Dawes Glacier is a tidewater glacier in Endicott Arm, a deep fjord branching from the waters of southeastern Alaska’s Tracy Arm-Fords Terror Wilderness. The glacier descends from the Coast Mountains toward the head of the fjord, where ice meets seawater at a broad calving face. Towering mountains, steep cliffs, waterfalls, and dense coastal forest surround the fjord, creating a dramatic setting that is best experienced from the water. Dawes Glacier is remote and has no road access, so most visitors encounter it on cruise ships, sightseeing boats, or guided excursions through Endicott Arm.

The glacier lies within the traditional homelands of Alaska Native peoples of the region, including Tlingit communities whose cultural history is closely connected with the waterways, mountains, forests, and wildlife of southeastern Alaska. The surrounding fjords have long served as routes for travel, fishing, and gathering. Modern access to Dawes Glacier is primarily recreational, but the broader landscape remains part of a living cultural region. The protected status of the surrounding wilderness also reflects an emphasis on preserving both its natural character and the ecological systems that support communities and wildlife.

Dawes Glacier is notable for its active ice front, where pieces of glacier ice periodically break away and fall into the fjord in a process known as calving. The glacier is surrounded by rugged peaks and smaller glaciers, while Endicott Arm contains floating ice, waterfalls, and steep rock walls shaped by glacial erosion. Harbor seals commonly use the fjord and its floating ice as resting and pupping habitat, while bald eagles and other coastal birds can be seen nearby. Boat excursions typically approach the glacier carefully, allowing passengers to observe the ice front and surrounding wilderness from a safe distance.