Tour of Park Geology - Glaciers and Glacial Landforms

Glaciers are important as indicators of climatic change, as objects of beauty, and as sources of water and recreation. Because glaciers store snow and ice during cold seasons and release it as water during hot, dry weather, they are natural and effective regulators of their water supply. Glaciers have covered almost a third of the world's land throughout time. Evidence of past and present glaciation can be found across our national parks. Explore the parks that exhibit glaciers and glacial landforms by clicking on the links on this page.

Glaciation--Active, alpine glaciation

• Denali National Park, Alaska
• Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska
• Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska
• Glacier National Park, Montana
• Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
• Katmai National Park, Alaska
• Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska
• Lake Clark National Park, Alaska
• Mount Rainier National Park, Washington
• North Cascades National Park, Washington
• Olympic National Park, Washington
• Wrangell-St Elias National Park, Alaska

Glaciation--Alpine glaciation landforms

• Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Alaska
• Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
• Great Basin National Park, Nevada
• Lassen Volcanic National Park, California
• Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
• Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park, California
• Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho
• Yosemite National Park, California

Glaciation--Continental glaciation landforms

• Acadia National Park, Maine
• Apostle Island National Lakeshore, Wisconsin
• Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Alaska
• Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area, Massachusetts
• Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts
• Cuyahoga Valley National Recreation Area, Ohio
• Ice Age National Scenic Trail, Wisconsin
• Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, Wisconsin
• Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Indiana
• Isle Royale National Park, Michigan
• Keweenaw National Historic Park, Michigan
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan
• Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway, Wisconsin
• Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Ice Age Flood landforms--the channeled scablands

• Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, Washington
• Whitman Mission National Historic Site, Washington

This page lists parks that have a common geologic theme. If you would like to contribute images or materials for park pages, please contact The National Park Service