Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a protected area of about 3.28 million acres in Southeast Alaska, known for tidewater glaciers, the Fairweather Range and a bay that was filled by ice only about 250 years ago. It began as a national monument in 1925 and became a national park and preserve in 1980. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with Wrangell–St. Elias in Alaska and Kluane and Tatshenshini-Alsek in Canada, and most of its visitors see it from cruise ships [1].
| Location | Southeast Alaska, near Gustavus and Juneau |
|---|---|
| Area | 3,280,840 acres (3,222,434 park; 58,406 preserve) |
| Monument established | February 26, 1925 |
| Park and preserve established | December 2, 1980 |
| World Heritage Site | 1992 |
| Highest peak | Mount Fairweather, 15,300 ft |
| Glaciers | About 1,059, of which seven are active tidewater glaciers |
Overview
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve covers 3,280,840 acres, made up of a 3,222,434-acre park and a 58,406-acre preserve. It was first protected as a national monument on February 26, 1925, and was redesignated a national park and preserve on December 2, 1980. It was named a World Biosphere Reserve in 1986 and a World Heritage Site in 1992 [1]. The World Heritage Site covers about 24.3 million acres in total, shared with Wrangell–St. Elias National Park in Alaska and Kluane National Park and Tatshenshini-Alsek Provincial Park in Canada [1].
Glaciers and Peaks
The park contains roughly 1,059 glaciers, of which 62 are named, covering about 1,571 square miles or 30.6 percent of the park. Seven are active tidewater glaciers that reach the sea [1]. The highest peak is Mount Fairweather at 15,300 feet, followed by Mount Quincy Adams (13,650 feet), Mount Crillon (12,726 feet), Lituya Mountain (11,750 feet), Mount La Perouse (10,728 feet) and Mount Bertha (10,204 feet) [1]. Together these peaks form the Fairweather Range, which rises steeply from the Pacific coast.
The Retreat of the Ice
Glacier Bay is one of the best-known examples of rapid glacial retreat. The ice that filled the bay reached its maximum extent around 1750, near Lemesurier Island at the edge of Icy Strait, and held that position only briefly. By the time Captain George Vancouver sailed past, the glacier had already receded about five miles. When naturalist John Muir arrived in 1879 looking for active glaciers, the ice had retreated roughly 40 miles farther up the bay. Since about 1750 the glaciers have retreated about 65 miles to the heads of the bay’s inlets [2].
Recent research has found about 11 percent less glacial ice in the park than in the 1950s, although heavy snowfall in the Fairweather Mountains keeps a few glaciers stable [2].
Plants and Animals
The park’s record of life includes 329 fish species, 247 birds, 12 marine mammals and 34 terrestrial mammals, one amphibian, one reptile and 594 vascular plant taxa [1]. As the ice has retreated, newly exposed land has been colonized by plants and animals, and the lower bay is forested while the upper bay remains recently deglaciated. The marine waters support whales, seals, sea lions and seabirds.
Indigenous Homeland
The park lies within the homeland of the Huna and Yakutat Língit (Tlingit) peoples, who have lived in and used the Glacier Bay region for generations [1][2]. The National Park Service notes that Lingit presence in the bay pre-dates the Little Ice Age advance of the glacier [2]. The park works with Tlingit tribes on cultural and management matters.
Wilderness
About 2,656,200 acres of the park are designated wilderness [1]. Large parts of the park have no roads, trails or facilities and can be reached only by boat or aircraft, which keeps the landscape close to its natural condition.
Visiting Glacier Bay
Most visitors arrive by cruise ship or tour boat, and more than 90 percent never set foot on land. In 2024 the park recorded 691,387 cruise passengers, 13,516 tour vessel passengers, 13,748 lodge guests, 3,710 backcountry visitors and 773 campground visitors, with visitation setting a record for the second year running [1]. The only park road connects the Bartlett Cove headquarters to Gustavus, about 10 miles away. Gustavus has an airport with summer service by Alaska Airlines and year-round small aircraft service, along with Alaska Marine Highway ferry service from Juneau [1].
Ecological Succession
Because the ice has withdrawn so quickly, Glacier Bay offers a natural record of how landscapes recover after glaciation. Land near the bay’s mouth, uncovered long ago, supports mature forest, while areas near the retreating glaciers are recently exposed rock and gravel colonized by pioneer plants. Scientists have used the bay for generations to study how soil, vegetation and animal communities develop in stages [1][2].
Marine Environment
The park includes a large marine area of fjords, inlets and open water. Cold, nutrient-rich water supports fish, seabirds and marine mammals, and the 247 bird species and 12 marine mammal species recorded in the park reflect this productivity [1]. Vessel traffic is regulated to protect wildlife, which is one reason the number of cruise ships entering the bay is limited by permit.
Cultural Connections
The Língit connection to Glacier Bay goes back further than the Little Ice Age advance, and the National Park Service interprets the bay as a place where people lived before, during and after the glaciers moved [2]. Today the park cooperates with Tlingit tribes on cultural programs and on the management of traditional places within the bay.
Scientific Value
Glacier Bay’s combination of documented ice retreat, a World Heritage designation and a biosphere reserve status makes it a long-term reference site for climate and ecosystem research. Measurements of ice loss, such as the roughly 11 percent decline since the 1950s, are part of ongoing monitoring that helps scientists understand change across the wider Gulf of Alaska region [1][2].
FAQs
How big is Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve? It covers 3,280,840 acres, including a 3,222,434-acre park and a 58,406-acre preserve.
When did Glacier Bay become a national park? It was a national monument from 1925 and became a national park and preserve on December 2, 1980.
How many glaciers are in Glacier Bay? About 1,059 glaciers, of which seven are active tidewater glaciers.
How do you get to Glacier Bay? Most visitors arrive by cruise ship or tour boat. Others fly or take a ferry to Gustavus, then travel about 10 miles by road to Bartlett Cove.
Is Glacier Bay a World Heritage Site? Yes, since 1992, shared with Wrangell–St. Elias, Kluane and Tatshenshini-Alsek.
Sources
More in Earth Sciences
Key facts
Quick checkWhen did Glacier Bay become a national park?Show answer
December 2, 1980
Sources
- National Park Service. Glacier Bay Fact Sheet. 2025 (accessed 2026-11-11)
- National Park Service. Glacier Bay’s Glacial History. 2026 (accessed 2026-11-11)
Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 11, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue