suite 311, Anchorage, AK 99508-4626
Visitor Information (907) 246-3305

Map

The Inupiat Heritage Center is open year around. Hours: 8:30 AM to 5:00PM Monday through Friday. On the third Wednesday of each month, they host science and cultural meetings from 6 – 9 PM. Topics include arctic science, Inuit issues, whaling and other arctic related topics. It’s free to the public. On the weekends of February and March the IHC hosts whaling crew preparations such as skin sewing and building umiaqs.

Education is an important part of the Inupiat Heritage Center’s mission. Barrow kids come to the Center in school groups and on their own. Here they can experience Inupiat dances, learn new skills and hear traditional stories.
There is also a Jr. Ranger program that lets the children follow a whale through the leads in the sea ice, learn the Inupiaq names for the parts of an umiaq (skin boat), and create their own whaling crew flag! They can also follow in the footsteps of Herman Melville in New Bedford.

Located on the Arctic Ocean, Barrow is cool to cold all year. Summer can bring fog, wind and rain and temperatures range from highs around 70 to lows into the 30s. Winter temperatures are normally below zero, often dropping to minus 30 and lower. Wind often exacerbates the cold temperatures. Visitors should bring raincoats and sweaters or light jackets in the summer and warm boots, mitts, and heavy parkas with hoods in the winter.

Current Weather

Entrance fee for the Heritage Center is: Age 18 – 55: $5; 15- 17: $2; 7-14: $1; 0-6 and Senior Citizens: free. College Students: $2

The town of Barrow and the surrounding area offers adventure activities as dog mushing tours and wildlife viewing of arctic animals. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve, Noatak National Preserve and Simon Paneak Memorial Museum are all in the general area.

Barrow can be reached via commercial and charter flights from Anchorage and Fairbanks. Airlines schedule several daily flights. Rental vehicles are sometimes available in Barrow; inquire at hotels. Taxis are a common mode of transportation in town.

Inupiat Heritage Center, P.O. Box 69, Barrow, AK 99723
- or -
National Park Service/INUP, 240 West 5th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501
Visitor Information 907-852-4594

Map

In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge declared Glacier Bay a National Monument. It wasn’t until 1980 that Glacier Bay was elevated to National Park status. Today, over 300,000 people visit every year. Glacier Bay National Park is open year-round. The park Visitor Center is open from mid-May to mid-September and is located on the second floor of a park concession lodge. Services in winter are extremely limited. The Visitor Information Station for boaters and campers is located at the foot of the public-use dock in Bartlett Cove. It is open the following hours: May 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., June, July and August 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and September 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Services in winter are extremely limited. Rest rooms, potable water, trash and recycling containers are available nearby. Some areas are closed or restricted because of bears, nesting bird colonies, feeding humpback whales, or other wildlife activity. Check on closures at the Visitor Information Station before heading up-bay.

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.

What happens when a glacier recedes? You will be able to see as you journey around the bay. 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. Today, glacial retreat continues on the bay’s east and southwest sides, but on the west side several glaciers are advancing. 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.

Glaciers form because snowfall in the high mountains exceeds snowmelt. Imagine a place high in the mountains that catches a vast amount of falling snow every year. This place is so high and so cold that none of the snow melts even in the summer. In fact, whatever precipitation that falls over the course of the year, falls in the form of snow. Over time, that snow pack builds. Soon the weight of the snowflakes in the upper layers of the snow pack presses down deforming the snowflakes beneath. The snowflakes in the pack first change to granular snow – round ice grains – and eventually morph into solid ice.

Glacier ice is different from the ice in your refrigerator. The ice crystals form slowly under pressure and individual crystals can grow to be the size of a football. Air trapped between the snowflakes is also frozen into the ice at pressure. Ice near the bottom of the glacier is under tremendous pressure, which allows it to flow almost like a plastic over the bedrock beneath. Friction between the glacier and the bedrock produces meltwater which further lubricates the bedrock allowing the ice to slide.

If a glacier flows out of the mountains into the ocean, we call it a “tidewater” glacier – the type many people come to Glacier Bay to see. The park includes 11 tidewater glaciers that break off or “calve” either into saltwater or freshwater lakes near sea level, eight of which are located within the bay. The show can be a spectacular adventure. As water undermines some ice fronts, great blocks of ice up to 200 feet high break loose and crash into the water. Johns Hopkins Glacier calves such volumes of ice that it is seldom possible for larger boats to approach its ice cliffs closer than about two miles.

Huge icebergs may last a week or more. They provide perches for bald eagles, cormorants, and gulls, as well as haul-outs for seals. When passing close by, kayakers can hear splashes and crackles as melting water drips and the ice deteriorates. The ice pops and sizzles as it releases ancient air first trapped between the delicate snowflakes and then frozen in under pressure – a phenomenon called “bergie seltzer.”

Colors betray a berg’s nature or origin. White bergs hold many trapped air bubbles. Blue bergs are dense and are likely recently calved. Greenish-blackish bergs may have calved off glacier bottoms. Dark-striped brown bergs carry morainal rubble – rocks that the glacier acquired on its journey down the mountain.

How high a berg floats depends upon its size, the ice’s density, and the water’s density. Bergs may be weighed down or even submerged by rock and rubble. A modest-looking berg may suddenly loom enormous – and endanger small craft – when it rolls over. Boaters and especially kayakers should keep in mind that what one sees is “just the tip of the iceberg.”

With tidal fluctuations as large as 25 vertical feet, Glacier Bay exhibits some of the largest tidal extremes in the world. Visitors to the park will notice dramatic difference between high and low tides. One minute you can be gazing out over 100 yards of mud flats and six hours later the waves can be lapping at your toes. That area between high and low tides – known as the intertidal zone – is an extremely complex and important biological community and a fun place for adventurous exploring. You’re likely to see anything from algae and kelp to sea urchins to rockweed, barnacles, and mussels.

Oceanographers classify Glacier Bay as a “recently deglaciated, tidally mixed, fjord estuarine system with multiple underwater sills.” This means that the bay is a network of large valleys that once were filled by glaciers but are now flooded by the ocean and fed by streams and rivers. The “underwater sills” are piles of rock debris on the ocean bottom that are remnants of the terminal moraines left behind by glaciers that paused during their retreat. Sills tend to be at or near the mouths of inlets and other areas where tidewater glacier faces once stood still for a time. Like speed bumps, sills partially obstruct the bay’s strong underwater currents, causing upwelling and tide rips similar to rapids in a river. A very large sill, formed when Glacier Bay was completely filled by ice, extends across the mouth of the entire bay. Another sill acts together with a natural constriction in the bay’s shape to form the prominent tide rips observed in Sitakaday Narrows.
These sills are usually backed by very deep basins with tidewater glaciers at their heads and many streams flowing into them from the surrounding mountains. Thus, there is a large influx of fresh water from snowmelt, augmented by melting glacial ice. This freshwater runoff and glacial melt make the ocean waters extremely cold and oxygen-rich, while also delivering nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorous, and silica to the sea. Enhanced by the big tides and strong currents, mixing and upwelling occurs at the sills and constricted areas as well as near streams and glacial faces. This constant mixing of oxygen-saturated, nutrient-rich waters results in a marine system that is especially “biologically productive” or able to support a great deal of living organisms.

The bulk of this marine productivity is driven by countless billions of tiny plant-like creatures – called phytoplankton – that float suspended in the sunlit waters and are too small to be seen with the naked eye. Glacier Bay supports phenomenally high concentrations of phytoplankton, and large standing crops are sustained throughout the spring, summer, and fall. Phytoplankton contains chlorophyll and other pigments in their bodies so they can photosynthesize – that is they can harness the sun’s energy and turn it into organic material. Each spring when there is enough light, water column stability and high nutrient levels in the surface waters, phytoplankton begin to reproduce in great numbers. This “bloom” of phytoplankton creates rich feeding for zooplankton – tiny animals that also live suspended in the water column. Shoals of fishes prey on the zooplankton, and they in turn attract a diverse host of migratory predators such as whales, seals and sea lions, seabirds, halibut, and adult salmon.

As is the case throughout much of Southeast Alaska, temperate rainforest dominates the southern part of Glacier Bay National Park. The “high biological productivity” or ability of many plants to live in this coastal area is due to the mild, moist climate that has developed in the region over the past 200-300 years. This is an old growth forest with massive evergreen trees like western hemlock and Sitka spruce that drip with lichens and mosses, and a thick layer of vegetation such as blueberries, fungi, liverworts and wildflowers that blankets the forest floor. The sheer quantity of things living or that once lived but are now decaying means that this type of forest produces some of the largest accumulations of organic material on earth. As the forest matures or ages, trees grow taller and their branches form a canopy that shades the ground beneath. The soil becomes more acidic and swampy, favoring the growth of western hemlock. Spruce does almost as well in these conditions. Yellow cedar grows in the park’s southwestern half on wet, sloping sites and peatland fringes. Mountain hemlock is common at higher elevations. Mixed in among the forest stands are open areas of ancient peatlands. These marshy areas are too wet for large trees. Plants like sedges, willows, and alders are common here.

The Tatsenshini/Alsek Rivers begin in Canada, run through the northern edge of the park, and empty into the Gulf of Alaska at Dry Bay in Glacier Bay National Preserve, providing fantastic adventure travel by water. Most Alsek River raft trips begin on the Tatshenshini at Shawshe (Dalton Post), the last road accessible put-in off the Haines Highway in Yukon Territory, Canada. From here it is 140 river miles to the normal take-out at Dry Bay, Alaska. A six-mile long canyon immediately below Shawshe (Dalton Post) offers continuous Class III whitewater rafting/kayaking, Class IV at high water (International Scale, Class I-VI). The remainder of the river is generally Class II with large eddies and folds at normal volumes. The Alsek River above its confluence with the Tatshenshini is Class III above Turnback Canyon. Turnback Canyon must be portaged by rafters during the summer months. Tatshenshini trips average 6 days on the water, plus additional lay-over days.

Tatshenshini-Alsek trips starting at Shawshe (Dalton Post) travel through private Champaign-Aishihik Tribal lands, Yukon Territory lands, Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park in Canada and Glacier Bay National Park. Upper Alsek trips travel through Kluane National Park, and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park, Canada. For travel on the upper Alsek contact Kluane National Park, Parks Canada, Haines Junction, Yukon Canada Y0B 1L0, (867) 634-2329 extension 201. For current stream flow conditions on the Alsek River, see the USGS Alsek River stream flow web-site.

Pleasure boating is welcome at the park. A free permit is required, and there is a limit on the number of vessels allowed in the park at one time. For those arriving at Bartlett Cove or Gustavus and desiring to travel into the park, Glacier Bay is best seen by boat. The distance to the tidewater glaciers is 50-60 miles. Sailing through Glacier Bay today, you’ll travel along shorelines and among islands that were completely covered by ice just over 200 years ago. It’s an exceptional way to view the beauty and grandeur this national park and preserve have to offer.

Three maintained hiking trails at Bartlett Cove offer different options for hiking and backpacking on one of the approximately seven miles of trails that wind through the rain forest. The Forest Loop Trail is a one mile long loop hiking trail that begins at the park concession lodge and ends near the dock. The trail winds through a pond-studded spruce/hemlock forest for one half mile, and then descends to the beach, where in the spring there will be birdsong, in the summer wildflowers, and in autumn bright mushrooms and blueberries. Bartlett River Trail is a five-mile round trip hike starting at the lodge. It meanders along an intertidal lagoon, through the forest, then emerges and ends at the Bartlett River estuary. Ducks, geese, and other water birds concentrate during migrations and molting in intertidal areas. It’s a great place to see wildlife and salmon run upriver during the latter part of the summer. Bartlett Lake Trail is about three miles in length (six round-trip), and winds through temperate rainforest leading to Bartlett Lake. This is a more primitive backpacking trail, not used as much as the other two, but the peacefulness of hiking or backpacking and the beauty of the lake make the trip worth while.

Backcountry hiking is done along glacial riverbeds, or intertidal beaches. An extended hike from the Bartlett Cove dock along the shore to Point Gustavus (six miles one way) can be completed in a day. The intertidal strip is a natural trail, for wildlife and people. Bird watching is enjoyable here. Watch for song birds on the forest’s edge and water birds off-shore. Flowers are profuse in mid summer on the beach meadows. At low tide, the lower beach is worth a look for marine life. Check with a park ranger in the Visitor Center or the Visitor Information Center near the dock for the daily tide schedule. While strolling the beaches of Glacier Bay keen observers may come across the tracks from the likes of bears, river otters, coyotes and wolves. Hiking/backpacking into the alpine is also an option, but be prepared to tangle with the alder. Sitka alder is a successional plant that grows in a mass along beach edges, avalanche chutes and up mountain slopes. Hikers have been known to lose their minds attempting to hike through alder.

Mountain climbing opportunities offer great wilderness adventure, but it should be noted that due to the remote nature of the area, all climbers need to be completely aware of the skill, experience, and judgment required to plan and accomplish a successful climb. Climbing parties should plan and arrange for their own backup. Glacier Bay does not maintain a rescue team with high altitude rescue capabilities. The office in Yakutat should be made aware of plans prior to the trip. It should also be noted that the weather is variable. It can snow during any month of the year at higher elevations and as low as 6,000 feet during the summer. Overcast days and rain predominate. The month of May can be a wintry month. Summer weather patterns in July and August usually cause slush and avalanche conditions. September is susceptible to an early winter with severe storms and heavy snowfall. Most climbing in the park is accessible via charter boat or float plane out of Juneau, Gustavus, or Yakutat. All litter, including wands and fixed ropes, must be removed. Party size is limited to a maximum of twelve people to minimize human impact within this designated wilderness. Parties have carried HF, Marine VHF, or radio-telephones. The best success has been Marine VHF or radio telephones. These are available for rent from local air taxis.

Many land animals use the marine environment for foraging and travel. Moose and bears, for example, are accomplished long-distance swimmers that are frequently seen “dog paddling” their way across the bay. Bears work the beaches when the tide is low, turning over rocks looking for tasty barnacles, clams and other intertidal life. Although it is not always a given that a visitor will see a bear in Glacier Bay even on a multi-day camping trip, there are few beaches on the bay’s 1,100 miles of coastline where sign of bear activity is not visible. Wolves and coyotes find the traveling easier along the edge of tall beach grass rather than fighting through alder thickets. At times, even the most upland of animals like marmots and mountain goats are drawn to the water’s edge to nibble seaweed or to lick salt spray off beach rocks. The ocean is truly the common element that bonds the wildlife of the park.

The park hosts healthy populations of land mammals. The mountain goat and brown bear were quick to reinvade after the glaciers’ retreat. The coyote, moose and wolf have moved in more recently, but are now established in the park. Black bears prowl the forested portions of the lower bay, and the glacier bear, a rare color phase of the black bear, is occasionally spotted. River otters are widespread along with marten, mink and weasel, while the wolverine is scarcer and rarely sighted. The Alsek River delta in Glacier Bay National Preserve is home to lynx, snowshoe hare and beaver — species that have reached the coast from the interior by traveling along the river corridor.

For those who enjoy bird watching, you’ll see your fill at Glacier Bay, where great Alaska bird watching occurs. Seabirds spend most of their time searching for food in the marine waters and come ashore only to rest or to breed. Thousands of seabirds nest on cliffs and rocky shores within the bay or on the park’s outer coast. Molting and migrating geese and sea ducks find refuge in quiet arms of the bay. Bald eagles nest in tall cottonwood trees or on cliffs along much of the park’s shoreline. Newly vegetated hillsides support great numbers of nesting songbirds, including many neotropical migrants. The shallow waters and sloping beaches of the Beardslee Islands are important foraging and breeding areas for shorebirds, seabirds, and waterfowl. Arctic terns and jaegers prefer the barren glacial outwashes near the glaciers for nest sites. 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 murrelet worldwide population breeds in Alaska with the remainder breeding in the Russian Far East. Unfortunately, surveys indicate that their numbers in Alaska have declined 80 to 90 percent in the past decade and this bird may soon be listed as a threatened or endangered species on the federal endangered species list.

It is believed that nearly 200 species of fish may swim in park waters, making for excellent Alaska fishing, both saltwater fishing and freshwater fishing. Sport fishing requires an Alaska state fishing license; check the Alaska State Fishing Regulations. Many, including all five species of Pacific salmon, are well-known species, while others have yet to be documented. Many fishes are associated with deep water or “subtidal benthic” communities, and several of these are identified with important fisheries such as Pacific halibut, rockfish, lingcod, Pacific cod, sablefish and pollock. Only two fishes with no connection to salt water – round whitefish near Haines and northern pike near Yakutat – have made it to the fringes of this region. The bulk of freshwater fishes are salmon and char, which spend parts of their life cycles in salt water, and so can get past the mountains and marine channels that limit the distribution of strictly freshwater animals. Most of the region’s streams, even most of those directly under glacial influence, contain spawning and rearing salmon. Some, such as the Situk and Alsek Rivers, are of world-class importance. These major river systems are in the minority. More salmon transit through the region’s marine waters than spawn in the region’s streams, allowing for plenty of Alaska salmon fishing also.

Hunting is allowed in the preserve section of the park. An Alaskan hunting license is required. Please be aware of all hunting regulations. Snowshoe and Alaskan hares are often hunted. The arctic hare is important as a source of food and fur. Both species of hare offer a great deal of recreation for the small game hunter, especially in years of abundance. The Alaskan hare provides an unusual trophy and a considerable amount of meat. The snowshoe is available to more hunters and can be taken near highway systems and in such disturbed areas as mine tailing piles. Hares are best hunted with a shotgun and birdshot, or a .22-caliber rifle or handgun. Early snowfalls will often catch the snowshoe hare still in its summer coat, making it vulnerable to the hunter. The meat is quite tasty. The largest portion of the harvest of Sitka black-tailed deer is taken in November during the rut when both sexes respond to a call resembling the bleat of a fawn. During late November and December, heavy snow sometimes concentrates deer at low elevations allowing high harvest levels when local weather conditions are favorable. Coyotes and mountain goats are also hunted. Interest in goat hunting has increased in recent years. Goats are relatively abundant throughout their Alaskan ranges, particularly in southeastern Alaska, but many goats live in areas that are beyond the reach of hunters. Mountain goats can provide excellent meat for the table. The pelt of a prime mountain goat killed in late fall or winter is a beautiful specimen.

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. 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.

The NPS has monitored humpback whale population characteristics from June 1 to August 31 each year since 1985 to document the number of individuals identified, residence times, spatial and temporal distribution, calf production, feeding behavior and human/whale interactions including strandings, entanglements in fishing gear and behavioral disturbance. The whale monitoring program also generates whale distribution data used to determine where and when “whale waters” vessel operating restrictions are needed during the summer visitor season. The whale monitoring program covers Glacier Bay and most of Icy Strait, but park waters west of Dundas Bay are not monitored.

Biologists’ overall concern is that disturbed whales use energy in reacting to ships, are diverted from previous activity (in Glacier Bay, mainly feeding) and may temporarily move away from preferred habitat or prey patches. It is not known whether whales that tolerate chronic noise exposure undergo stress or are otherwise deleteriously affected. As noted in the NMFS 1993 Biological Opinion, the long term effects of chronic disturbance on the whales’ survival and reproduction may never be known. To protect endangered humpback whales from chronic disturbance in Glacier Bay, vessel management regulations are designed to allow NPS the flexibility to incorporate the latest knowledge about underwater noise, whale distribution and behavior into its management actions.

Multi-year studies of humpback whales in Glacier Bay have found that whales change their behavior in the presence of cruise ships. This series of studies determined that the typical reactions of whales to the presence of vessels at distances of up to 4 km are to avoid them by diving underwater or swimming away, spending less time at the surface and changing their breathing rates. Several studies on bowhead and gray whales have shown analogous reactions under varying conditions of vessel number, size, proximity, speed and course.

In summer 2000, the NPS began monitoring underwater ambient noise and measuring the noise exposures experienced by marine mammals. The NPS will use the results to evaluate the effects of vessel speed and course on underwater acoustic conditions and determine what areas of the Park are subject to high acoustical impact due to sound propagation characteristics. In the meantime, the NPS requires cruise ships to submit underwater noise minimization plans, with the goal of reducing the duration or likelihood of whale disturbance. The acoustic monitoring program is designed to determine the physical and operational aspects of motorized vessels that minimize underwater noise, thereby informing the NPS of factors which could become part of the underwater noise minimization plans.

Glacier Bay has a maritime climate, heavily influenced by ocean currents. The result is mild winter temperatures and cool summer temperatures near sea level. Summer visitors can expect highs between of 50-to-60 degrees F (10-to-15 degrees C). Winter temperatures rarely drop into the single digits, with average nighttime lows of 25-to-40 degrees F (-2 to 5 degrees C). Bartlett Cove receives about 70 inches of precipitation annually. April, May and June are usually the driest months of the year. September and October tend to be the wettest. All this moisture helps to create the lush temperate rainforests of the lower bay. Keep in mind; these are weather conditions at sea level. Up in the mountains, conditions are more severe with colder temperatures and more precipitation (over 100 inches a year) that takes the form of snow. It’s all that snow falling year after year that goes into creating the magnificent glaciers we love to see.

Long periods of rainy, overcast, and cool weather are normal in Southeast Alaska. Summer daytime temperatures are usually 45-65 F, but nights stay cool to near freezing. To protect against hypothermia, a hat, gloves or mittens, and rain gear are essential. Sturdy, waterproof footgear is desirable. Symptoms of hypothermia include, shivering, lack of coordination, slurred speech, skin numbness, difficulty using fingers, sensation of chilliness, weakness, stumbling, slow pace, and confusion and apathy. Drink plenty of fluids, eat high calorie foods, dress in warm layers, keep an extra set of clothes that remain dry to change into if you get wet, keep your sleeping gear in waterproof bags, are all ways to prevent hypothermia. If you become hypothermic, get warm and dry as soon as possible and take in fluids and food.

Do not destroy, injure, or remove plants, rocks, feathers, occupied shells or other features. Only the collection of the following is permitted: unoccupied seashells, all edible berries and fruits, edible mushrooms, and clams or mollusks taken in accordance with state regulations. However, eating mussels and clams in Glacier Bay is not recommended as the neurotoxin that causes paralytic shellfish poisoning has been found in high concentrations in the area. This is a naturally occurring toxin that affects humans as well as other animals, and can lead to sudden death.

Wilderness can be both inviting and dangerous — you are responsible for your own safety. Backcountry users should be self-sufficient and fully equipped and provisioned. Cook stoves are necessary because wood is often scarce and wet. Mosquitoes and biting flies may make repellent or head nets necessary. Water should be vigorously boiled for at least one minute, filtered, or chemically treated. Because of the high rate of sediment in the water in glacial landscapes, you may need to allow extra time for the “glacial flour” to settle out. Other useful equipment for a backpacking checklist would be a backpack, a tent with a rainfly, warm sleeping bag, sleeping mat, matches, fire starter, such as a candle, flashlight with extra batteries and bulb, signal mirror or whistle, food, warm, layered clothing (not cotton as it tends to stay wet longer and cold when wet increasing chances of hypothermia), rain gear, GPS unit, first aid kit, topographical map, collapsible water container, one-two quart water bottle, pepper spray ( be sure you know how to use it before you get out there), and good hiking boots. Of course, any other “luxury” items you feel inclined to carry along with you to make you more comfortable are almost innumerable.
Because much of Glacier Bay has been recently glaciated, thick alders and other vegetation make backcountry hiking difficult in the upper bay. If you would like to hike in the backcountry, topographic maps and other information are available from the Alaska Natural History Association in Glacier Bay (907-697-2635), and at the Visitor Information Station (907-697-2627). The following gear may be useful: water repellent footwear, a raincoat and hat, insect repellent, binoculars, a camera and fast film or tripod, as well as the above mentioned gear.

Several tips should be followed while kayaking. Be sure to have a current tide table. Be cautious near large icebergs—they roll unexpectedly and can flip a kayak. Kayaks are very difficult to see from cruise ships and other vessels—assume that vessels cannot see you. Watch out for wakes from cruise ships and other vessels. Never flag down another boat unless it is an emergency, especially when loading kayaks on beach. Be sure to store your kayak (and bear canister) well above high tide. Pull your kayak and pitch your tent clear of the beach. Select a site that would allow bears room to pass at high tide. Tide Rips are Sitakaday Narrows, Beardslee Entrance, McBride Entrance, and N. Shore of Adams Inlet.

These further tips will help in avoiding animal encounters while camping. Both campers and bears frequent the beaches of Glacier Bay. Bears only have 6-8 months to acquire the calories and fat reserves needed for the entire year, and the shoreline is essential for food and travel. Avoid streams with spawning fish. Cook and eat in the intertidal zone. Wash cooking gear in marine waters. Store BRFCs and clean cooking gear in brush or behind rocks away from animal trails 100 yards from your camp. Keep gear together. The more spread out your gear is the more difficult it is to defend. To minimize potential bear damage to gear, consider breaking down your campsite daily.

Pets must be leashed or physically restrained at all times. They are allowed only in parking lots, roadways, within 100 feet of roadways, or on boats. They are not allowed on trails, beaches, or anywhere in the backcountry, with the exception of pets that remain on board private vessels on the water.

Firearms are prohibited in Glacier Bay National Park, unless they are unloaded, inoperable, and inaccessible and stored within a vessel or vehicle. They may also be secured at the Visitor Information Station for the duration of your stay. Weapons are allowed only in the Preserve and the new park addition. Hunting is prohibited except in the Preserve with an Alaska hunting license.

Hunters should by alert for signs of tularemia, a bacterial disease found in hares and rodents throughout the world. Such signs include general sluggishness and spots on the liver and spleen. Normal sanitary precautions should be taken when handling hares and rubber gloves should be used when cleaning and dressing them. The meat should be cooked thoroughly.

Current Weather

Glacier Bay National Park is home to brown (grizzly) bears ( Ursus arctos ) and black bears ( Ursus americanus ). Black bears are found primarily in the forested regions of the lower bay, including Bartlett Cove, while brown bears live mainly in the open, recently deglaciated regions of the upper bay. Telling the difference between the two species can be tricky. Simply looking at color doesn’t help.

Black bears can be black, brown, blonde, and even blue/gray — as is the case of the rare color phase found in Southeast Alaska called the “glacier bear.” Brown bears can be any shade from honey blonde to black. A few key physical characteristics can help to clarify just what type of bear you have spotted.
Black Bears have straight facial profiles, lack of a shoulder hump, prominent ears,
have short, curved claws, are 3 feet at the shoulder, and weigh 125 to over 300 pounds.

Brown Bears have a “dish-shaped” facial profile, prominent shoulder hump,
long, straight claws, are 3.5 feet at the shoulder/up to 9 feet when standing on hind legs, and average in weight of 500 to 1000 pounds.

While walking, hiking or camping in Glacier Bay, you may encounter a bear. The vast majority of these encounters do not result in human injury or property damage. When encountering humans, most bears will run away, approach curiously, appear to ignore the situation or act defensively. By staying alert, calm and tailoring your reaction to the bear’s behavior and species, you increase the odds of a positive outcome for both you and the bear. Please see the Wildlife
Precautions page for further tips on dealing with bear encounters or preventing encounters.

Moose can also be dangerous. See Wildlife Precautions page.

There are no entrance or user fees for non-commercial visitors.

There are few trails in the park, and most campers’ journey through the bay by kayak, either on their own or as part of a guided trip. A free campground (14-day limit) with bear-resistant food caches, firewood, and a warming hut, is located at Bartlett Cove. No reservations are accepted. All campers are required to obtain a free permit and attend a camper orientation which is given on demand at the Visitor Information Station near the dock. Campground permits are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Campers may check out a bear-resistant food canister at this time (free of charge and required for most backcountry camping).

Choosing a campsite: avoid areas with bear sign including an abundance of scat, animal trails and chewed or clawed trees, avoid active salmon streams, pull your kayak and pitch your tent clear of the beach, select a site that would allow bears room to pass at high tide. Following these simple rules will help you avoid bear encounters.

As part of the overall goal to provide park visitors with an opportunity for quiet and solitude and to reduce resource impacts in the Glacier Bay backcountry, a visitor use limit has been imposed in Glacier Bay National Park. All individuals camping within Glacier Bay proper will be required to obtain a backcountry permit, and a limited number of individuals are allowed in the backcountry each season, although backcountry visitation is not expected to exceed these limits. The vast majority of backcountry use occurs along the shoreline within the bay proper. The steep topography of much of this coastal zone limits the area available for camping. Use is further concentrated as visitors are mostly attracted to the upper bay to view tidewater glaciers. The limitation on backcountry use in Glacier Bay proper is necessary to protect park resources and the quality of the backcountry visitor’s experience. Reservations are unnecessary and are not accepted. The permit and limit do not apply to day-use visitors or those individuals associated with guided commercial trips in the park.

Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, Sitka National Historical Park, Wrangell – St Elias National Park & Preserve, Admiralty Island National Monument, Misty Fiords National Monument and Tongass National Forest are all within 150 miles of the park.

Alaska Airlines provides daily jet service from Seattle via Juneau to Gustavus during the summer visitor season. The Gustavus airport is 10 miles by road from park headquarters at Bartlett Cove. Several air taxi companies provide daily small-plane flights year-round from Juneau to Gustavus as well. Air taxis also fly a network of routes that link Juneau and Gustavus to Haines, Skagway, and other southeast Alaska towns. For those wishing to visit Glacier Bay National Preserve at Dry Bay, air transportation can be arranged from Yakutat, which has daily jet service from Seattle and Anchorage.

There are no roads to Glacier Bay and no Alaska Marine Highway ferry service. The only road in the park runs ten miles between Bartlett Cove and the neighboring community of Gustavus. There is a rental car business in Gustavus. Most Gustavus lodging establishments provide transportation to Bartlett Cove for their guests.

A taxi and a bus service run between Gustavus and Bartlett Cove.

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Park Headquarters, PO Box 140, Gustavus AK 99826.
Phone (907) 697-2230; fax (907)697-2654.
Yakutat Ranger District (907) 784-3295

Map