Tag Archives: tidepooling

Alaska

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve

Leave a comment

Overview

Gustavus, Alaska (population 400) is the gateway to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, and can be accessed by air or ferry from Juneau.  Some large cruise ships include the bay on their Inside Passage itinerary, but to get closer and really hear the thunder of cracking Margerie Glacier it is better to take a daytrip aboard a smaller catamaran from the docks at Glacier Bay Lodge.  Guided multi-day kayaking trips are one way to have a wild experience more similar to John Muir’s 1879 exploration detailed in his book Travels in Alaska.  Learn more in our guidebook to the 62 National Parks, A Park to Yourself: Finding Adventure in America’s National Parks (available on Amazon).

Highlights

Sitakaday Narrows, Bartlett River Trail, Margerie Glacier, wildlife

Must-Do Activity

Vacation packages including boat tickets, meals, and a private cabin at the lodge are reasonably priced through the National Park Service (NPS) concessionaire.  Shortly after departing on your all-day boat tour you will see humpback whales in the Sitakaday Narrows, then up the bay are Steller sea lions, harbor seals, and a variety of seabirds.  By scanning the cliffs you might also spot mountain goats and brown bears.  The boat turns around at Margerie Glacier, a great place to witness the thunderous calving of a tidewater glacier, an experience that should be on everyone’s bucket list. 

Best Trail

On the days you are not on the boat, there are several trails around Glacier Bay Lodge or you can explore the shoreline at low tide to see an assortment of marine life. 

Instagram-worthy Photo

Lamplugh Glacier is not as active as Margerie Glacier, but may be more photogenic, which is why we chose to depict it in our logo for this National Park (see below).

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/glba/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

None for the park, but this is not a cheap place to visit.

Road Conditions

There are no roads to Gustavus, Alaska, which is only accessible by airplane or boat.  The NPS always sends a bus from Glacier Bay Lodge to pick up arrivals at the airport and ferry terminal.

Camping

There is a free NPS campground near Glacier Bay Lodge if you bring your own supplies. 

Related Sites

Sitka National Historical Park (Alaska)

Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve (Alaska)

Kenai Fjords National Park (Alaska)

  • Inside the dining room at Glacier Bay Lodge
  • Mt. Fairweather seen from Bartlett Cove
  • Tiff on a nature trail near the NPS visitor center
  • Humpback whale in Sitakaday Narrows
  • Sea lions
  • Margerie Glacier
  • Harbor seal
  • Scott exploring the tidepools at low tide
  • Gustavus, Alaska near the ferry dock
This design we created to celebrate Glacier Bay National Park is available on a variety of products at Cafe Press and Amazon.

Explore More – Glacier Bay was named a National Monument in 1925 and was expanded to become the largest NPS site (at the time) in 1939, but when was it finally designated a National Park?

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Maine

Saint Croix Island International Historic Site

Leave a comment

Overview

Administered cooperatively by the National Park Service (NPS) and Parks Canada, Saint Croix Island International Historic Site has a unique location in the middle of the Saint Croix River on the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick.  It is the only International Historic Site designated in the 419 units of the NPS system.  Under the leadership of Lieutenant General Pierre Dugua, Sieur de Mons, the island was the site of a short-lived French colony, founded in April 1604 and abandoned by May 1605 after a hard winter when the settlers relocated to Port Royal, Nova Scotia. 

Highlights

Sculptures, tidepooling

Must-Do Activity

There are no ferries to the 6.5-acre island, but the miniature NPS visitor center and a short walking trail on the river banks provide a thorough background on its history.  Six bronze statues offer a glimpse into the past, and all interpretative information is offered in both English and French.  Private boats are allowed access to the island during daylight hours.  Parks Canada also manages a visitor centre across the river in New Brunswick, as well as Port-Royal National Historic Site in Nova Scotia.

Best Trail

The Saint Croix River is tidally influenced in its lower reaches near Passamaquoddy Bay.  If you continue past the pavilion at the end of the short interpretive trail, you can access the beach for tidepooling at low tide.  Just up the road at Devil’s Head Conservation Area, a gravel road accesses the river shoreline and a 1.3-mile trail that provides an overlook of the area.

Instagram-worthy Photo

Pick your favorite of the six bronze sculptures to pose with.  The native Passamaquoddy traded furs to the French settlers for European goods, like iron cooking pots.

Peak Season

Summer

Hours

https://www.nps.gov/sacr/planyourvisit/hours.htm

Fees

None

Road Conditions

Access road is paved, but be aware that our GPS unit had the wrong location for the NPS visitor center.

Camping

Camping is not permitted on Saint Croix Island.  Your best bet might be to the head south to the campgrounds at Acadia National Park.

Related Sites

Fort Caroline National Memorial (Florida)

Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument (Maine)

Acadia National Park (originally established as Sieur de Monts National Monument, Maine)

  • You are looking at the full extent of the museum inside the NPS visitor center.
  • Caterpillar
  • The island is in the middle of the river in this photo
  • Tidepooling finds
  • Saint. Croix Island is far off in this photo taken from Devil’s Head Conservation Area.

Explore More – Since Saint Croix Island was located in the center of a brackish river, where did the French settlers have to go for fresh drinking water?