Glacier Bay in December: Crowds, Weather & What to Pack

Harsh season · VisitWhen score 48/100 · #11 of 12 months

December is a harsh-season month at Glacier Bay National Park: crowds run under 1% of the July peak (210 average visits). Weather: highs average 37°F and lows 31°F, with 11.8″ of precipitation and 6.3 hours of daylight. Roads and services are only partly open this month — see the access note below. Computed from NPS and NOAA data.

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Glacier Bay in December: what the park service says

December at Glacier Bay means brief days: the park notes that the long summer daylight becomes markedly short in winter. The park describes the bay as changing on every scale, with tides that rise and fall dramatically twice a day, often by about twenty vertical feet. Services are very limited until the main season returns in late May, so contact the park by email or phone first.

Source: NPS, checked 2026-11-05.

Crowds in December

Glacier Bay averages 210 recreation visits in December — under 1% of what July, the peak month, draws — this is the second-quietest month of the year. That crowd level sets the tone for parking, permits and lodging — crowds are thin by this park's standards.

Weather & daylight

It is properly cold (highs average 37°F), and nights drop below freezing (lows average 31°F). This is one of the wetter months (11.8″ of precipitation on average). Normal snowfall is 20″ — expect snow on the ground. Mid-month daylight runs 6.3 hours.

NOAA 1991–2020 monthly normals, station ELFIN COVE, AK US (42 mi from park coordinates, 20 ft elevation) — conditions vary inside the park, especially with elevation. Daylight computed for the 15th of December.

What to pack for Glacier Bay in December

Computed from the month's weather normals above — not a generic list.

• Insulated jacket, beanie and gloves — nights average 31°F, below freezing
• Rain shell + pack cover — 11.8″ of precipitation is normal this month
• Traction devices (microspikes) and gaiters — 20″ normal snowfall (compare other options)
• Headlamp — only 6.3 hours of daylight in mid-December (compare other options)
• Insulated, waterproof boots — plus navigation and a basic first-aid kit — 20″ of snow is normal this month
• Bear spray — recommended by the park in grizzly country (check current park regulations before you carry)

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Want quieter or kinder conditions? The computed best months for Glacier Bay are April and May.

Also at their best in December

Other parks whose computed December verdict is a best window — same NPS × NOAA formula:

• American Samoa in December — 17% of peak crowds, highs 88°F, score 66/100
• Everglades in December — 72% of peak crowds, highs 80°F, score 64/100
• Biscayne in December — 77% of peak crowds, highs 80°F, score 62/100

Common questions

See also: the best national parks to visit in December · Last verified 2026-09-24