Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve guide · 1 min read
Hiking the Bartlett Cove Trail Network
Bartlett Cove is the one developed corner of Glacier Bay, and its trails make an easy start.
The Forest Trail is a one-mile loop that takes 30 minutes to an hour and a half. You can begin in front of the Glacier Bay Lodge or just south of the boat ramp, and the path runs through temperate rainforest and beach. Dirt, gravel, and boardwalk make up the surface, and two benches and viewing platforms invite a pause among the spruce and hemlock.
The Tlingit Trail covers half a mile one way along the wooded shore in front of the lodge, with views across the cove. Visitors can see a traditional Łingít dugout canoe and a complete whale skeleton, and learn about common native plants. Nearby, the Huna Tribal House offers a window into Łingít culture and formline design.
The Bartlett River Trail follows an intertidal lagoon and ends at the Bartlett River estuary. It is not difficult, but a few spots turn muddy in rainy weather, and Southeast Alaska's wet climate keeps surfaces slippery. Bring sturdy shoes with good traction, since rubber boots are popular here.
The beach south of the docks needs no marked path, and a walker can keep going for miles. Point Gustavus sits six miles along the shore, a destination that can fill a full day. When the tide goes out, the intertidal zone reveals many sea creatures, so place each step with care. The Bartlett Lake Trail offers another day hike from the cove.
Humpback whales can be heard blowing offshore, and feeding sea otters and bald eagles are worth watching for. Beaches draw land, shore, and sea birds, and waterfowl gather during migrations. Coyotes and bears roam the sand, and porcupines and red squirrels live in the woods.
