Jackson Glacier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jackson Glacier |
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Terminus of Jackson Glacier
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 Jackson Glacier
Location in Montana
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| Type | Mountain glacier |
| Location | Glacier National Park, Glacier County, Montana, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 48°35′55″N 113°42′04″W / 48.59861°N 113.70111°W |
| Area | 250 acres (1.0 km2) in 2005 |
| Length | 0.7 miles (1.1 km) |
| Terminus | Bare rock |
| Status | Retreating |
Jackson Glacier is one of the largest glaciers remaining in Glacier National Park in Montana, USA. It's currently the seventh biggest of the park's 25 glaciers. This glacier sits on the north side of Mount Jackson. It's also part of the biggest group of glaciers in the park.
In 2005, Jackson Glacier was measured at about 250 acres (1.0 km2). But way back in 1850, it was much larger! It even included what is now a separate glacier called Blackfoot Glacier. Together, they covered a huge area of about 1,875 acres (7.59 km2). This shows how much glaciers can change over time.
A Shrinking Giant
Jackson Glacier has been shrinking quite a bit. Between 1966 and 2005, it lost almost a third of its size. Before 1929, Jackson Glacier and Blackfoot Glacier were actually connected. They were known together as just Blackfoot Glacier.
In 1850, there were an estimated 150 glaciers in Glacier National Park. Experts who study glaciers, called glaciologists, believe that many, if not all, of the glaciers in the park might disappear completely by the year 2030. This is a big change for the park's landscape.
Watching the Glaciers
Jackson and Blackfoot glaciers are very important for scientists to study. The U.S. Geological Survey has a special program called Glacier Monitoring Research. This program watches how the "mass balance" of glaciers changes. Mass balance means how much ice a glacier gains or loses.
Scientists use special equipment to monitor these glaciers from a distance. They also use something called "repeat photography." This means they take pictures of the glacier from the exact same spots over many years. By comparing these photos, they can see how much the glacier has changed.
Where to See Jackson Glacier
Jackson Glacier is one of the easiest glaciers to see in Glacier National Park. You can find it south of the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It's on the east side of the Continental Divide, in the upper St. Mary Valley. This makes it a popular spot for visitors to observe a real glacier.
