Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve
Sights To See
Whales
The sight of a whale surfacing is one of the most exhilarating sights you will find at Glacier Bay Park, an enduring symbol of the effort to preserve nature. Sixty to 100 million years ago, the ancestors of today's whales were land-dwelling, warm-blooded, air-breathing mammals before they adapted to the sea. Today, Glacier Bay is home to minke and humpback whales, as well as orca. Each summer, 15 to 20 humpback whales regularly feed in park waters, concentrating in the lower part of the bay. These 40- to 50-foot creatures migrate from their winter home in the warm waters off Hawaii and can often be seen along shorelines feeding on krill, shrimp and various fish such as capelin.
Tidewater Glaciers
If you take a boat tour, make sure to keep your eyes and ears peeled for falling ice near tidewater glaciers! It can be one of the most dramatic sights to behold, when the snouts of calving glaciers periodically crumble, sending tons of ice crashing into roiling seas as a thunderous sound reverberates for miles across the water. Most of the tidewater glaciers are 65 miles from the forests of Bartlett Cove, and the boat trip to see this site is a staple to any Glacier Park visit.
Roaring Rivers
If you are looking for adventure, wildlife, and an unparalleled opportunity to see the Alaskan landscape up close, consider embarking on a rafting trip down one of the park's roaring rivers. Both the Alsek River and its major tributary, the Tatshenshini River, are large-volume, swift glacial rivers that course through areas of great environmental diversity. Most rafting trips begin on the Tatshenshini at Dalton Post, the last road accessible off the Haines Highway in Yukon Territory, Canada. From there, it is 140 river miles to the normal take-out at Dry Bay, Alaska. For more information about whale-watching cruises, boat cruises that pass tidewater glaciers, and rafting, contact park headquarters at (907) 697-2230.
Glacier Bay In Depth
News from the Parks
If It Wasn't a Cougar, What Was It?
October 7, 2008 - 4:05pm
It's a wildlife whodunit. Is there a wild cougar roaming rural Jackson County, attacking livestock and spooking residents? Or is it just imaginations running wild?
October 7, 2008 - 4:05pm
It's a wildlife whodunit. Is there a wild cougar roaming rural Jackson County, attacking livestock and spooking residents? Or is it just imaginations running wild?
Shenandoah Park Making Personal Connections
October 7, 2008 - 4:01pm
A new project at Shenandoah National Park involves creating podcasts that will range from virtual hikes to features on flora, fauna and history. Another is the offering of hand-held "GPS Ranger" view screens that will not only guide visitors along park hikes, but display video clips as they reach spots along the way.
October 7, 2008 - 4:01pm
A new project at Shenandoah National Park involves creating podcasts that will range from virtual hikes to features on flora, fauna and history. Another is the offering of hand-held "GPS Ranger" view screens that will not only guide visitors along park hikes, but display video clips as they reach spots along the way.
Road Trip Reveals Wonder of the West
October 7, 2008 - 3:56pm
For each of the recent past four years, as the temperatures begin to drop overnight, my wife, Judy, and I get the urge to visit the mountains of Colorado. About two weeks ago we put some warm clothing in the Blazer and headed west.
October 7, 2008 - 3:56pm
For each of the recent past four years, as the temperatures begin to drop overnight, my wife, Judy, and I get the urge to visit the mountains of Colorado. About two weeks ago we put some warm clothing in the Blazer and headed west.
Crews Rescue Injured Hiker in Acadia National Park
October 7, 2008 - 3:41pm
Park rangers received the call at about 5 p.m. reporting an injured hiker on the West Face Trail that runs from Bubble Pond to the summit of Cadillac. The trail is rugged and steep and can be treacherous, according to Ranger Richard Rechholtz.
October 7, 2008 - 3:41pm
Park rangers received the call at about 5 p.m. reporting an injured hiker on the West Face Trail that runs from Bubble Pond to the summit of Cadillac. The trail is rugged and steep and can be treacherous, according to Ranger Richard Rechholtz.
Officials Weigh Benefits, Costs of Forest Fires
October 7, 2008 - 3:37pm
When officials decided not to stop the Tehipite fire east of Fresno, they got three big payoffs -- a cheaper fire to manage, reduced risk for firefighters and cleanup of dangerously overgrown forest. But this fire -- which has burned 11,000 acres since mid-July -- worries the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Officials fear smoke and ozone-creating gases might harm air quality.
October 7, 2008 - 3:37pm
When officials decided not to stop the Tehipite fire east of Fresno, they got three big payoffs -- a cheaper fire to manage, reduced risk for firefighters and cleanup of dangerously overgrown forest. But this fire -- which has burned 11,000 acres since mid-July -- worries the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District. Officials fear smoke and ozone-creating gases might harm air quality.
