Permit· Bartlett Cove (Glacier Bay)· Alaska Southeast — Juneau, Endicott Arm & Icy Strait

Glacier Bay Permit Desk and Orientation (Visitor Information Station)

58° 27.3′ N · 135° 53.1′ W

Every private boat entering Glacier Bay in summer needs a vessel permit, and every operator must attend an in-person orientation at the Visitor Information Station at Bartlett Cove. Bareboat charters qualify as private vessels if the operator takes all liability.

Juneau, Endicott Arm & Icy Strait

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Coordinate is the OSM Visitor Information Station. PERMIT: June 1 to August 31, north of the Point Gustavus to Point Carolus line and west of a line from the fuel dock to Lester Island. 25 private permits per day (15 advance-notice, 10 short-notice); maximum 5 days (4 nights), or 7 days for boats that cannot exceed 7 knots; up to two permits at once (only one advance-notice); no more than 14 permit days in 21. Applications through the online Glacier Bay Permit Portal (a 2026 pilot, needs a Login.gov account): advance lotteries January 1-31 and March 1-15; short-notice lottery three days before entry, 12:01 am to 10:00 am Alaska time, daily May 29 to August 29; leftover permits first come, first served. Eligible: bareboat, or owner aboard with a paid captain. Not eligible: boats carrying paying passengers or used for business. One-way Conditional Transit Permits (Bartlett Cove to Icy Strait) are for owner-occupied recreational vessels only. ORIENTATION: daily May 1 to August 31 at 8:00 am, 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm in summer 2026, with a signed non-commercial affidavit. VHF: May 1 to September 30, call KWM20 Bartlett Cove on channel 12 or 16, or 907-697-2627, before entering and before exiting the bay. NPS lists no permit fee on its page (unconfirmed). Check the portal for current rules.

Glacier Bay Permit Desk and Orientation (Visitor Information Station)

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