Does Glacier Bear Lodge Offer Glacier Tours in Alaska?

Updated

Yes. Glacier Bear Lodge in Yakutat, Alaska offers guided glacier tours aboard its ocean vessels, and the trip can be paired with some fishing on the return to the dock. This is a good fit if you want to see tidewater glaciers up close without giving up a chance to fish the same day, or if you're traveling with someone who wants a non-fishing day on the water.

What the Glacier Tour Involves

According to the lodge, its ocean vessels are "well-equipped to get you up close and personal to some of Alaska's most famous glaciers." The tour is built around glacier viewing rather than fishing, but the lodge notes it "can be coupled with a little fishing on the way back to the dock" — so the day blends sightseeing with a bit of time on the water.

Wildlife You May See

The lodge's own account of hosting KSL Outdoors' Adam Eakle describes encounters with grizzly bears and bald eagles alongside the fishing and scenery on the Situk River. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but the Yakutat area is presented by the lodge as habitat for both.

How It Fits With the Rest of the Lodge

Glacier Bear Lodge describes itself as a fresh and saltwater fishing lodge, so glacier tours sit alongside — not instead of — its core fishing program. The three activity categories it lists are:

  • Guided fishing — fully guided tours with expert guides and equipment
  • Non-guided fishing — self-paced access to Yakutat's fishing grounds
  • Guided glacier tours — ocean-vessel trips to the glaciers, optionally combined with light fishing

If your group is split between serious anglers and sightseers, the glacier tour is the option that keeps everyone on the same boat.

Practical Considerations

  • Book through the lodge. The site has a "Book Now" entry point and a "Tours & Rates" page, which is where current pricing and availability would be confirmed. Rates are not published in the material available here, so check directly rather than assuming a cost.
  • Dress for exposed water. These are ocean-vessel trips to glacier areas; the lodge does not publish a gear list in the available content, so ask what to bring when you book.
  • Plan the fishing add-on in advance. Since the fishing portion happens on the way back to the dock, mention it when booking so the guide can plan the route and gear.
  • Combine with lodging and meals. The lodge has guest rooms (two full-sized beds, full baths, a sitting area, and gear storage), plus a bar and restaurant, so a glacier tour can be part of a multi-day stay rather than a standalone excursion.

Who This Is For

Choose the glacier tour if you want a scenery-focused day with a light fishing bonus, or if you're in Yakutat for the glaciers and wildlife as much as the fishing. If your priority is maximizing time with a rod in hand, the guided or non-guided fishing options are the better match — the glacier tour is not designed as a full fishing day.