Getting There
Most visitors who get to the park enter on cruise ships that pass through the bay without landing, so those readers can skip the material below (although you may be interested in the introduction). Others begin their visit to the park at the headquarters area at Bartlett Cove. But once at Bartlett Cove, you're only at the edge of a park with no roads. To go onward into the park, you need some kind of boat.
By Air -- Gustavus is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park, lying 10 miles by road from the Bartlett Cove headquarters. The only practical way to Gustavus is by air. That information is covered in the next section. Getting from the Gustavus airstrip to Bartlett Cove is easy. Vans meet planes, charging $13 for adults, $6.25 for children 8 and under, and carry passengers to Bartlett Cove. It's free if you are traveling with a package tour; also, most of the inns and lodges in Gustavus offer free transfers to the park.
By Water -- A summer passenger ferry, the fast catamaran Fairweather Express II, is operated by the park concessionaire, Glacier Bay Lodge and Tours (tel. 888-BAY-TOUR; www.visitglacierbay.com), connecting Juneau's Auke Bay harbor directly to Bartlett Cove. The boat starts from Bartlett Cove Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday at 4:30pm, leaves from Auke Bay at 8pm, and arrives again at Bartlett Cove at 11pm. The fare is $70 one-way for adults, $40 for children 2 to 12 years old. The service was new in 2007 and changes are possible; call ahead for the latest.
Visitor Information
Contact the Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve at P.O. Box 140, Gustavus, AK 99826 (tel. 907/697-2230; www.nps.gov/glba). The Park Service interprets the park mainly by placing well-prepared rangers onboard most cruise and tour vessels entering the bay. The park also maintains a modest visitor center with displays on the park on the second floor of the lodge at wooded Bartlett Cove. Pick up the park map and handy guide, The Fairweather. Nearby are the park's offices, a free campground, a backcountry office, a few short hiking trails, a dock, sea kayak rental, and other park facilities. Rangers lead a daily nature walk and present an evening program.
