The Hubbard Glacier is located just north of the Inside Passage on a small bay off the Gulf of Alaska.
Many cruises stop at the Hubbard for glacier viewing either in place of or in addition to a stop at Glacier Bay National Park to the south.
The tideawter edge of the glacier can be viewed only from the air or by boat.
Therefore, an Alaska cruise is one of the best ways to see this natural wonder.
The Hubbard is truly spectacular, running some 76 miles (122 km) from its source deep in Canada’s Yukon Territory to its terminus at Disenchantment Bay in Alaska.
It is the largest tidewater glacier in all of Alaska, spanning an astonishing six miles (10 km) at its mouth, where it reaches the bay.
Unlike other glaciers in the region, the Hubbard has been advancing for over 100 years, until it completely blocked off the flow of water out of the adjacent Russell Fjord in May, 1986.
The resulting dam caused the water level in Russell Fjord to rise an amazing 90 feet above sea level, until the water broke through the dam 5 months later, surging into the bay below.
The Hubbard is perhaps the best place in all of Alaska to watch the “calving” process in action - huge chunks of ice many stories tall break off, plunging into the water below. It is a dramatic, spectacular, and utterly unforgettable sight.
The Hubbard Glacier is incredible to behold.
Aside from the utterly breathtaking Glacier Bay, the Hubbard is my favorite spot in coastal Alaska, and it makes a fantastic addition to any Alaskan cruise itinerary.
