Katmai National Park and Preserve

Katmai National Park and Preserve is a large national park on the Alaska Peninsula known for its brown bears and volcanic landscapes. The park covers roughly four million acres and protects major volcanic features and extensive coastal and interior ecosystems.

Brooks Camp and the viewing platforms at Brooks Falls are among the park’s top draws, where bears fish for returning salmon during mid- to late summer. The park also contains the dramatic Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a canyon and ash-filled landscape created by the 1912 Novarupta eruption. Other attractions include backcountry fishing, remote floatplane access points, and extensive coastline and river systems used for boat travel and wildlife viewing.

The valley and many of the park’s volcanic features were formed or dramatically altered by the Novarupta eruption in June 1912. Katmai was originally protected in the early 20th century for its volcanic features and later designated as a national park and preserve to protect both its geology and wildlife. Over the 20th century management added visitor facilities at Brooks Camp and increased science and wildlife monitoring.

The park sits on the Alaska Peninsula, facing the Bering Sea to the west and lowland river systems to the east. The nearest hub for visitor access is King Salmon, from which floatplanes and boats travel into park locations; there are no road connections to the park interior.

• Access: Most of the park has no road access - travel is primarily by floatplane or boat from King Salmon and other Alaska Peninsula points.
• Best time to visit: Peak brown bear viewing and salmon runs occur in mid to late summer, when dozens of bears congregate at Brooks River and Brooks Falls.

What to See#

• Brooks Camp / Brooks Falls: A visitor complex on the Naknek River that includes boardwalks and viewing platforms at Brooks Camp, the main public access point for bear viewing and salmon runs.
• Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes: A large fumarolic ash flow valley created by the 1912 Novarupta eruption, now a landscape of canyons and ridges known as the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
• Mount Katmai and Novarupta: The volcanic massif area around Mount Katmai and the Novarupta vent, which are key geological features of the park and tied to the 1912 eruption.

Katmai National Park and Preserve has no road access from Alaska’s road system. Visitors typically fly from Anchorage to King Salmon (scheduled regional flights) and then transfer to chartered bush/floatplanes that land at park locations such as Brooks Camp; some access is also by boat from nearby Naknek/King Salmon area. All approaches require advance planning and coordination with air or boat operators and the park service.

• Plan travel well in advance: access to Brooks Camp and other visitor sites is by scheduled floatplane or boat from King Salmon, and flights/campsites fill up quickly in summer.
• Visit in July-early September for the peak salmon run and highest bear-activity for viewing at Brooks Falls, and aim for early morning or late afternoon viewing windows when bear activity is typically higher.
• Check the National Park Service website for current conditions, campground availability, and strict bear-safety rules; stay on designated platforms and follow all NPS guidance to protect wildlife and visitors.