Getting Oriented

Tidelines Institute makes its home at two campuses, located 25 miles apart along Icy Strait, one of the northernmost stretches of the Inside Passage. Our Good River Campus lies on the western outskirts of the tiny town of Gustavus, AK, 50 miles northwest of Juneau and opening onto world-famous Glacier Bay National Park. Our Inian Islands Campus is based on a 5-acre historic homestead on an outer coast archipelago surrounded by designated wilderness within the Tongass National Forest. Moving between these incredible places, our students have the opportunity to experience the richness of Southeast Alaska’s natural and human communities.

Tidelines Institute takes its name from the natural phenomenon that links our two campuses. The Southeast Alaska tidal cycle is one of the most dynamic in the world, with upper and lower tidelines ranging by as much as 20 feet within a six-hour period. These pulses of water from the Gulf of Alaska bring abundant nutrients into the famous “Inside Passage” waterways, making them hotspots for whales, salmon, otters, eagles, and thousands of other creatures who make their living off the sea… humans included!