Hello and welcome to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve.
My name is Sarah, and as a national park ranger I'd like to get you excited and
ready to hike the longest of three hiking trails, the Bartlett Lake.
Glacier bay has over three million acres of protected land
and with eighty percent designated willingness it surely is one of the
wildest places on the planet.
when most people think of glacier bay it's usually rocks, glaciers, and ice
carved landscapes that come to mind,
but the park is also blanketed with a beautiful coastal temperate rainforest.
the Bartlett Lake Trail which begins near park headquarters in Bartlett Cove
is a great introduction to these amazing moss cloaked forests.
The primary visitor season is Memorial Day through Labor Day.
To get ready for exploring you should expect temperatures around fifty to
sixty degrees fahrenheit
and with about sixty inches of rain per year, always bring rain gear
also rubber boots or other tall hiking boots are the best footwear
It is common to run into west muddy terrain or even large puddles.
To make things more comfortable I would also bring a water bottle
plenty of snacks and perhaps bug spray.
The primary starting point for the Bartlett Lake Trail is at the roadside
trailhead in Bartlett Cove.
Here you will find a trail sign next to a small parking area.
Within three quarters mile, the trail forks.
The left fork
heads towards the Bartlett River.
For the Bartlett Lake, take the right fork which winds a little over four miles
through the woods to the lake.
Although mostly flat and maintained, you may have to negotiate the occasional
downed log or muddy spots.
It takes most visitors about two to three hours to get to the lake.
A couple hundred years ago the land where the trails located was shaped by the
advance and retreat of a massive glacier.
Clues of the power of the size of this ice are abundant.
You'll get the opportunity to hike over this undulating moraine of sediments
and rock.
you may witness large boulders.
these glacial erratics were transported on the large conveyor belt of glacier ice
and left behind as the glacier retreated.
Fallen logs, stumps, and other decaying matter are disguised
under the shag carpeting
of moss in this rain forest.
with a close look between the brilliant green you will find immense diversity of
plants.
Depending on the time of year
you may find wildflowers such as tiny orchids,
draperies of lichen, ora variety of mushrooms.
The understory of this forest is dominated by blueberry shrubs and other
edible or non-edible berries.
Look up at the canopy of the forest.
These tall trees above you are Sitka spruce and western hemlock trees.
intermittently you'll find openings in the forest revealing small ponds, bogs,
and eventually your destination
a much larger body of water, the Bartlett Lake.
This is a great place to find a mossy knoll or mossy stump to sit and enjoy
your lunch focusing upon the still waters of the lake
and on a clear day the backdrop of the Beartrack Mountains.
It's common to hear the mysterious call of the loons
who also enjoy this beautiful and remote place.
Loons calling
Keep your eyes and ears open for squirrels and a variety of
forest birds.
All of Glacier Bay is bear country
and both black and brown bears are found in the Bartlett Lake area.
Be "bear safe" by hiking in groups and avoid surprising bears
as you hike along, make noise. Some people like to say, "Hey Bear!"
Wear a bear bell, clap your hands, or talk to your hiking buddy while hiking.
If you do you see a bear,
stand your ground, stay together, never run, and slowly walk away
especially if you see any cubs.
Another animal that frequent the trail area is the moose.
They're huge and amazing
Their shoulder height can be over six feet tall
and they can weigh up to a thousand pounds.
Always give them space and don't approach them
If one were to charge you
run and hide behind a boulder or a tight section of trees
as they have a hard time maneuvering around objects in the forest
After spending time at the lake you have two options
you may hike back the way you came, or continue along the southern shore to the
Towers Trail
which provides access to the park boundary
which is about three and a half miles away.
After walking through another mile of forest
you will be on an old roadbed, arched with Sitka alder.
Once you pass the signed park boundary, this road provides access to
Mountain View Road,
the only read between the park headquarters and the town of Gustavus.
It's advised to arrange a pick up from here ahead of time.
One of the great stories of Glacier Bay is life's rich return to a land that has
only recently emerged from the crushing grip of ice.
The Bartlett Lake Trail provides you with a scenic window
into the mysteries of this process.
I'm excited that you're thinking about visiting this remote
and unique place.
I hope to see you soon on the trails in Bartlett Cove
and thanks for joining me on another addition of Glacier Bay's Ranger Minutes.