Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve guide · 1 min read
Sea Kayaking Glacier Bay's Protected Inlets
Sea kayaking is one of the most direct ways to experience the wilderness of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, where much of the park is water.
Many trips begin at Bartlett Cove, the only developed area in the park. There you can rent a kayak from Glacier Bay Sea Kayaks, the park's official kayak rental concessionaire, or join a guided day trip from the cove.
Paddlers who want a head start can use the daily tour boat instead. The boat leaves Bartlett Cove each morning and carries campers and their kayaks to designated drop-off locations farther up the bay, closer to the park's tidewater glaciers. Because the boat can carry only a limited number of kayaks, advance reservations are recommended for both the rental and the drop-off service.
Once you are on the water, the protected inlets are the heart of the experience. Most visitors see the bay from a boat, but a single kayak through these inlets offers a very different way to see it. Before heading out, paddlers should understand the tides, because a safe trip starts with knowing how the water moves and where the shallow intertidal zone lies.
Guided trips are also available for visitors who prefer a leader. Day trips leave from Bartlett Cove, and guided overnight kayak trips are offered by authorized companies listed in the Glacier Bay Visitor Services Directory. Alaska Discovery, for example, runs evening, full-day and multi-day trips inside Glacier Bay proper.
