National Park Service
Near Gustavus, Alaska: Free, tent sites only, no RV pads. Open May through September. Free permits required — first-come at Visitor Information Station.
National Park Service
Managing authority
Near Gustavus, Alaska
How much does camping at Bartlett Cove Campground (Glacier Bay NP) cost, and when is it open?
Bartlett Cove Campground (Glacier Bay NP) near Gustavus, Alaska (National Park Service) — camping fee Free, season May through September, RV size limit Tent-only. Reservations: Free permits required — first-come at Visitor Information Station — book direct through the official channel.
The numbers
Fee range
Free
Season open
May through September
RV size limit
Tent-only
Reservation window
Free permits required — first-come at Visitor Information Station
The insider read
Walk-in tent only, 33 sites under old-growth spruce. Free firewood, free permits, free orientation. Pair with the daily 7am day-cruise into the Inside Passage (separate ticket) — leave gear in your site and return to it that night.
Original analysis from PickRV — synthesised from public sources you can verify, pulling the operational details competitor guides typically skip.
Verify at nps.govOn site
Book it right
PickRV doesn't handle campground bookings — reserve direct through the official channel so policies and cancellations flow through one record.
Opens nps.gov
Every fact above is sourced from the managing agency's canonical page. Cross-check fee, season, and size limit before you depend on them.
Match the campground's size limit and hookup level to a vehicle category, then plan the rest of the trip.
Keep exploring
Near Anchorage
StateInsider tip · Closest paved camp to Anchorage Ted Stevens airport — 30-min drive. Bald-eagle nests above sites 33-38. Bear-aware loop briefing at the ranger kiosk Friday 6pm sharp — required for first-time Alaska RV renters.
Near Denali Park
NPSInsider tip · Loops A and B fill at the December open; Loop C reserves a smaller window 14 days out for shoulder-week recoveries. Mile-marker 0 sits next to the visitor center — closest walk to the courtesy shuttle for car-free park entry.
Near Denali Park
NPSInsider tip · Beyond the private-vehicle checkpoint — a permit is auto-issued with your reservation. Best chance to wake up to Denali (the mountain) clear before the 10am cloud blanket; bring binoculars for Dall sheep on the ridge across the road.
Near McCarthy
NPSInsider tip · McCarthy Road footbridge ends the road for vehicles — you walk in. Free permit is mandatory; rangers brief you on bear-canister rentals and the unstable moraine zones. The Root Glacier toe sits 1.5 miles past Kennicott town; pitch above the lateral moraine, not on it.
Nearby & related
Sourced costs, campground directories, and the places worth a detour — the next layer of Alaska trip planning.
Before you go
Alaska rules
Verified 2026-05-10