Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve is a National Park & Preserve in Alaska. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and 9 photo locations inside or next to the park.
Best photo spots in Glacier Bay
We matched 9 named overlooks, waterfalls, peaks and other features to Glacier Bay. Each has its own page with sun directions and a monthly golden hour table.
Mountain Peaks (3)
Glaciers (5)
Glacier
Glacier
Glacier
Glacier
GlacierBeaches (1)
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At Glacier Bay the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 38° (NE) at the June solstice and 138° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 323° (NW) in June to 222° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 55° in summer but only 8° in winter.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8:47 AM | 10:11 AM | 2:23 PM | 3:48 PM | 228° | 7h 01m |
| February | 7:42 AM | 8:43 AM | 4:02 PM | 5:03 PM | 247° | 9h 21m |
| March | 7:24 AM | 8:18 AM | 6:17 PM | 7:10 PM | 268° | 11h 46m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:21 PM | 291° | 14h 27m |
| May | 4:38 AM | 5:42 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:31 PM | 311° | 16h 52m |
| June | 3:57 AM | 5:11 AM | 9:07 PM | 10:20 PM | 322° | 18h 23m |
| July | 4:22 AM | 5:31 AM | 8:57 PM | 10:05 PM | 317° | 17h 43m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 6:26 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:57 PM | 300° | 15h 29m |
| September | 6:38 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:37 PM | 7:29 PM | 277° | 12h 52m |
| October | 7:45 AM | 8:42 AM | 5:06 PM | 6:03 PM | 255° | 10h 18m |
| November | 7:59 AM | 9:13 AM | 2:33 PM | 3:46 PM | 234° | 7h 47m |
| December | 8:55 AM | 10:37 AM | 1:30 PM | 3:12 PM | 223° | 6h 17m |
Computed for the park's reference point (58.8009, -136.8408); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| April | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| May | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| June | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| July | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| August | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| September | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
Summer temperatures average 50° to 60° F (10° to 15° C). Rain is the norm in lush southeast Alaska. It is best to be prepared to enjoy the park in any kind of weather, especially rain. Suggested clothing includes waterproof boots, rain gear, a hat, gloves, wool or pile layers or a warm coat. Good rain gear is essential here. April, May and June are usually the driest months of the year. September and October tend to be the wettest.
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 74% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (81%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve lies west of Juneau, Alaska, and can only be reached by plane or boat. The only road in the area merely connects the small town of Gustavus and its airfield to park headquarters at Bartlett Cove (10 miles). Alaska Airlines provides daily jet service from Juneau to Gustavus in the summer months. Year-round scheduled air service is also provided by a variety of small air taxis and charters. The Alaska Marine Highway ferries also provide regular service from Juneau.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Arts and Culture
- Cultural Demonstrations
- Auto and ATV
- ATV Off-Roading
- Boating
- Motorized Boating
- Boat Tour
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Climbing
- Mountain Climbing
- Fishing
- Food
- Flying
- Guided Tours
- Boat Tour
- Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
- Kayaking
