Russell Island

From the north end, you can look up Tarr Inlet toward tidewater glaciers, with additional views west toward dramatic ice-filled valleys. The island itself is a mix of rocky shoreline, alluvial fans, and young forest—an on-the-ground snapshot of Glacier Bay’s rapid ecological succession.

Buried under massive ice during the Little Ice Age, the island emerged as glaciers retreated. The land here is rising quickly due to isostatic rebound—one of the fastest uplift rates anywhere—so the coastline you land on today is literally different than it was a few decades ago. The island was named in 1937 for geologist Israel Cook Russell, and it figured into early explorations of the bay in the late 19th century.

This is prime country for brown bears along beaches and salmon streams, with bald eagles and seabirds overhead and the chance for marine mammals in surrounding waters. Give wildlife plenty of space, keep camps clean, and follow strict food storage protocols.

There are no services of any kind. Camping is primitive and entirely pack-in/pack-out. Bring bear-resistant canisters, rain gear, tide tables, navigation tools, and a reliable water treatment method. Expect wet footing, brushy travel, and the need for strong backcountry judgment.