GBP#04 Bear Track Inn | Gustavus Glacier Bay

Print

A MUST SEE ….and our all time favorite in Southeast Alaska. !! The Bear Track Inn is situated on the tranquil shores of Gustavus in Glacier Bay National Park. The deluxe lodge provides exquisite accommodations, scrumptious meals as well as true Alaskan ambience and hospitality. Magnificent handcrafted log construction with only 14 rooms. Each room features private bath, 2 queen beds, goose down comforter, deluxe 200 tread count sheets, desk, chairs and trestle bench. The lobby with its huge circular fireplace is the focal point of the Lodge - stretching 30 feet from floor to ceiling - and offers inspiring views of streams, wildlife, mountains, forests, meadows, and of Icy Strait. Wilderness abounds from windows throughout the lodge. Dining is an experience by itself: Choose between four to six entrees that could include steak, salmon, halibut, pork tenderloin, chicken, musk ox, caribou and vegetarian dishes. If this does not tempt your tastes buds, there will also be nightly specials, such as Halibut Parmesan, Excursion Halibut, Salmon in Parchment, or many other Inn specialties. Combine this with Alaskan favorites such as fresh Dungeness Crab, Alaskan Spotted Prawns, seafood soups and salads, homemade breads, freshly made dressings, and finish with dazzling desserts. It's a dinner to remember. During your stay you can hike into Glacier Bay National Park and see seldom viewed waterfalls, bears, moose, or wolves. Take a salt water fishing trip for barn-door sized halibut and hard-hitting salmon. You can choose to be dropped off on a deserted beach with six other brave souls to create a self-guided bike trip.

  • Tour Itinerary

  • Dates | Rates

  • Options | Extensions

  • Glacier Bay National Park FAQ

Day
01

Bear Track Inn Information

Your deluxe Glacier Bay package begins with a scenic morning flight from Juneau to Gustavus. Transfer to the Bear Track Inn. After lunch you have the option to attend a 3-hour whale watching and wildlife cruise that takes you into the heart of the humpback whales' summer feeding ground at Point Adolphus. Stroll the beach at Bartlett Cove, explore the rainforest trails, go fishing, kayaking or biking. Enjoy tonight a delicious 4-course gourmet dinner at the Lodge. Later bask in front of a walk-around fireplace - the only fireplace in Gustavus. There are overstuffed suede couches, handmade tables, hand-crafted chandeliers and lighting fixtures, including two moose antler chandeliers. Everything has been hand picked to compliment the building.
Day
02

Bear Track Inn | Glacier Bay Cruise

After the delicious breakfast buffet at the lodge enjoy the high-speed catamaran cruise into Glacier Bays West Arm (included). View glaciers with massive towers of ancient ice "calving" big chunks of ice into the bay. Throughout the cruise, watch out for the Park's resident wildlife: humpback, orca and minke whales; harbor seals and sea lions: bears, mountain goats and moose; and more than 200 species of birds. The Spirit of Adventure, a spacious, comfortable catamaran, was designed for maximum viewing enjoyment with open top-deck viewing, interior seating and large picture windows. Throughout the cruise, a National Park Service Ranger explains wildlife behavior as well as the geologic features and cultural history of the Park. Lunch is included and served on board with complimentary hot cocoa, tea and coffee. After the cruise, return to Bartlett Cove. Transfer to the airport or lodge for an additional night.
Rates in US $ / per Person Double Occupancy
1 Night / 2 Days Bear Track Inn Package $ 1350.00
2 Nights / 3 Days Bear Track Inn Package $ 1985.00
3 Nights / 4 Days Bear Track Inn Package $ 2640.00

 

Services included
  • Return Flight from / to Juneau
  • Deluxe Lodge Accommodation. Rooms with private bath
  • Hotel Tax
  • 5 % Fuel Surcharge
  • All meals while at the Lodge
  • Ground Transportation in Gustavus
  • Full Day Glacier Bay Cruise including lunch
  • Glacier Bay National Park / Concession Fee
    Please Note: The Packages are also available from / to Haines, Sitka and Skagway.
Sigghtseeing Tours
Rates in US $ / per Person Adult     
Full Day Saltwater Fishing Trip $ 380.00
Gustavus: Whale Watching Cruise (3 hrs) $ 160.00
Glacier BayNational Park - FAQ
Glacier Bay National Park was completely covered by ice just 200 years ago. Explorer Captain George Vancouver found Icy Strait choked with ice in 1794. The “Y” shaped body of Glacier Bay includes 16 tidewater glaciers. 12 of them are active and calve icebergs thundering into the bay. On the east and west of the 65 mile long bay the steep mountain summits of the Chilkat and the Fairweather Ranges rise up to provide a dramatic backdrop of glaciated mountain tops. During the summertime hundreds of whales are staying in Glacier Bay to feed in the nutrient rich waters before migrating back to Hawaii.
 
Q:
A:		 How do I get to Glacier Bay?
Glacier Bay National Park is located at the northern end of Southeast Alaska’s panhandle - approximately 50 miles west of Juneau. The only way to get to the Park is by charter or commercial aircraft and by boat. Daily air service to Gustavus is available between June and September from Juneau, Haines and Skagway, (flight time appr. 30 minutes) A high-speed passenger catamaran operates between Juneau’s Auke Bay and Gustavus / Bartlett Cove. There are no roads to and within Glacier Bay National Park and limited Alaska Marine Highway Ferry services. Please Note: You will not see any icebergs from the Bartlett Cove area. The only access to the fjords and bays within the national park is via a tour boat.
Q:
A:		 How can I visit the National Park?
Due to it's vast size and remote nature, the best ways to visit Glacier Bay National Park or Icy Straits is by tour boat, cruise ship or individually/escorted with kayak excursions. We offer a variety of 1-3 day tours, sightseeing and soft adventure programs. Custom itineraries are available upon request.
Q:
A:		 When is the best time to visit the Park?
In May wildlife is easy to spot. Migratory birds are resting on the way to the south.  Spring on the average has less rain than fall and there are fewer visitors in the Bay! In June throughout the area bears are easily spotted on shore and in mid June the whales are returning to Glacier Bay. July and August are the most popular months. The whales are here, breaching, playing and feeding. Flowers are in full bloom.  In September fewer visitors are in park. The bears are fishing for salmon! Great for glaciers! Good time to see the Northern Lights. The birds are migrating north for good bird watching.
Q:
A:		 What will I see in Glacier Bay?
Visitors will encounter icebergs, wildlife, and majestic country unrivaled by any other park in Alaska. The Glacier Bay National Park area includes 16 tidewater glaciers of whom 12 actively “calving” icebergs into the bay. The show can be spectacular. As water undermines the ice fronts, great chunks of ice - up to 200 feet high - break loose and crash into the water. The Johns Hopkins Glacier calves such volumes of ice that it is seldom possible to approach its ice cliffs closer than about 2 miles. Access to the fjords and bays is by tour boat leaving Bartlett Cove daily at 8:00 am / returning 3:30 pm. An onboard lunch is included.
Q:
A:		 Will I see wildlife?
Glacier Bay is home to a variety of wildlife. Humpback Whales, Orcas, Seals, Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Porpoises and numerous species of Sea Birds are just some of the varied marine creatures visitors can witness. In addition to the marine creatures, other commonly seen animals are mammals such as Brown and Black Bears and Moose. More than 200 species of birds found in the park include: Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle, Raven, Owl, Sandhill Crane, Loon, Stellar Jay, Murre, Cormorant, Puffin and many others.
Q:
A:		 Are any hotels directly in the Park?
Only a very limited number of remote wilderness lodges are operating within the park area with a government license. Additional accommodation is available in Gustavus – about 6 Miles by road from Bartlett Cove. A government campground is located on the shores of Bartlett Cove. For accommodation details lease refer to our Glacier Bay tour pages.
Q:
A:		 What is the weather like?
Summer daytime temperatures range from 45° to 65° F. Periods of rainy, cool and overcast weather is common in Southeast Alaska. The weather almanac indicated an average 153 rainy days per year with an annual rainfall of 71 inches. A sweater, hat, gloves and rain gear are recommended. Glacier Bay receives 18 1/2 hours of sunlight during the summer solstice.
Q:
A:		 What's about Outdoor Activities?
There are a number of outfitters and soft-adventure companies operating from Juneau and Gustavus. Some of the available activities include: flight-seeing adventures, day and overnight kayak touring, whale watching, sport fishing, photography and hiking. For additional information please refer to our tour pages.