Exploring Glacier Bay National Park

(This is fifth in a series of posts recapping my recent trip to Glacier Bay National Park in southeast Alaska.)

After halibut fishing and an amazing whale watching trip, I was itching to explore nearby Glacier Bay National Park.  Checking another US National Park off my list was the main reason I'd chosen to vacation here in Gustavus, Alaska.

Many visitors to GBNP arrive by boat

The whale watching trip was a morning-only cruise, so I had all afternoon to fill.  Hubby was off halibut fishing for a second day so I was on my own.  Luckily the inn where we stayed was willing to drive me the short distance to Glacier Bay National Park HQ.  I jumped at the chance to spend a couple hours exploring the lodge and visitor center.

The large public boat dock

After arriving at the Glacier Bay Lodge parking lot and agreeing on a pickup time with my van driver, I first went inside the lodge to check out the visitor center.  Open limited hours (11 am to 1 pm each day) it had closed shortly after my arrival.  I wasn't able to purchase any souvenirs, but did manage to snag the official park map and newspaper, which I collect from each National Park I visit.

I'm not sure what this other dock was for

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve is huge - encompassing 3.3 million acres of glaciers, mountains, temperate rainforest, wild coastlines and deep fjords.  Nearly all of the park is wilderness, inaccessible unless one has a private boat, kayak, or floatplane.  Most visitors see the park via the daily glacier cruise (which I did the following day.)  The park headquarters offered a few hiking trails, a campground, a lodge with dining and cabins for rental, a large boat dock, and a tribal house for the local natives.

The people in this boat sailed from Washington state

Since most visitors to this National Park arrive either by boat or plane, Glacier Bay park headquarters has a massive dock for watercraft.  After exiting the lodge, I followed a shoreline path that took me to the dock.  Actually there were two docks - one appeared to be for the general public, with many boats moored here.  The other dock was higher with only one gray boat tied up (that looked like some type of research vessel.)

The official park sign is on the dock

I took a stroll onto the public dock and found the official national park sign.  I was surprised to see it here - most national park entrance signs are placed on the road where you enter the park.  But I guess this makes sense when you realize many visitors arrive here by boat.  While on the dock I met an older couple that had done just that.  Striking up a conversation with the wife, who was holding onto a rope attached to a very large watercraft, the lady told me that she and her husband had sailed here from Seattle.  Taking a boat to Glacier Bay all the way from Seattle!  I was duly impressed.

Glacier Bay Lodge as viewed from the dock

From the dock, I got a nice view of the Glacier Bay Lodge.  It was a stunning building, constructed in a "park service modern" style.  The enormous, asymmetrically pitched roof, with triple triangular dormers gave this building it's unique look.

Totem pole near the public dock

The park also honors the native Alaskans, who were the first people to settle here.  The Tlingit people made their home in Bartlett cove, harvesting salmon from Glacier Bay.

I was fascinated by the detail!

Near the boat dock, a tall totem pole soared skyward.  I was fascinated by the intricate designs carved into the wood.  Later, through online research, I learned this was a healing totem pole, telling the story of the evolving relationship between the National Park Service and the Hoonah Indian Association (the federally recognized tribal government of the Huna Tlingit clans.)

Salmon are an important part of the local native culture

From the Glacier Bay National Park website: "Mixing traditional form line design and modern artistic representations, it depicts the Huna Tlingit’s tragic migration from Glacier Bay Homeland, a painful period of alienation, and more recent collaborative efforts between the tribe and the NPS. The Healing Totem Pole was specifically designed not only to relate the difficult history between NPS and the Huna Tlingit, but also to relay the history of people working to overcome past hurts and heal."

I took dozens of photos of the totem pole

I captured as much of the details as I could from this amazing totem pole.

Another interesting detail

After my totem pole photography session, I followed the path along Bartlett Cove's shoreline.  After a cloudy start, the sun had come out.  I enjoyed the blue skies and fantastic views.

Bartlett Cove shoreline

The path was lined with bushes, many of them full of ripe berries.  There were bright red ones, smaller blue ones (which I discovered were Alaskan blueberries) and orange thimbleberries.  I struck up a conversation with a local man picking berries near the lodge.  He pointed out a thimbleberry and told me to taste it.  The man said it was the best tasting berry - and he was right!

These bright red berries were everywhere

Following the cove shoreline, I came upon another totem pole. 

A second totem pole was outside the Huna Tribal House

This totem pole was next to the Huna Tribal House.  This house was built by the National Park Service as a gathering place where tribal members and park visitors can learn about and preserve Tlingit culture and history.

Huna Tribal House

The house was open so I went inside.  A native woman sat at a table displaying some handmade items for sale.  There were purses and keychains, all very beautiful.  I chatted with the woman for a couple of minutes and complimented her handiwork.  The house itself was impressive with high ceilings, huge wooden beams, and more carving and painting artwork.  The native woman told me the local tribes often hold different ceremonies and celebrations here.

Colorful carvings

Returning back outside, I noticed not one, but two totem poles standing guard outside the Huna Tribal House.

This face is interesting

Again, from online research of the National Parks Service website, I learned that these two totem poles represent the Raven and Eagle clans of the Huna Tlingit.  The website gives a very interesting interpretation of the symbols carved into each of these totem poles.  I wish I would've had this information when I was photographing these!  

This is a bear, part of the Eagle clan

If you are interested, the website can be found here.

Glacier Bay Lodge was beautiful

With my allotted time rapidly drawing to an end, I headed back to Glacier Bay Lodge to meet my ride.

Fireweed in front of the lodge

It had been an interesting afternoon of exploration of this unique national park.  I made plans to return when my hubby wasn't fishing to explore some of the nearby trails.  To be continued...