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Glacier Bay National Park is a 5,000 square mile area of Southeast Alaska that encompasses a diverse range of landscapes, scenery, vegetation, and wildlife. The namesake of Glacier Bay is of course, glaciers, and it is home to over 50. 10 of these glaciers are known as “tidewater” glaciers, and these are the glaciers that you can see up-close, on a Glacier Bay cruise. The bay itself, Glacier Bay, only makes up about 27% of the park, but it is most definitely the highlight of the park. A Cruise Ship is the best way to see Glacier Bay, as the only town near the park, Gustavus, is only accessible by air.
Glacier Bay is truly a beautiful place; as the glaciers have receded, vegetation has sprung up in their wake. Near the entrance of the park, is a 200 year old, spruce and hemlock forest. Further, towards the remaining glaciers, the forest tapers off to only small lichens and moss, where the glaciers have more recently resided. It is an area of constant change; only 300 years ago, you would not have been able to enter the bay, blocked by a massive glacier, which has now retreated up to 65 miles. We are now free to explore Glacier Bay, and be inspired by nature’s contrasts of snow-capped mountain ranges rising as high as 15,000 feet, deep fjords, coastal beaches, and a rich habitat of wildlife.
A wonderful way to see two much different but equally beautiful sides of Alaska, is to connect a Glacier Bay cruise, with a land-based tour, traveling to the highest mountain in North America, Denali. A Grand Alaska Cruise Vacation takes you through Alaska’s inside passage, with a full day in Glacier Bay, and then to Denali for a two night stay at the exclusive Denali Backcountry Lodge. It’s a great way to see how truly beautiful and varied the State of Alaska is.
I just wanted to write and thank you for planning the most wonderful vacation I have ever had in my life! Everything from the lodging, goldstar train ride, bus tour of Denali Park, Kenai Fjiords, etc was exceptional. And, the weather cooperated on the days in park and on the boat. We saw 8 grizzly bears, a large alpha male wolf, several bands of....Read More
Wonderful people, comfortable cabins with a beautiful view! The location and facilities are great but my memories will center on the superb staff, they were very warm and helpful!
-Father Don- Cabin: #42
Dear Karen,
I want to thank you and Denali Tours for a most successful trip to Alaska. During these 10 days I am sure we saw and experienced a great deal of true Alaska at its best. To top it all the pictures we took of the peak of Mt. McKinley in the early morning sunshine with blue skies and a reflection on Wonder Lake was breathtaking....Read More
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