Private Boating in Glacier Bay

Private boats moored in Bartlett Cove

Photo © Sean Neilson 2013

 

Glacier Bay is a popular destination for private boaters in the summer. To plan a visit by boat, see permit and other requirements under "Learn More" below, including:

• From May 1 through September 30, prior to entering and exiting Glacier Bay waters, all vessels are required to contact the park via VHF radio at “KWM20 Bartlett Cove” or by phone [phone] (see maps and details below).
• From June 1 through August 31, private boaters are required to obtain a permit to enter Glacier Bay park waters north of Point Gustavus and Point Carolus.

For the 2026 Season, the park is piloting a new online permit system which changes how permits are issued. View our videos about how to set up your profile and apply for a permit. Stay tuned as we make further refinements, noting that some mid-season adjustments may be required.

Please report any issues when using the online permit system by contacting the Visitor Information Station at 907-697-2627 or e-mail us.

The online permit system is best viewed on a desktop or laptop.

 

 

Learn More

 

Private Boater Permits

Permitted Vessels

Permits are issued to a vessel, not a person, and are non-transferable between vessels. To receive a private vessel permit a boat must be a recreation or pleasure craft, where the boat owner remains ultimately responsible for the vessel's operation and safety. This includes:

• owner-operated boats
• a bareboat vessel where the operator assumes all liability and operational responsibility
• when the owner is onboard the vessel but has a paid, professional captain for safety

To receive a private vessel permit a boat must also be able to abide by all Glacier Bay Private Vessel applicable laws, policies, and regulations, including:

• Glacier Bay Generator Regulations (36 CFR 13.1182)
• Vessels used as launches, tenders, or dinghies to a vessel obtaining a private vessel permit may not also obtain another private vessel permit (Compendium 13.50 Closures and Restrictions)

Boats are not eligible for a private vessel permit if they have paying passengers, or if the vessel qualifies as business or commercial activity. Commercial vessels require authorization from the National Park Service to operate in Glacier Bay National Park competed through a fair and transparent process.

Permit Season

A permit to enter Glacier Bay is required only from June 1 through August 31

Permit Area

You must have a valid permit from June 1 through August 31 to:

• Enter Glacier Bay across the direct line between Point Gustavus and Point Carolus
• Enter Glacier Bay from Bartlett Cove past the direct line extending from the fuel dock across to Lester Island

Browse maps of Glacier Bay locations

Permits Available

Twenty-five (25) private vessel permits are available per day and may be reserved in advance. Fifteen (15) are "advance-notice" permits and ten (10) are "short-notice" permits.

Conditional Transit Permits may not be reserved in advance but may be an option for boaters seeking only to transit directly between Bartlett Cove and Icy Strait between June 1 and August 31. Availability is not guaranteed and depends on availability within overall park vessel quotas. Permit limitations include:

• Only available during Visitor Information Station operating hours to vessels ready to transit
• Only allowed for a one-way transit per day per vessel
• Only one Conditional Transit Permit may be in use at any one time
• Only available to owner-occupied private vessels for recreational purposes

To check Conditional Transit Permit availability, contact the Visitor Information Station when 30 minutes or less travel time away from the park boundary, using one of these methods:

• VHF radio at "KWM20 Bartlett Cove"
• Telephone [phone]
• In person at the Visitor Information Station at Bartlett Cove.

Permit Length and Maximum Permit Use

The maximum duration of a private vessel permit is five days (four nights), however slow boats with a maximum attainable vessel speed of 7 knots or less may apply for seven days (six nights).

At any one time, a private vessel may hold up to two permits (not including Conditional Transit Permits), only one of which may be an advance-notice permit. A private vessel may not hold a combination of permits for more than fourteen (14) days in any twenty-one (21) day period.

When to Apply

Applications are accepted only during open permit seasons.

Advance Notice Permit Lotteries

There are two Advance Notice Permit Lotteries:

• First Lottery
  • Opens January 1 (12:01 am Alaska time)
  • Closes January 31 (11:59 pm Alaska time)
• Second Lottery
  • Opens March 1 (12:01 am Alaska time)
  • Closes March 15 (11:59 pm Alaska time)

Applicants are notified of their status after the lottery is conducted.

Remaining Advance Notice Permits

If available

After the second lottery, any remaining advance-notice permits will be issued on a first come, first served basis until 3 days before an entry date, at which time unused advance-notice permits will be incorporated into the short-notice lottery pool.

Short Notice Permit Lotteries

• Short notice permits are issued as a rolling, daily lottery.
• Apply 3 calendar days before your desired entry date, between 12:01 am and 10 am Alaska time (e.g., if you hope to obtain a short notice permit to begin a trip on July 1, you must apply on June 28, which is 3 days in advance, between 12:01 am and 10 am).  
• By noon each day, the lottery is conducted and applicants are notified of their status.

Remaining Short Notice Permits

If available
After each daily Short Notice Lottery, any remaining short-notice permits will be issued on a first come, first served basis.

Lottery Process

Lotteries are used to issue private vessel permits to ensure that all visitors have a fair and equal opportunity for a chance to experience the park.

Advance-notice permits are issued by lottery following two open application periods:

• January 1 - 31 (Winter Lottery Applications Accepted)
• March 1 - 15 (Spring Lottery Applications Accepted)

Short-notice permits are issued through a rolling lottery process with daily open application periods: May 29 to Aug 29, 12:01 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. AK time, three days before the permit start date (Daily Lottery Applications Accepted)

Each lottery only accepts one application per vessel. All vessels that submit an application during the open period have an equal chance of being selected; i.e., there is no advantage to applying earlier or later in the open period. However, if more than one application is submitted to the same lottery for the same vessel, only the application with the earliest date/time stamp will be entered in the lottery.

If a specific vessel holds one advance-notice permit, other users will not be able to enter an advance-notice lottery until after that permit has been used or cancelled and are recommended to seek a short-notice permit for their selected dates as their best option.

Applicants are notified and permits are issued after each lottery.

Availability Calendar

After lotteries are completed, additional permits may become available on a rolling basis that can be tracked on the Glacier Bay Permit Portal Availability Calendar. These can include:

• Advance-notice permits left over following the second lottery (sometime after March 15)
• Short-notice permits left over following daily lotteries May 29 to Aug 29 (sometime after 10:00 am AK time, three days before the permit start date)
• Cancelled permits, including when a permittee leaves early
• Relinquished permits because permittee did not confirm arrival prior to 5:00 pm AK time the day before the start of the permit, or they did not utilize the first day of the permit.
• Terminated permits because a permittee did not use all the consecutive days of a permit, or violated permit terms, or engaged in actions prohibited by the park's regulations.

The availability calendar is part of the Glacier Bay permit system.

• The calendar is view-only and updates in real-time, so if you've had it open for a while you may want to refresh the page to see the latest availability data.
• Starting a permit application does NOT hold or reserve a permit.
• Glacier Bay National Park cannot guarantee that a permit will still be available when you submit an application.

Cancellations or Changes

If you need to cancel or change your permit dates, visit the Glacier Bay permit system and under the "My Applications", use the "Application Status" menu to select "Cancel." Please note that Glacier Bay National Park cannot guarantee availability when you re-submit an application.

To change permit dates during the application process you must cancel and re-apply. For example, if you submit a permit application but later realize the dates are wrong or must be changed, you should cancel your initial application, as described above, and then submit a new one.

If a permit is not confirmed prior to the entry date or consecutive days of the permit are not used, the entire permit will be cancelled to make the unused days available to another vessel. In extenuating circumstances such as safety concerns, weather delays, or emergencies, vessel operators may contact the Visitor Information Station at 907-697-2627 or e-mail us for assistance.

Permit Issued

If a vessel is successful in the lottery and issued a permit, an email will be sent with the following information:

• Permit number
• Permit date(s)
• Permit confirmation instructions
• Communications required upon arrival
• Annual Boater Orientation and in-person signature requirements
• Website links to Glacier Bay National Park regulations and Glacier Bay press releases on any current Whale Waters speed limits.

Plan ahead to confirm arrival upon entering park waters, noting that Glacier Bay and the surrounding area has limited cell phone coverage.

Before the entry date, visit our website to review current Glacier Bay boating regulations and check for Whale Waters press releases for any new speed or course restrictions.

All vessel operators must attend a Boater Orientation at the Visitor Information Station immediately after arriving in Bartlett Cove prior to the first trip of the season.

An in-person signature on a non-commercial use affidavit is required to acknowledge private vessel permit conditions.

Consider completing the annual Boater Orientation at the Visitor Information Station early in the season. Orientations will be offered beginning May 1.
 

Permit Denied

After each lottery, any remaining permits are issued on a first come, first served basis.

If a vessel is not issued a permit, applicants can check availability for alternative dates by viewing the calendar on the Glacier Bay Permit Portal.

Feel free to refer to the list of authorized concessionaires as an alternative to operating your own vessel in Glacier Bay. A variety of services are available to park visitors, including lodging and dining, tour and charter vessels, guided trips, and more. Businesses authorized to operate inside Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve are listed in the Area Visitor Services Listing. Additional offerings just outside the park can be explored on the Gustavus Visitors' Association website.

Boaters within 30 minutes of Glacier Bay with flexible scheules may also request a Conditional Transit Permit as a way to explore Bartlett Cove. See Permits Available section above for details, and carefully read all limitations, noting that Glacier Bay National Park cannot guarantee availability, including for a timely exit.

 

2026 Season Changes

Online Permitting

For the 2026 season, the park is piloting a new private boater permitting online system which changes how permits are issued.

• Learn how to apply by watching our video tutorial.
• A valid email and a Login.gov account is required to apply for a permit.
• A Glacier Bay National Park Permits account is required to apply for a private boater permit and may be set up at any time, even outside of the permit application seasons, using the Glacier Bay Permit Portal.
• Please report any technical issues—call the Visitor Information Station at 907-697-2627 or email us.
• The National Park Service reserves the right to adjust the system as needed.

 

Vessel Operating Requirements

Enter/Exit Call to Bartlett Cove

From May 1 through September 30, private vessels are required to contact the park via VHF radio at “KWM20 Bartlett Cove” (or by phone at 907-697-2627) prior to entering AND exiting Glacier Bay waters, defined as those park waters north of a line drawn between Point Gustavus and Point Carolus, and west of a line extending north across Bartlett Cove from the fuel dock (browse maps and charts). Vessels are required to call in when passing this line when entering Glacier Bay AND when exiting. After-hours vessel arrivals/departures still require a call in to "KWM20 Bartlett Cove". Arrival/departure radio calls will be recorded and noted the following morning at start of business.

For example: If you are entering the park from Icy Strait with a plan to dock at the Bartlett Cove Public Use Dock, you are required to call the VIS twice: Call as you pass the line drawn between Point Gustavus and Point Carolus; and call again when you pass by the fuel dock inbound for the main Public Use Dock. When you depart the dock, call as you pass by the fuel dock; and call again when you exit Glacier Bay as you pass between Point Gustavus and Point Carolus.

Annual Boater Orientation

All boat operators in Glacier Bay are required to complete an annual orientatation. A permit is not valid until all operators have completed an orientation. From May 1 through August 31, orientations are offered in-person at the Visitor Information Station in Bartlett Cove daily.

Glacier Bay National Park Regulations

Read Glacier Bay National Park regulations, including speed limits and offshore distance requirements to reduce disturbance and collision risk to humpback whales and other marine wildlife.

Whale Waters

Check Glacier Bay news releases for current Whale Waters which are intended to reduce disturbance and collision risk to humpback whales and other marine wildlife.

 

Contacting the Visitor Information Station

Email: e-mail us
Phone: [phone]
Radio: KWM20 BARTLETT COVE on channel 12 or 16
Mailing address:

Visitor Information Station
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
PO Box 140
Gustavus, AK 99826