David Scott - Complete Guide to the National Park Lodges

David and Kay Scott are travel columnists for Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc. They have discussed national park travel on numerous radio programs and appeared twice on NBCs Today , once from Yellowstone National Park and again from Grand Canyon National Park. Their articles about national park lodging have appeared in major newspapers including the Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel, Minneapolis Tribune, Oklahoman, San Diego Union, USA Today, and the Atlanta Journal Constitution .

The couple has spent more than 30 summers touring Americas national park areas, including 7 full summers and many shorter trips devoted to staying in and experiencing Americas national park lodges. The initial 1996 lodge trip allowed them to gather information for the first edition of this book. Six subsequent lodge trips, each more than 10,000 miles in length, provided material to update and expand the content for the current edition.

David and Kay live in Valdosta, Georgia, where David is a professor emeritus of finance at Valdosta State University and Kay is retired as a teacher and administrator from the public schools. David is also the author of two dozen finance books, including Wall Street Words and The American Heritage Dictionary of Business Terms . Visit them at mypages.valdosta.edu/dlscott/scott.html.

State Tourist Information
(907) 929-2200 | travelalaska.com

1 Park Rd. Gustavus, AK 99826 (907) 697-2230 nps.gov/glba

Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve comprises approximately 3.3 million acres, including some of the worlds most impressive tidewater glaciers, rivers of ice that flow to the sea. The park is rich in plant and animal life and is home to moose, black bears, grizzly bears, mountain goats, sea lions, sea otters, puffins, bald eagles, humpback whales, and porpoises. A 9-mile paved road links the small town of Gustavus and its airport with the lodge, but most natural features of the park can be seen only by boat or airplane. The park is in southeastern Alaska, approximately 60 miles northwest of Juneau. Access to the park is only via plane or boat.

Entrance Fee: No charge.

Lodging in Glacier Bay National Park: Glacier Bay Lodge offers the only overnight accommodations in the park. The rustic 48-room lodge is located in Bartlett Cove near the mouth of Glacier Bay in the southeastern section of the park.

Glacier Bay Lodge

179 Bartlett Cove Gustavus, AK 99826 (907) 697-4000 visitglacierbay.com

Glacier Bay Lodge is a wilderness resort situated on Bartlett Cove in a Sitka spruce rain forest. The complex includes an attractive two-story wooden chalet-type lodge that houses a lobby with a cathedral ceiling and wood beams, a large gas fireplace, registration desk, gift shop, and a dining room with an outdoor deck and great vistas. A National Park Service visitor center on the lodge mezzanine offers interpretive displays and an auditorium where films are shown and programs are presented by park rangers. Board-walks connect the main lodge with 19 nearby one-story wooden structures that house the guest accommodations.

The lodge offers 48 guest rooms that are near but separate from the main lodge. Approximately a dozen rooms are utilized as housing for management and interpreters. The buildings each have from 2 to 6 rooms. The rooms all have radiant heat, a coffeemaker, a hair dryer, a telephone, and a private bathroom. There are no televisions. All but 4 of the rooms are the same size, and most have 1 double bed plus a twin bed. A limited number of rooms have a king or 2 double beds. The rooms have attractive interiors with rough-hewn wood walls and a vaulted ceiling. Twenty-two rooms classified as view rooms offer window views of Bartlett Cove and rent for about $30 per night more than rooms that offer forest views. If a water view is important, we suggest rooms 9 through 21. Keep in mind that water views are at least partially obscured by spruce trees. If a water view isnt important, save $30 by requesting a standard non-view room. Steps are required to reach some rooms, especially those with a view. Mention if steps will be a problem when making a reservation.

Glacier Bay Lodge is a place to enjoy spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife in a wild environment. The lodge is in a rain forest with cool temperatures and plentiful moisture, so pack rain gear and clothing appropriate for daytime summer temperatures that range from 45F to 65F. We suggest at least 3 nights at the lodge to allow sufficient time to enjoy and explore the surrounding area. Most guests choose to take the daylong Glacier Bay cruise that departs at 7:30 a.m. from the dock behind the lodge. We saw mountain goats, wolves, sea otters, sea lions, puffins, and a grizzly bear during our cruise. We also witnessed a huge chunk of ice split off a tidewater glacier and crash into Glacier Bay. The next day can include one of the whale-watching tours that depart the lodge daily at 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Another possibility is to spend part of the day kayaking Glacier Bay or hiking one or more of 4 trails that begin near the lodge. The 1-mile Forest Loop Trail begins from the beach below the lodge and winds through the rain forest, where the trees, ground, and logs are covered in green. Bicycle rentals are available at the lodge.

Glacier Bay Lodge, constructed from 1965 to 1966 by the National Park Service, opened in June 1966 with the main lodge plus 20 cabins. The concessionaire constructed an additional 35 cabins plus 2 utility cabins and a service building (the current shower and laundry) 6 years later. The added buildings were subsequently purchased by the National Park Service from the financially distressed concessionaire. During the winter of 198485, the National Park Service enlarged the lodge basement and provided exhibit space on the second floor that currently houses the National Park Service visitor center. The lodge and its boat tours have operated under a succession of firms, including one that filed for bankruptcy in 1989. The most recent lodge contract was awarded in 2015 to Aramark Sports and Leisure.

Reservations: Glacier Bay Lodge & Tours, 3000 C St., Ste. 101, Anchorage, AK 99503. Phone (888) 229-8687 or visit visitglacierbay.com. Rooms must be prepaid by credit card. A fee of 10 percent of the total reservation is charged for any cancellation at least 14 days prior to arrival. Later cancellations result in a forfeit of deposit.

Wheelchair Accessibility: Two rooms are ADA compliant. An elevator is available to transport guests to the second floor of the lodge, where the national park visitor center is located.

Rates: View rooms ($244); Standard rooms ($219). Rates quoted are for 2 adults. Each additional person is $25 per night. Children under 12 stay free with adults. AAA and senior discounts are available. Packages are offered, and nonrefundable rates are sometimes available.

Location: Approximately 9 miles northwest of Gustavus, on the shore of Bartlett Cove.

Season: Late May through early Sept.

Food: A dining room specializing in fresh Alaskan seafood, such as halibut and salmon, serves breakfast ($6$18); lunch ($8$22); and dinner ($15$50). The lunch menu is served on the deck during the afternoon and evening hours. A small grocery is in Gustavus.