National Park · Alaska, United States
Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park is a national park in Alaska, United States, covering 3,223,383 acres (1,304,458 ha), established in 1980; it recorded 740,044 visits in 2025.
National Park · Alaska, United States
No freely licensed photograph of this park is in our library yet — rather than borrow a picture of somewhere else, this profile leads with its verified facts.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Alaska, United States |
| Area | 3,223,383 acres (1,304,458 ha) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 740,044 |
| Coordinates | 58.5000° N, 137.0000° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Glacier Bay National Park
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is a national park of the United States located in Southeast Alaska west of Juneau. President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the area around Glacier Bay a national monument under the Antiquities Act on February 26, 1925. Subsequent to an expansion of the monument by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) enlarged the national monument by 523,000 acres (817.2 sq mi; 2,116.5 km2) on December 2, 1980, and created Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
May to September — the visitor season; winters are cold and dark
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Gustavus, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Gustavus Airport |
| Getting there | Flying time from Juneau to Gustavus is about 30 minutes. |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes |
|---|---|
| Lodges | Glacier Bay Lodge inside the park |
Famous trails
- Forest Loop Trail — 1.0 miles (1.6 km) — Easy
Like Glacier Bay National Park? Visit Glacier Bay National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Gustavus Airport (GST) · Gustavus, United States · 47.0 miles away
- Haines Airport (HNS) · Haines, United States · 73.6 miles away
- Juneau International Airport (JNU) · Juneau, United States · 88.3 miles away
Parks nearby
Glacier Bay National Preserve
Chilkat State Park
Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park
Petroglyph Beach State Historic Site
Baranof Castle Hill State Historic Site
Sitka National Historical Park
More parks in Alaska
Frequently asked questions
Where is Glacier Bay National Park?
Glacier Bay National Park is in Alaska, United States (58.5000° N, 137.0000° W).
When was Glacier Bay National Park established?
Glacier Bay National Park was established in 1980, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Glacier Bay National Park?
Glacier Bay National Park covers 3,223,383 acres (1,304,458 ha).
How many people visit Glacier Bay National Park each year?
It recorded 740,044 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
When is the best time to visit Glacier Bay National Park?
May to September — the visitor season; winters are cold and dark.
Does Glacier Bay National Park have campgrounds?
Yes — Glacier Bay National Park has campgrounds.
How do I get to Glacier Bay National Park?
The nearest town is Gustavus, Alaska. The nearest airport is Gustavus Airport. Flying time from Juneau to Gustavus is about 30 minutes.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_Bay_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/glba/ — Official park page.