The Best Glacier Bay Hikes for Every Experience Level

By Erika Müller · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Glacier Bay

Glacier Bay can catch hikers off guard if they're used to the country's more accessible national parks. Here's the reality: the entire park has just three official marked trails, all concentrated in Bartlett Cove, the only area you can reach by road. Everywhere else, which accounts for nearly all of its 5,019 square miles, is wilderness country. You'll travel off trail after reaching the backcountry by boat or floatplane.

That's both the challenge and the privilege of this place. Glacier Bay is one of the few American parks where you can set foot on a postglacial moraine still wet with meltwater, follow a fjord without seeing another person, or camp at the foot of an active glacier. It takes serious preparation, but no other park offers quite the same sense of vastness to those who venture in.

If you only do one hike: make it the Bartlett River Trail (5 miles round-trip, moderate) for rainforest and bear viewing. For an easy alternative: the Forest Trail (1.1 miles, easy, loop) is perfect for stretching your legs or getting out with the family. For adventurers: try a wilderness day hike in the Upper Bay, reached by the daily tour boat from Bartlett Cove.

How to Prepare for a Glacier Bay Hike

Permits and Mandatory Orientation

The marked trails in Bartlett Cove are open to everyone, with no permit or reservation required for a day hike. However, all backcountry camping requires a mandatory pre-trip briefing with the rangers at the Glacier Bay Lodge Visitor Center. It takes 30 to 45 minutes and covers Leave No Trace rules, waste management, and wildlife protocols. There are no exceptions, regardless of your experience.

Private boats entering the bay are subject to a quota. You'll need to obtain a boating permit in advance, especially in July.

Safety: Wildlife, Cold, Terrain, and Water

Bears. Both species found in the park, grizzlies and black bears, use the trails, especially around estuaries and salmon spawning grounds. On the Bartlett Cove trails, talk loudly, clap your hands in areas with limited visibility, and stay together. In the wilderness, carry bear spray where you can reach it on your belt, never buried in your pack, and store all food in the bear boxes provided at the Visitor Center. Keep at least 165 feet away.

Moose. They're present throughout the park and can act aggressively, especially females with calves. Give them plenty of space and don't approach them.

Hypothermia. Summer temperatures are cool, usually 50 to 59°F, with frequent rain and marine winds, so conditions can turn cold quickly. Wear layers made of wool or synthetic fibers. Skip cotton, which loses its insulating ability when wet. A good rain shell, including both a jacket and pants, is the most important gear to bring.

Off-trail terrain. In the wilderness, loose moraines, marshy shores, and slippery pebble beaches make for unstable footing. Bring gaiters and waterproof, high-top shoes. A topographic map and a standalone GPS are essential because there are no marked trails in the backcountry.

Water. It's plentiful everywhere, but always filter or treat it because of the risk of giardia. A Sawyer-style filter or water-purification tablets will do the job.

Dogs

Dogs are allowed on the marked trails in Bartlett Cove as long as they're leashed, with a maximum leash length of 6 feet. They're not allowed in the backcountry wilderness.

The Best Hikes, Area by Area

Bartlett Cove: The Three Official Trails

Bartlett Cove has all of the park's infrastructure: the Visitor Center, Glacier Bay Lodge, the official campground, and the trailheads for every marked trail. This is where every hike on secure, maintained terrain begins and ends.

This trail winds through a forest of white spruce and western hemlock growing on a postglacial moraine. Two hundred fifty years ago, this ground was under ice. The loop itself is a living demonstration of ecological succession. The tree cover filters out much of the rain, making it a good option in wet weather, which is often. The trail starts and ends at Glacier Bay Lodge.

This is the trail to choose for wildlife. It crosses rainforest and wet meadows before reaching the Bartlett River estuary, a freshwater and saltwater transition zone frequented by salmon and, in turn, grizzlies. When we visited in July, we saw two bears less than 650 feet away, fishing in the shallows. Make noise through wooded sections with limited visibility. Start at the east side of Glacier Bay Lodge.

This trail branches off the Bartlett River Trail and leads to Bartlett Lake through a quiet, lightly visited forest. Expect muddy sections after rain. That's the rule more than the exception. Choose it if you want solitude without leaving the marked-trail area. Start early so you have plenty of time to get there and back comfortably.

The Backcountry: Wilderness Hiking

Outside Bartlett Cove, Glacier Bay has no trails. Wilderness hiking means getting dropped off by boat or floatplane in a remote area and then traveling off trail, following whatever terrain lies ahead.

Upper Bay (Tarr Inlet, Johns Hopkins Inlet). This is the most spectacular area. Dozens of glaciers calve into the bay, shale beaches host colonies of otters and seals, and recent moraines show how quickly the glaciers have retreated over the past few decades. The daily tour boat from Bartlett Cove can drop you off on request and pick you up at an agreed-upon time. There are no marked trails or facilities.

Muir Inlet. This eastern arm of the bay is quieter and less visited than the Upper Bay, making it ideal for several-day camping trips. The terrain combines beaches, fireweed meadows, and young birch forests taking root. Check the intertidal zones on your topo map before setting up camp. The foreshore can catch you off guard at high tide.

These two areas are for fully self-sufficient hikers who are comfortable navigating by coordinates and managing unexpected weather in Alaska. Access details and the backcountry's specific rules are covered on the Glacier Bay home page.

Easy and Family-Friendly Hikes

At Glacier Bay, the family hiking options are concentrated and easy to understand: three choices in Bartlett Cove, with no complications.

Forest Trail (1.1 miles, loop, flat): this is the default family hike. You can't get lost, the ground is relatively firm, and kids enjoy the boreal forest, especially when you explain how plants have reclaimed the land since the glaciers retreated. Bring lightweight waterproof boots. The ground stays wet even on days without rain.

Bartlett Cove beach walk: an informal walk along the shore with no official trail markers, but not the slightest bit difficult. It's a good spot for watching sea otters, seals, and, depending on the season, porpoises in the bay.

First section of the Bartlett River Trail (first 1.2 miles): suitable for kids ages 8 and up. Turn around before the estuary if younger children start to tire or the ground gets too muddy.

The Glacier Bay family guide covers the NPS Junior Ranger programs and other activities for younger visitors.

Strenuous and Full-Day Hikes

Bartlett Cove is mostly flat, and the park has no marked trail with significant elevation gain. For a physically demanding day, two options stand out.

Bartlett Lake Trail (about 7.5 miles round-trip): this is the longest outing in the marked-trail area. The elevation gain is modest, but the distance and muddy sections make it a real full-day hike. Start early, plan on spending at least four hours on the trail, and bring a full meal.

Wilderness day hike by tour boat: board the boat serving the Upper Bay, ask to be dropped off on a beach, spend a few hours crossing moraines or following the shoreline, and then catch the boat on its return. You can do this without camping gear. It's the most spectacular way to spend a demanding day, with active glaciers, wildlife, and an absolute sense of solitude. Arrange it in advance and confirm the plan with the rangers during your briefing.

The guide to things to do in Glacier Bay covers the park's other adventure activities, including sea kayaking, glacier cruises, and whale watching.

Access, Trailheads, and Parking

All marked trails start at Glacier Bay Lodge in Bartlett Cove, 10 miles from the village of Gustavus along the park's only road. Gustavus is served by flights from Juneau, including Alaska Airlines and regional carriers, as well as a seasonal ferry.

Parking: free parking is available at the Lodge, but the lot is small. In July, the peak of the season, it may fill up by midmorning, so arrive early. The NPS doesn't run a shuttle between Gustavus and Bartlett Cove. Your options are renting a bike in Gustavus or arranging a transfer through the Lodge.

For the backcountry, access depends on your transportation: the daily tour boat from Bartlett Cove, a private boat with a boating permit, or a chartered floatplane from Juneau or Gustavus. To reach the trailheads from Gustavus or Juneau, the Glacier Bay access guide lays out every option, including current operators and prices.

When to Hike in Glacier Bay

The hiking season runs from late May to early September, with a peak in July. That's the brightest month, with sunset after 10 p.m., and it's also the busiest time for wildlife and visitors. April through June generally brings the year's driest conditions. September and October are among the wettest months.

Whenever you visit, come prepared for rain. In southeast Alaska, it's the norm, not a surprise. For a full month-by-month look at conditions and weather probabilities, see the Glacier Bay seasons guide and the park weather forecast.

Which Hike Is Right for You?

Before every outing, stop at the Glacier Bay Lodge Visitor Center. Rangers share the day's bear reports, trail conditions, and upcoming weather windows. Never set out without making this stop, even for a short loop.

Frequently Asked Questions