Theodore Roosevelt National Park was my 49th National Park that I had visited on my journey to the 63 parks. And my 50th had to be special. When I raised it to my partner, she recommended that we visit the spectacular Glacier Bay National Park. At first glance, the name just brought up imagery of vast mountain ranges getting slowly carved by glaciers, and long fjords bristling with tidewater glaciers descending down from the peaks. But after visiting there, I realized that it was so much more than that.
The park isn't easy to access - but it certainly isn't the hardest one to access in the 49th state. It required two flights to get to the lightly populated island of Gustavus, and the Park itself featured only one hotel and one campground, despite encapsulating a substantial area in Alaska. But it was its remoteness and lack of accessibility that made the experience so much better. Compared to the crowds in parks of Utah, this felt completely isolated. And yet, the Park had so much to offer, featuring rich history and culture that felt alive, and, of course, bountiful nature.
Colorful displays in the visitor center tell the story that led to the creation of the park, starting with the rapid advance of the Grand Pacific Glacier in the 18th century that pushed away the Tlingit settlements who had lived there for hundreds of years. In addition, tastefully done ranger programs tell the narrative of the lives of the Tlingit disrupted by the advance of the glacier, the creation of the Park and the subsequent conflict with the Tlingit, as well as the efforts taken now by the Park system to preserve, protect and enrich this rich cultural heritage. And finally, the day cruise into the tidewater basin, which I highly recommended, showcases the complex ecosystem in the nutrient rich waters of Glacier Bay which served as home for humpbacks which rear their calves, seals and sea lions who are year-round denizens, plethora of migratory seabird species, and the iconic grizzlies fishing along the undulating shoreline.
And to frame all this is the vast glacial landscape where tidewater glaciers descend down from the snow-capped peaks to meet the freezing waters of the Pacific. It is a landscape so challenging to explore except by water. And I hope to return one day to explore its rugged backcountry.
Glacier Bay National Park
AK USA
