EncyclopediaGlacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, SE Alaska, near Juneau. The park (3,224,840 acres/1,305,603 hectares) and the preserve (58,406 acres/23,646 hectares) were established in 1925 as a national monument and in 1980 designated a national park and preserve. Glaciers descending from the towering snow-covered mountains of the Fairweather Range into the bay create one of the world's most spectacular displays of ice. Among the bay's most famous glaciers is Muir Glacier, c.2 mi (3.2 km) wide and rising c.265 ft (80 m) above the water. Wildlife includes bears, deer, mountain goats, porpoises, whales, and waterfowl. See National Parks and Monuments (table).
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
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