The following is a NOTICE reprint issued by Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve regarding permits for the 2025 boating season.
Friends of Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve:
For the 2025 boater season, the park will pilot a new private boater permitting lottery system to issue permits, changing both when and how private boater permits are issued. January 1-January 31, 2025 is the first open period for submitting an advance-notice permit application. Visit the Glacier Bay website private boating page to fill out an application:
Private Boating in Glacier Bay – Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)
Email your completed application anytime during the month of January to GLBA_VIS@NPS.GOV. Permits will be issued to a vessel, not a person, and only one application per vessel is allowed per lottery. You may specify your first, second, or third choice of dates. If you have questions, beginning January 13, Visitor Information Station Staff will be available for winter office hours, Monday-Friday 8am-3pm AK time (email: GLBA_VIS@NPS.GOV or call 907-697-2627).
After January 31, the park will run a random-draw lottery of the applications. If your application is selected and your dates are available, you will be notified via email by February 15 with a confirmation and permit number. If the lottery does not result in you receiving a permit, you will be notified via email by February 15 and you may try again during the second lottery.
A second lottery will be run from April 30-May 1, 2025 in the same manner as the first. If your vessel received an advance-notice permit in the first lottery, then you are not eligible to enter the vessel again in the second lottery. Email notifications resulting from the second lottery will be sent by May 15.
After May 15, any leftover advance-notice permits will be available on a first come, first served basis until three days before the entry date. Contact the Visitor Information Station to find out if any are available.
All private boaters must have a permit to enter Glacier Bay between June 1-August 31. If you don’t have an advance-notice permit, you may apply for the short-notice permit lottery 3 days ahead of your desired entry date into Glacier Bay.
Please visit the Glacier Bay Private Boater website for further details and to download the permit application form.
Submitted by Glacier Bay Visitor Information Station.
For more information about visiting Glacier Bay National Park by private vessel, see pages 499 and 500 of the 2025 Waggoner Cruising Guide.
