First established to preserve an active volcano site and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Katmai National Park covers just over 4 million acres. Perhaps this area is most notable as a preserve for Alaskan brown bears and salmon. In fact, the park is home to the world’s largest brown/grizzly bear population at just over 2200 total. People come to Katmai to explore Mount Katmai, Mount Martin and Trident Volcano among others. Hiking, biking, mountaineering and kayaking are all incredibly popular ways to check out the park. The abundance of wildlife, beyond the bears and salmon, make this a truly one-of-a-kind trip.
Located at the mouth of the Brooks River, Brooks Camp represents the center of bear watching when it comes to Katmai. It is not uncommon to stand on the viewing deck and see multiple bears hunting or even just playing in the water. This is also a great area to fish.
The park has cameras positioned in locations optimal to catch the best bear activities. Watch them fish for salmon or check out the mother bears and their new cubs exploring the land.
With hundreds of miles of lakes, rivers and streams throughout, the park is an especially terrific place for boating. Visitors come to kayak, canoe and raft. Throughout the park you can find both tranquil and serene rides as well as whitewater rapids.
The park is open year-round, but you'll want to avoid winter. The guide services close down for the season and the days are short.
Late spring (June) can be a good time to visit the park while avoiding the crowds. If visiting in June, you're most likely to see bears in Hallo Bay or Swikshak Lagoon.
July and August is the busy season. Compared to other Alaska parks, Katmai doesn't get a crazy amount of visitors so timing your trip around the busy season can be the best decision.
Early fall is a good time to visit, but the services shut down sometime in October.