Mount Katmai

Mount Katmai is a stratovolcano on the Alaska Peninsula in southwestern Alaska, U.S., with an elevation of about 2,047 meters (6,716 feet). It lies within Katmai National Park and Preserve and is associated with the major 1912 Novarupta volcanic event.

The site includes a collapsed summit caldera and nearby steam-vented areas known as the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Visitors travel into the park for geological features, crater views, and wildlife in the surrounding park - access is by air or water and facilities are seasonal.

The caldera was formed during the 1912 eruption when the summit collapsed as the nearby Novarupta vent erupted explosively. The 1912 event is one of the largest eruptions of the 20th century and reshaped the local landscape.

Mount Katmai sits on the Alaska Peninsula within Katmai National Park and Preserve, roughly 480 kilometers (300 miles) southwest of Anchorage by air and accessible from the small regional hub of King Salmon. The surrounding landscape is volcanic, with rivers, tundra and coastal inlets.

• Access: Access to the Katmai area is primarily by small aircraft or boat from King Salmon; services are seasonal and weather-dependent.
• Best season: Best time for visitation is summer months when floatplane services operate and park facilities are open.

What to See #

• Katmai caldera: A steep-walled caldera formed by the 1912 Novarupta eruption, featuring fumaroles and a crater lake within the summit depression.
• Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes: An ash-filled valley created during the 1912 eruption with dozens of fumaroles and steam vents; access typically requires boat or floatplane into Katmai National Park.