Margerie Glacier

Margerie is a tidewater glacier, meaning it flows all the way down to the sea, so its front stands as a cliff rising out of the water. Its face is a jumble of blue, white, and even dirt-streaked ice, constantly cracking and shifting as the glacier grinds forward.

Because it remains relatively stable while so many glaciers shrink, Margerie calves often, dropping ice into the bay with a crack and a splash that sends waves rolling outward. The deep blue of the freshest ice comes from how tightly the glacier is compressed.

The only way to reach Margerie is by boat, either on the park's day tour boat or aboard a cruise ship, traveling the long length of Glacier Bay from Bartlett Cove past forested shores that grow younger and barer the farther up the bay you go, a living record of land newly freed from ice.

Along the way and near the glacier, wildlife is common, from seals resting on floating ice to seabirds, sea otters, and sometimes whales. Boats hold a careful distance from the face, both for safety and to take in the full scale of the ice.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Margerie Glacier is a large tidewater glacier at the head of Glacier Bay in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska. About a mile wide, it flows down from the mountains near the Canadian border and ends in a sheer cliff of blue and white ice rising roughly 250 feet out of the sea. Unlike many glaciers, Margerie has remained relatively stable rather than retreating, and it calves frequently, dropping large slabs of ice into the bay. Reached only by tour boat or cruise ship, it is the most famous glacier in the park and the classic highlight of a journey up Glacier Bay.

Margerie Glacier can only be seen from the water, since it lies at the far head of Glacier Bay with no road access. Most visitors reach it either on the park's day tour boat, which departs from Bartlett Cove near Gustavus, or aboard a cruise ship traveling through the park. The trip up the bay is long, passing shores that grow progressively younger and barer, a record of land recently uncovered by retreating ice, with frequent wildlife along the way. Because it is a boat-based experience in a remote park, planning ahead and allowing for weather are important parts of a successful visit.

Yes, Margerie Glacier calves regularly, which is a big part of what makes it such a popular sight. Calving is when chunks of ice break off the glacier's face and fall into the sea, often with a loud crack or boom and a splash that sends waves rolling across the water. Because Margerie remains relatively active and stable rather than rapidly retreating, boats near it frequently witness calving. Tour boats and ships always keep a safe distance from the face, however, since falling ice and the waves it creates can be dangerous. Watching and waiting for the next calving is one of the great thrills of visiting the glacier.

The best time to visit Margerie Glacier is during the summer season, roughly late spring through early fall, when the park's day tour boats operate and cruise ships travel Glacier Bay. Summer brings the longest days, the most reliable schedules, and the most active wildlife, though weather in the bay can be cool, wet, and changeable at any time. Because reaching the glacier requires a long boat trip in a remote park, trips can be affected by conditions, so it helps to plan ahead and dress warmly in waterproof layers. The glacier itself is spectacular whenever it can be reached.