Glacier Bay Transportation
| Kayakers planning to take the camper transport boat must arrive in Glacier Bay by early afternoon on the day prior to departure to allow sufficient time to check in with the park service, obtain backcountry permits, watch the instructional backcountry camping video, check out bear proof canisters, repack your food, and load your empty kayak aboard the camper transport vessel prior to 6:00 PM. Most kayakers find a mid-day arrival most convenient. On the day of your pick up, the camper transport vessel will return to Bartlett Cove between 3:30 and 4:00 PM. Our staff will be there to meet you. If you are planning to depart that afternoon, you should allow about 90 minutes to unload, check in your kayaks and gear, wash out your bear canisters, exit your NPS camper permit, and travel to the Gustavus airport. |
Air Excursions Charter Flight ReservationsMany people enjoy the beautiful flight in a small charter plane over the mountains between Juneau and Gustavus. We can make reservations for you on Air Excursions, the locally-based air taxi service in Gustavus. Air Excursions has several flights daily and reservations can be arranged to meet your schedule, so let us know when you arrive in Juneau and when you would like to depart for Glacier Bay. For a return flight to Juneau, we generally recommend their 6:20 PM departure. Baggage allowance is 70 lbs per person. | | One-Way Air Taxi | R/T Air Taxi | Adults:
| $95.00 | $190.00 | Children (2-11 years old):
| $75.00 | $150.00 |
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Private Vessels
| If you are arriving on a private vessel, please let us know when you are planning to arrive and the name of your vessel. Plan to call us while still in cell phone range before rounding Pt. Gustavus into Bartlett Cove, to give us an update on your arrival time. Boat permits are required for private vessels while in Glacier Bay and you should contact the NPS Visitor Information Station (VIS) at 1-907-697-2627 for availability. Permits are limited and advance reservations are advised. |
Ferry Currently, there is no Alaska Marine Highway service to Gustavus. In past years, private companies have offered a twice-weekly “passenger only” ferry service with a schedule that arrived too late in the evening to rent a kayak. Because of the cost of fuel, the service was canceled by midsummer in ‘07 and ‘08. If you need to transport your own kayak from Juneau, this is your best option. Please contact us for current information. |  |
Cruise Ship Gustavus does not have a dock that accommodates larger cruise ships such as Holland America and Princess Cruiselines. If your cruise itinerary includes Glacier Bay, you will be traveling up into Glacier Bay National Park. You will not dock in Gustavus or Bartlett Cove, and therefore you will not be able to do any shore based excursions with us. Ships also stop at Icy Strait Point (Point Sophia), which is located in Hoonah, 25 miles from Gustavus. Because you are too far away to take advantage of our services, we suggest you contact them for for day trip excursions in the area. 
| Alaska Airlines
Alaska Airlines also has traditionally flown between Juneau and Gustavus during the summer months (between Memorial Day and Labor Day, roughly). In the past, they have offered one flight per day, usually around 5pm or so. See the Alaska Airlines website for more information. Please note, if you are planning on going up bay the next day on the tourboat for a drop off, this flight has generally arrived too late to meet us in Bartlett Cove for the 5:00 PM instruction. For paddlers considering an extra day in Bartlett Cove to organize their trip, or kayaking up bay through the Beardslees, an Alaska Airlines arrival will allow you to meet with us the following day, at the 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM or 5:00 PM instruction. Please call our office to discuss these options. |
Taxi Van Transportation For transport from the Gustavus Airport or the general store over the 10 mile stretch of road to Glacier Bay National Park, it's a good idea to email ahead your arrival time/place or other transportation needs to
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.They will have a taxibus waiting and will take you to the hardware store, the grocery store and whatever your needs may be, then transport you directly to the backcountry ranger station in Bartlett Cove where you can purchase maps, check out bear canisters, obtain your backcountry permit, repack food and plan for the evening prior to our 5:00 PM kayak rental/instruction program. The one-way per-person cost from the Gustavus Airport to Bartlett Cove is approximately $12.25/adult and $6.25 child. Email TLC taxi for current rates and reservations and for group and family rates. |
