Glacier Park is accessible from Juneau, the state capital, as well as the nearby town of Gustavus. When you approach the area, towering snow-capped mountains will greet you from afar. Within the park, you will witness glaciers inching their way towards the sea. The coastlines Glacier Park are unspoiled, and various genera of trees thrive with numberless plant species native to North America.
A priceless biosphere reserve
The entire 5,130 square miles of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Alaska is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a protected area teeming with wildlife such as bears, wolves, and moose, mountain goats, deer, and mountain eagles. A fifth of the park’s 3.3-acre expanse is pristine marine environment home to orcas, sea lions, humpback whales, sea otters, harbor seals, and porpoises.
Where glaciers advance
More than 50 glaciers have been named and two are actively advancing. These are Margerie Glacier and Johns Hopkins Glacier. Seven of the glaciers are regularly supplying the sea with icebergs. Snowmelt from the mountains and water from Glacier Bay National Park flows down the entire North American continent to reach Hudson Bay, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Pacific Ocean. The park is a scientific laboratory where observers can see for themselves evidence of the last Ice Age.
A place for tourists who seek nature’s gifts
Tourists and wildlife enthusiasts will find ample accommodations within the park if they choose to stay for a day or two. There are few places in America where its wildest nature is preserved, and Glacier Park is one of them. The park can be reached by plane from Juneau. Freshwater lakes and estuarine waters are favorite paddling sites. To prepare for your wilderness adventure, Above & Beyond Alaska suggests you take Auke Bay kayak lessons so that you can freely explore Glacier Park’s wonders.
The nature preserve is co-managed with the Tlingit and Hoonah native peoples. It is one of the most important terrestrial and marine wildlife sanctuaries in North America.