The Healing Totem Pole, Yaa Naa Néx Kootéeyaa

Two figures - cedar hat and ranger hat - crown 20 feet of carved cedar telling the Huna Tlingit story.

Natural Attraction

Natural Attraction
Cultural Monument0 ftNo permit needed

What you see first is 20 feet of carved yellow cedar rising in Bartlett Cove, capped by two human figures - one in a woven cedar hat, one in the iconic ranger hat - together holding Xunaa Shuka Hit, the Huna Ancestors' House. Yaa Naa Nex Kooteeyaa, the Healing Totem Pole, compresses centuries of history into a single column: the Huna Tlingit's tragic migration from their Glacier Bay Homeland, the painful period of alienation, and the more recent collaborative work between the tribe and the National Park Service. Dedicated in 2018, it stands as a visual record of a relationship still being repaired, and a focal point for conversations about true partnership.

Getting there & parking

How To Get There
The Healing Totem Pole is located in Bartlett Cove, Alaska, within Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve. Nearby waypoints include the Bartlett Cove Public Use Dock and the Glacier Bay Visitor Center.
Distance From Entrance
Glacier Bay has no entrance gates; the pole stands in Bartlett Cove, the park's main developed area.
GPS Coordinates
58.454631116845945, -135.88495151355363

When to go

Best Time To Visit
The main visitor season at Glacier Bay runs from late-May through early-September, with the peak in July; outside that window services in the park may be extremely limited.
Best Visit Times
The park's peak month is July; visiting in the shoulder weeks of the late-May to early-September season means fewer people at Bartlett Cove.
Best Season
Late-May through early-September, when Glacier Bay's visitor services are operating; July is the peak.
Busiest Season
July is the peak of Glacier Bay's late-May through early-September visitor season.
Seasonal Access
The site is open to the public. Glacier Bay is technically open 24 hours a day with no entrance gates, but services may be extremely limited outside the late-May to early-September visitor season.
Winter Access
The park is technically open 24 hours a day year-round, but services may be extremely limited outside the main late-May to early-September season.

What you will experience

Attraction Type
Cultural Monument
Main Features
A 20-foot yellow cedar totem pole depicting the Huna Tlingit's migration from the Glacier Bay Homeland, the period of alienation, and recent collaboration with the National Park Service, topped by two human figures holding Xunaa Shuka Hit, the Huna Ancestors' House.
What Youll See
Carved yellow cedar figures compressing centuries of Huna Tlingit history, crowned by two human figures - one in a woven cedar hat, one in a ranger hat - jointly holding the Huna Ancestors' House. Benches and interpretive exhibits sit alongside the pole.
Unique Characteristics
Yaa Naa Nex Kooteeyaa was designed to convey the difficult relationship between the National Park Service and the Huna Tlingit and to honor the work of healing - a rare monument to a park-tribe partnership, capped by paired cedar-hat and ranger-hat figures.
Photo Opportunities
The full-height view of the 20-foot pole and detail shots of the two capping figures - the woven cedar hat and the ranger hat holding Xunaa Shuka Hit - are the signature compositions at this designated photo spot.
Photography Spots
The site is a designated scenic view and photo spot; frame the full 20-foot cedar column or zoom to the paired figures holding Xunaa Shuka Hit at the top.
Best Viewpoints
Stand back far enough to take in the full 20-foot column, then move close to read the individual carved figures; the site is designated a scenic view and photo spot with benches and seating.
Geological Formation Type
Not a geological formation - carved yellow cedar cultural monument
Scientific Interest
The pole is a primary document of ethnohistory: it visually records the Huna Tlingit's migration from the Glacier Bay Homeland, the alienation era, and the modern co-stewardship relationship with the National Park Service.

Facilities, fees & access

Entry Fees
None - Glacier Bay National Park has no entrance gates and charges no entrance fee.
Permits Required
No
Restrooms Available
No
Picnic Areas
No
Water Available
No
Interpretive Signs
Yes
Accessibility
The pole stands in the Bartlett Cove developed area with benches and seating and interpretive exhibits; surface details are not documented.
Accessibility Level
Walk-up view in the Bartlett Cove developed area
Nearby Services
The Glacier Bay Visitor Center and Bartlett Cove Campground are in the Bartlett Cove area; Gustavus, Alaska is the gateway community with dock and ferry terminal.
Nearby Facilities
Benches and seating and historical/interpretive exhibits are at the site; the Glacier Bay Visitor Center and Bartlett Cove Campground are nearby in Bartlett Cove.
Family Friendly Notes
A safe, walk-up cultural site with benches and interpretive exhibits - well suited to kids, and a strong starting point for talking about Huna Tlingit history.

Safety

Safety Considerations
No recorded hazards at the pole itself - it stands in the Bartlett Cove developed area. Parkwide, keep 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other wildlife.

Nearby

Nearby Attractions
Bartlett Cove, Bartlett Cove Beach Rocks, the Bartlett Cove Public Use Dock, the Nurse Log in Bartlett Cove, and the Beardslee Islands are all in the same area.

Planning advice

Insider Tips
  • The pole's two capping figures jointly hold Xunaa Shuka Hit, the Huna Ancestors' House - a deliberate symbol of shared stewardship.
  • Dedicated in 2018, it is one of the newer additions to Bartlett Cove; pair it with the Huna Tribal House experience nearby.
  • Come during the late-May to early-September season when the visitor center is operating so you can add context to the carvings.
Tips Advice
  • Read the pole bottom to top - it compresses centuries of Huna Tlingit history into 20 feet of yellow cedar.
  • Look closely at the two figures at the top: one wears a woven cedar hat, the other the iconic ranger hat, together holding Xunaa Shuka Hit, the Huna Ancestors' House.
  • Use the benches and interpretive exhibits at the site to take in the full story before photographing.
  • Pair your visit with the nearby Bartlett Cove shoreline and the Glacier Bay Visitor Center.

More details

Park Area
Bartlett Cove
Recent Updates
The Healing Totem Pole was dedicated in 2018.
Elevation Feet
0
Visitor Center Present
No
Guided Tours Available
No
Fishing Nearby
No
Swimming Allowed
No
Boating Allowed
No
Climbing Areas
No
Review Summary
Visitors who stop at the pole with the interpretive exhibits alongside it tend to grasp its purpose: a carved record of the Huna Tlingit's separation from their Glacier Bay Homeland and the ongoing work of healing with the National Park Service. The paired cedar-hat and ranger-hat figures at the top make the partnership message legible even to first-time viewers.

Location

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth stopping for if I'm mainly here for glaciers?

Yes - it takes little time and adds the human story the ice alone can't tell. The pole compresses centuries of Huna Tlingit history, from migration out of the Glacier Bay Homeland to modern partnership with the NPS, into 20 feet of yellow cedar.

Do I need a permit or ticket to see the totem pole?

No. The site is open to the public, and Glacier Bay National Park has no entrance gates and no entrance fee.

Can I photograph the pole?

Yes - the site is designated as a scenic view and photo spot. The classic shots are the full 20-foot column and a detail of the two figures at the top holding Xunaa Shuka Hit.

Is this an old, historic totem pole?

No - it was dedicated in 2018. Its subject is historic, though: it depicts the Huna Tlingit's tragic migration from the Glacier Bay Homeland, the period of alienation, and the recent collaborative efforts between the tribe and the National Park Service.

Will my kids get anything out of it?

Yes. It's a safe walk-up site with benches and interpretive exhibits, and the imagery - two figures in a cedar hat and a ranger hat holding the Huna Ancestors' House - gives families a concrete way to talk about the park's Indigenous history.

Can I visit outside the summer season?

Technically yes - the park is open 24 hours a day with no entrance gates - but services may be extremely limited outside the main late-May through early-September season, so summer visits are far more practical.

Icy Strait

Milky water crowded with whales and eagles. Alaska's prime marine wildlife corridor, best May-September.

Mount Fairweather

Tallest mountain in Glacier Bay at 15,300 ft, visible from 70+ miles away on clear days.

Mount Wright

Mount Wright (4,967 ft) marks Muir Inlet's gateway—a glacial-carved peak visible from cruise and kayak routes.

Sources

Editorial review: YourNPGuide Editorial Team. Information is compiled from official sources, verified traveler reviews, and editorial research; no firsthand visit is implied unless explicitly documented. Learn how YourNPGuide works.

Last updated July 2026. Report an issue.