Junior Ranger 

Glacier Bay 

your name: __________________________ 

National Park and Preserve 

National Park Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Adventure Guide
We need your help to protect Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve! Glacier Bay is a wild place, where 

we can learn about ourselves and nature. Use this guide to have fun and explore. What you discover 

will help you to become a Junior Ranger: someone who learns about and protects national parks and 

other wild places. The checklist below will help you track your learning adventures. When you think 

you’re finished, ask a park ranger to check your work. Are you ready to be a Junior Ranger? 

TAKE A WALK 

EXPLORE BY KAYAK 

SPEND 10 QUIET MINUTES OUTSIDE 

SPEND THE NIGHT IN GLACIER BAY

VISIT THE TRIBAL HOUSE 

EXPLORE THE SHORE 

OBSERVE SOMETHING WITH BINOCULARS 

TRAVEL BY BOAT 

OTHER _____________________________________ 

BEAR CUB LEVEL: FIVE BOOK ACTIVITIES 

PUFFIN LEVEL: EIGHT BOOK ACTIVITIES 

HUMPBACK LEVEL: TEN BOOK ACTIVITIES 

JUNIOR RANGER ALL-STAR: THE WHOLE BOOK 

Welcome, 

Explorers! 

COMPLETE YOUR ADVENTURE GUIDE GO ON AT LEAST TWO ADVENTURES 

COMPLETE AT LEAST ONE ACTIVITY 

ATTEND A RANGER PROGRAM 

COMPLETE A STEWARDSHIP PROJECT 

 ASK A RANGER HOW YOU CAN HELP

SHARE A GLACIER BAY STORY WITH FRIENDS 

AND FAMILY 
Welcome to Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve! In the United 

States of America there are over 400 National Park Sites, from the Statue 

of Liberty, to Yellowstone, to the White House! Each is a place so important 

we work together as a nation to protect it. The National Park Service keeps 

National Parks wild, beautiful, and safe. 

The National Park Service arrowhead represents everything that we protect: 

an arrowhead for history, a sequoia tree for plants, a mountain for landscapes, a bison 

for animals, and a lake for water. Design your own patch below by drawing what you 

care about most in Glacier Bay! 

1 Your National Park 

What do you care about? 

 What is your favorite part about Glacier Bay? 
Naturalist John Muir 

visited Glacier Bay in 1879. He 

paddled 55 miles past where ice 

stopped Vancouver. Muir saw the 

Reid Glacier and then ran into the 

wall of ice. He camped on a rock 

that stuck out from the glacier. 

Today we call that rock Russell 

Island. 

Circle Russell Island and write 

1879 by the dotted line that 

crosses through it. 

My Tlingit Family 

calls this place Sít' Eeti Geiyí, which 

means “the bay in place of the 

glacier.” Our people lived here 

before there was a bay. Our stories tell of the glacier that 

pushed over the land all the way 

to the sea and forced us to leave. 

The land changed, but our 

connection here remains. 

Find the dotted line showing 

how far the glacier stretched 

past Bartlett Cove into Icy 

Strait. Write 1750 next to the 

line. In 1750, that’s where the 

glacier stopped!

What does your story reveal about Glacier Bay? 

Circle the glaciers you saw on your trip to Glacier Bay. 

Draw your route on the map! 

 Imagine coming to visit 50 years in the future. What do you think will change? 

 What could you research to make a clearer prediction? 

Glacier Bay was made by ice. It was carved by a giant glacier that flowed from the mountains down to the sea. 

Glaciers continue to shape Glacier Bay. Below, read about the people who saw ice shaping the bay. Based on 

their clues, follow the directions to complete the Glacier Bay timeline map on the right. 

2 Bay in Place of the Glacier 

Can you reveal the mystery of the bay? 

your face 

The HMS Discovery, 

an exploring ship captained by 

George Vancouver, reached the 

entrance of Glacier Bay in 1794. It 

only made it as far as present day 

Bartlett Cove. There, a huge wall of 

ice rose above them. 

Find the dotted line closest to 

Bartlett Cove. This shows 

where they saw ice. Write 

1794 next to the line. 
ICY STRAIT 

GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK 

Gustavus 
Every humpback whale has markings on its flukes, or tail, as unique as a human’s fingerprint. 

Our whale researchers photograph whale tails, so that we can learn more about the whales of Glacier 

Bay, including where they go, who they’re related to, and how old they are. 

Match the whale tails! Below are three pairs of matching whale tails. Draw a line between 

the matching flukes. Be careful! One is tricky! 

Glacier Bay’s humpbacks migrate twice a year. Some spend the summers in the cold foodrich waters of Glacier Bay and in the winter swim to warmer places like Hawaii, Mexico, or 

Japan to mate and give birth. One whale, Garfunkle, was first spotted here as a calf in 1974, 

and, as of 2015, was still returning to enjoy summers in Glacier Bay. 

If you could live in any two places in the world, where would 

you choose? Why? 

Garfunkle 

as a calf 

1974 

Garfunkle calf photo: Charles Jurasz, Sea Search Ltd. 

Other photos: NPS Photo taken under 

National Marine Fisheries Research Permit No. 15844 

3 Whale Tales 

What tales can a whale tail tell you? 
1 

2

3

4

5

6

7 

8 9

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

A 

B 

C 

D 

A 

B 

1 

2 

3

4

5

A 

B

C

1 

2

3

4

5

6 7 

A B 

C 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

I J 

K 

4 “Snow” Teaches 

Can you put the puzzle together? 

“Snow” the whale was a grandmother and a part of the Glacier Bay family. When she died in 2001, a team of 

rangers, scientists and volunteers worked for thousands of hours to clean her bones and put her back together. 

Today, she is on display in Bartlett Cove. Visit her, study her skeleton, and see what you can learn! 

Connect the dots to reconstruct Snow’s skeleton and show where her tail would go.

Mind your own earwax! How long 

can a humpback whale live? Ask their 

ear wax plugs! Snow’s waxy earplug 

helped scientists realize that one wax 

layer was equal to one year of a humpCount the layers of earwax to 

find out how old Snow was. Focus 

on the spaces between the lines. 

years
5 A Story of Homecoming 

How do you tell your story? 

Eagle Raven 

What animal represents you? Why is that animal important to you? 

You are in the homeland of the Huna Tlingit. They have many, many stories of adventures and 

events that occurred here. If you visit the Huna Tribal House and look carefully, you can find clues to 

the characters, creatures, and clans that are part of the Tlingit’s history in Glacier Bay. Their story lives 

on the walls, panels, posts, and totem poles of the House. 

If you are in Bartlett Cove, you can visit the Huna Tribal House. Below are just a few of 

the animals shown in the artwork there. As you explore the Tribal house, mark off the animals 

as you find them. Some may be found in the screen design on the next page. 
The design above isn’t only a work of art. It’s an illustrated history of the Huna Tlingit. It 

shows symbols that represent the four main clans of Glacier Bay, their history, and hopes for the 

future. What kinds of people, animals, or places do you think might be important in this story? 

Share your ideas with a friend or family member. 

What’s your family story? What major events are important in your family’s history? 

Who or what would you draw to represent who you are, where you come from, and where you 

are going? Draw your own design below! 

Huna Tlingit Tribal House Screen 
Glacier Bay provides habitat, or homes, for many different birds. With so many birds, it can be hard to 

tell who’s who! One birding trick is to know where different birds hang out. 

Can you identify the birds on South Marble Island? Below is a ranger’s sketch of what 

she saw at South Marble Island. Use her notes to identify the birds in the sketch. Next to the 

birds in her drawing, write the four letter birder shorthand name.’

Bald eagle, (BAEA) likes 

to perch on highest tree 

Glaucous-winged gull, 

(GLGU) likes flat grassy 

spots high up on the island 

Tufted puffin (TUPU) 

makes burrows near rocks 

Black-legged kittiwake 

(BLKI) nests on shear, 

steep cliff faces. Yikes! 

Common murre, (COMU) 

groups on ledges 

Marbled murrlet, 

(MAMU) dives quickly 

Did you observe any of these birds? Circle the birds you saw in Glacier Bay. 

Glacier Bay is home for many different birds. What do you need to survive? 

Do you and birds need any of the same things? Write your answer. 

6 For the Birds 

Who’s who on South Marble Island? 
William Skinner Cooper is a Glacier Bay Hero! In 1916, he came here to research how life returns to a 

land when a glacier shrinks away. His research on this new science, succession, helped people see 

Glacier Bay as a living laboratory, a classroom without walls! 

Below are four field sketches, drawn every ten years in the same spot. 

Number the sketches below 1 through 4, with sketch #1 showing the first observation and 

sketch #4 showing the oldest, fullest forest. 

 # # #

#

your observation 

Look outside. Do you see an old forest with 

tall dark green trees or bare rocks just left by 

a glacier? Something in between? Draw or 

take notes on what you see and label your 

drawing #1 bare, #2 young, #3 middle, or #4 

old growth. 

What kinds of animals might live in the 

landscape you drew? Hint: Moose like 

young forests with leafy trees. Deer and black 

bears like old growth forests. Brown bears 

like open habitat, with small berry bushes. 

 _________________________________

 _________________________________

7 The Science of Succession 

How do you grow a forest? 
The Tlingit respect and understand Glacier Bay, their homeland. Glacier Bay provides what they 

need. Plants are very important. Some plants are good to eat. Some plants are good medicine. Some 

plants may be dangerous to eat or touch. Look carefully and you too can learn something meaningful 

about plants in Glacier Bay. 

Use the Trail Illustration and notes above to explore and complete the plant scavenger hunt 

below. 

Be careful! Some plants can harm you if you touch or eat them. On the trail illustration, 

draw a hazard symbol next to these plants that you should be extra careful of. 

Your friend has a scraped knee! On the trail illustration, circle one plant you could collect as a 

treatment, and write the name of the plant next to it. 

Yum! Glacier Bay has an abundance of delicious berries. Draw a next to plants you can eat. 

8 Walk the Tlingit Trail 

What will you discover? 

Baneberry 

Kóoshdaa tléikw 

Very poisonous! 

DO NOT EAT 

Beach Strawberry 

Shákw 

Delicious! 

Blueberry 

Kanat’á

Great in jams! 

Thimbleberry 

Ch’eex’

Super yummy. 

Salmonberry 

Was’x’aan tléígu 

Great fresh or 

preserved for 

winter. 

Chocolate Lily 

Kóox

Cooked and eaten 

with rhubarb to 

balance bitter taste. 

Cow Parsnip 

Yaana.eit

Parts of the young plant can 

be eaten like celery. Also 

good to treat wounds. 

Careful! The leaves can 

irritate your skin. 

Yarrow 

Kagakl’eedí 

Many healing 

properties, especially 

for treating wounds. 

Devil’s Club 

S’áxt’ 

Many uses. It can be 

turned into salve for 

healing skin. 

Careful! Those spines 

hurt! 

Cottonwood 

Dúk

Many medicinal uses, 

especially the buds 

and bark. Eat only in 

emergencies. 

Sitka Spruce 

Shéiyi

Young new needles 

make a great syrup. 

Roots can be woven 

into hats, baskets, and 

the stays of canoes. 
Walk the Tlingit Trail in Bartlett Cove to look for these same plants and animals! 

Trail Illustration 
9 Ice Sculptures 

What do you see in the ice? 

As glaciers flow and icebergs melt and flip, fantastic shapes form! Find a piece of glacial ice near you to 

study. Draw a picture of the shapes you see, write a story, or guess the size of ice. Is it as big as a dinosaur? 

What you see of floating ice is just “the tip of the iceberg!” Only part 

about 10%, of the iceberg is above the water. The rest is below! 
10 Glacier Recipe 

How do glaciers form? 

INGREDIENTS

Rain Mountains

Sea water Time

Rock Meltwater

Chocolate Snow

Gravity

At last count, there are over 

1,000 glaciers in the park! 

Some are huge rivers of ice. 

Others are much smaller, 

tucked into shaded valleys. 

Although every glacier is different, there’s one basic glacier recipe. 

Learn about glaciers by organizing the recipe below. Check off the circles as you complete each task. 

Circle the ingredients for a glacier. 

Cross off the salty substance from the ingredients list that melts ice quickly. 

Put the glacier recipe in order by numbering the steps below #1 through #4. 

Start with lots of

snow, piled high on

a mountainside. 

#

Next, add a heaping 

dose of more snow, be 

careful to keep cold. 

# 

Finally, use meltwater and 

gravity to pull the ice 

downhill, and turn it into 

a river of ice, a glacier! 

# 

Add more snow until 

the snow at the bottom 

starts to pack down into 

glacial ice. 

# 
11 Amazing Role Models 

Can you make the right decision? 

Junior Rangers are role models. They set a good example for others by staying safe and respecting parks and park visitors. Complete the maze by choosing the example of Junior Ranger Behavior. 

Should you go on a hike alone and unprepared,

OR with supplies and an adventure buddy?

Would you watch wildlife from a 

safe distance OR try to take 

a selfie with a moose? 

Would you shout at a glacier,

“JUST CALVE, ALREADY!”

Is it a good day to play on your cell 

phone, or go outside in nature? 

You’re hiking, when you turn 

the corner and see a bear! 

Should you ... 

OR would you 

listen and watch 

quietly? 

RUN?!

Stay calm,

Put your 

hands up, talk to 

the bear & back 

away slowly 

That doesn’t seem

like the best decision.

Go back, and think

again!

START HERE! 

FINISH! 

Alone

With buddy

Good work

Junior

Ranger!
12 Ranger Report 

What kind of ranger would you be? 

It takes teamwork to protect a park! All parks have a team of rangers, with a variety of jobs that help 

the park. Take the quiz below and use the chart on the right to discover the kind of ranger you might be! 

1. What kind of books do you like to read? 

A. “How to” books 

B. Mysteries 

C. Historical fiction 

D. Choose your own adventure 

E. Nature and guide books 

2. If you were an animal you would be a: 

A. Beaver. You love to build and often create new 

habitats around your home. 

B. Brown bear. You are decisive and resourceful. 

C. Humpback whale. You communicate well and prefer 

the scenery to change with the seasons.

D. Hummingbird. You’re always busy and quickly 

move on to the next task. 

E. Raven. You have an independent, curious mind. 

3. When you go for a hike you’re the one who: 

A. Improves the trail. Clearing branches from the path, setting 

stones in a stream or diverting water is helpful to everyone. 

B. Makes sure everyone does their best for conservation. It 

might not seem like a big deal to step off the trail or 

drop a gum wrapper, but those little things add up! 

C. Starts conversations about nature. There’s so much to learn 

and it’s fun to learn together. 

D. Plans all of the details. You know the route and 

packed food, water and emergency gear for everyone. 

E. Listens quietly. You can lose track of time wondering 

about one mushroom or the birds in the sky. 

4. The best part about visiting Glacier Bay is: 

A. Putting on boots and getting outside 

B. Discovering how humans work together to protect 

people and places 

C. Discovering the hidden stories of the plants, animals, 

and people of the park 

D. Sharing the experience with friends and family 

E. Recording your wildlife observations 

MAINTENANCE. MOSTLY A’S. 

Who keeps the park safe and 

beautiful? The maintenance 

division! They fix and maintain the 

trails, buildings, and other areas 

we need to enjoy the park.

PROTECTION. MOSTLY B’S. 

From patrolling Glacier Bay to 

issuing backcountry permits and 

responding to emergencies, these 

rangers protect the park and keep 

the people who visit safe.

INTERPRETATION. MOSTLY C’S. 

Interpretation doesn’t mean speaking 

another language; in Glacier Bay it 

means speaking the language of 

nature. These rangers tell the stories 

of the park and help you understand 

what you see.

ADMINISTRATION. MOSTLY D’S. 

How do you keep a team of over 

100 rangers organized? Park 

administrators are the behind-thescenes rangers making sure the 

park runs as smooth as the waters 

of the bay on a windless day. 

RESOURCES. MOSTLY E’S. 

How do we know where the 

whales are, which glaciers are 

shrinking, or what halibut do in 

the winter? These research rangers 

study the park so that we can better 

understand and protect its natural 

and cultural resources. 

Were your answers all over? There are plenty more careers in the Park Service, from exhibit designers to architects and engineers! 
Glacier Bay National Park has 3.3 million acres of wilderness. In wilderness, human impacts 

are minimal. There are no buildings, roads, or cars. Bears can freely roam the beaches and puffins 

can safely nest on the islands. 

Kayaking is a great way to experience this wilderness. Whether for a few hours or a few weeks, all 

kayak adventures require careful planning. Why? Because in wilderness, you will depend upon yourself and your gear...and wildlife depend on you to keep their home safe and clean. 

What tough choices did you have to make? Was there something you wanted to bring but 

decided not to? Is there anything not shown above that you think you should bring? 

13 Pack Your Kayak 

Are you ready for a wilderness adventure? 

CLOTHES 

Circle 12 items you will need for a successful wilderness kayak adventure.

Imagine you’re planning for a kayak trip into Glacier Bay wilderness. 
Dear ___________________ (name of a friend or relative), 

I just finished a _____________ (number) day kayak trip into the 

wilderness of Glacier Bay with _____________________ (person). 

It was _____________________ (adjective)! Every day, we 

____________________ (past tense verb) our kayaks and slept in a 

__________________ (noun) on the beach. 

One day, we saw a ___________________ (Glacier Bay animal) 

______________________ (verb ending in ing). On the whole trip, 

we never saw a single ____________________ (something in a 

city). The quiet made me feel _______________________ (feeling 

word). I can’t wait to explore another wild place. 

Your friend, _____________________ (your name)

14 Wish You Were Here! 

How wild is your wilderness imagination? 

When you go into wilderness, you leave behind the lights, noise, and other marks of humans. One 

reason to go into wild places is to find a quiet place to dream about all that is possible. 

Imagine a wild trip into the wilderness of Glacier Bay! Ask a friend or family member to help 

you complete the postcard below. 

Ask him or her to think of a word for each blank spot on the post card. 

Write in each word to complete the story. 

 — OR —

Hand over your book, and have your friend ask you to think of the words 

while he or she fills in the blanks. Don’t peek at the story before you play! 

Hints: An adjective describes something or somebody. Examples are hot, silly, bumpy, and icy. 

A verb is an action word. Examples are walk, write, and cook. These verbs in the past tense are 

walked, wrote, and cooked. 

date
15 

 

What’s in a Name? 

GLACIER BAY: Sít' Eeti Geiyí (Sit-ee-tea-gay-YEE) “The bay in place of the glacier” 

GEIKIE INLET: Wudzidugu Yé (Woodsy-dook-oh-Yeh) “Place heavily wooded with cottonwood trees” 

GLOOMY KNOB: Jánwu Aaní (Juhn-woo-on-NEE) “Mountain Goat’s Land” 

How does language reflect culture? 

Many places in Glacier Bay have two names: the one found on 

the park map, and the name given by the Tlingit. Early explorers 

often named places after famous people. The Tlingit named places 

after the things they found (wood, food, etc.), or events that once 

happened there (celebrations, battles, etc.). 

Pick a place in Glacier Bay 

that is important to you.

Write its name here. 

What would you call it, based on 

your experience? 

your drawing or explanation 

Pick a place that’s important 

to you, near your home, or 

somewhere you’ve visited.

Write its name here. 

What special name would you give 

it, based on your experience? 

your drawing or explanation 

A few examples are below. 
Eliza Scidmore was an explorer. As one of the first tourists to visit Glacier Bay, she used her writing to inspire 

others to seek beauty and adventure. She was the first woman to write for and edit National Geographic. 

16 My Day in Glacier Bay 

What did you experience? 

Create your own Glacier Bay Journal Entry. Describe your favorite part of your trip, 

create a poem, write a story, or draw a picture! Be creative and have fun! 

“There was something, too, in the consciousness 

that so few had ever gazed upon the scene 

before us, and there were neither guides nor 

guidebooks to tell us which way to go, 

and what emotions to feel.” 

-Eliza Scidmore 
I felt 

katabatic wind! 

17 Glacier Bay Bingo 

 What have you experienced here? 

“Snow” 

Whale 68’s Skeleton 

iceberg 

I smelled sea lions! 

spruce and 

 cottonwoods 

puffin 

humpback whale brown bear 

the Fairweathers 

I heard a glacier! 

Huna Tribal House 

backcountry 

campers 

harbor seal ranger 

pigeon guillemot killer whale mussels 

sea otter 

black-legged 

kittiwake 

devils’ club 

glacial erratic 

mountain goat 

I used binoculars! 

I felt 

 kelp! 

I felt rain! 

Cross off what you’ve seen or experienced in Glacier Bay. Can you get a Glacier Bay Bingo? 
Go forth, 

 Explorers! 

What’s next? After a ranger has checked your adventure guide, you will take the Junior Ranger Oath and 

receive your Junior Ranger badge! We’re counting on you to set an example for others by respecting and 

learning more about each wild place you visit. Here are a few ideas: 

Learn more about Glacier Bay by checking out our park 

website: www.nps.gov/glba 

Visit other parks in Alaska, like Denali, Kenai Fjords, Lake 

Clark, Katmai, Sitka, and Klondike Goldrush 

Discover the National Park Service site or other public land 

closest to your home 

Become a Web Ranger at nps.gov/webrangers 

For more information about Glacier Bay 

National Park and Preserve contact: 

Division of Interpretation and Education 

Glacier Bay National Park 

PO Box 140 

Gustavus, AK 99826 

907-697-2230 www.nps.gov/glba

Developed and illustrated by 

Park Ranger Caitlin Campbell. 

Thanks to Glacier Bay National Park and Hoonah 

Indian Association for input and editing. 
Glacier Bay National Park 

Junior Ranger 

AS A JUNIOR RANGER, 

I will explore and discover the natural world 

national parks, my community, and the earth. 

I promise to appreciate, respect, and protect 

and other cultures wherever I go. 

I promise to be safe and be a good example to others. 

Junior Ranger Signature

Date Awarded Park Ranger Signature

CONGRATULATIONS! 

Now we’re counting on you 

to protect your wild lands!