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Katmai National Park & Preserve

Katmai National Monument was created in 1918 to preserve the famed Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a spectacular forty square mile, 100 to 700 foot deep ash flow deposited by Novarupta Volcano. A National Park & Preserve since 1980, today Katmai is still famous for volcanoes, but also for brown bears, pristine waterways with abundant fish, remote wilderness, and a rugged coastline.

The Basics

Address:

PO Box 7
King Salmon, AK 99613

Phone:

907-246-3305

Fax:

907-246-2116

Map

Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska Map

Click here for a full-sized map of Katmai National Park & Preserve

Directions

Katmai National Park & Preserve is located on the Alaska Peninsula, across from Kodiak Island. Park Headquarters is in King Salmon, about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage. Several commercial airlines provide daily flights into King Salmon as there is no road access. Brooks Camp, along the Brooks River approximately 30 air miles from King Salmon, is a common destination for visitors to the Park. Brooks Camp can only be reached via small float plane or boat.

Located on the Alaska Peninsula, 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage, Katmai National Park & Preserve is inaccessible by road.

By Air
Most destinations in Katmai National Park & Preserve may be directly accessed via air taxi flights chartered from Anchorage, King Salmon, Iliamna, Kodiak, Soldotna, Homer, or other nearby Alaska towns and villages. Regularly scheduled commercial flights to King Salmon (AKN), which serves as NPS administrative headquarters and the starting point for most Katmai adventures, are available from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) via PenAir and Alaska Airlines.

Brooks Camp, along the Brooks River approximately 30 air miles from King Salmon, is a common destination for visitors to Katmai. Brooks Camp can only be reached via small float plane (chartered from many of the towns and villages listed above) or boat.

By Boat
Boats can access the Katmai coast from villages and towns along the Pacific Ocean coastline. Brooks Camp and other locations along the Naknek River drainage can be reached by power boat from the villages of Naknek and King Salmon, located just west of park boundaries on the Naknek River.

Climate

Be prepared for stormy weather and some sunshine. Summer daytime temperatures range from about mid–50s to mid–60s° Fahrenheit; the average summer low is 44° Fahrenheit. Strong winds and sudden gusts—williwaws—frequently sweep the area, occassionally at speeds up to 50 to 60 miles per hour. Skies are clear about 20% of the summer. Light rain can last for days.

Link to our Homer Weather coverage for more information.

Link to our Kodiak Weather coverage for more information.

Seasons

The park and preserve are open year-round. At Brooks Camp, National Park Service and concessioner services are offered from June 1 through September 17. Prime bear viewing months at Brooks Camp are July and September, although a few bears may be in the area at any time between late May and December. Bear viewing in coastal areas is possible during June through August. Backcountry activities are best during June through September.

Fees

No Fees.

Reservations

Reservations not required, but registration recommended.

Things To Do

Bear viewing

Katmai is one of the premier brown bear viewing areas in the world. The most recent bear survey documented over 2000 brown bears in the park and preserve. Brooks Camp is the most visited area of the park where brown bear congregate to feed on sockeye salmon at the Brooks Falls or the Brooks River. Viewing platforms have been set up to accommodate visitor numbers without affecting bear behavior.

Outside of Brooks Camp, other areas along the coast and in the preserve also host bear viewing activities. On the coast, Hallo Bay and Geographic Harbor are two popular areas. In the preserve, Moraine Creek and Funnel Creek also attract bear viewers. Bears frequent specific areas at different times, primarily related to food availability.

Outdoor Boating and Fishing

Sport-fishing

Before Katmai was known for bear viewing activities, most visitors came to the park for its world-renown sport-fishing opportunities. Trophy Rainbow Trout are found in many lakes and streams as well as Grayling and Dolly Varden. Strong seasonal runs of salmon are also found in particular areas of the park, including both Sockeye (red) and Coho (silver) Salmon.

Although the fishing is exceptional, these prized sportfish are still vulnerable to overfishing. TheAlaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) carefully monitors the populations to ensure that the present regulations maintain the long-term stability of the Katmai sport fishery. Visitors intending to fish should become familiar with the regulations specific to the Bristol Bay area.

An Alaska sport fishing license is required of all nonresidents 16 and over, and most residents 16 to 59. You may also need a harvest record card and/or king salmon stamp before you fish.

Canoeing/Kayaking

The Savonoski Loop is a popular canoeing and kayaking route in the park

Link to our Homer Boating and Fishing coverage for more information.

Link to our Kodiak Boating and Fishing coverage for more information.

Hunting

Hunting:

Hunting is only allowed in the preserve area of Katmai.

Nearby Attractions

King Salmon Visitor Center

Located just next door to the King Salmon Airport, the King Salmon Visitor Center is open during the summer season from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm daily. Visitors will find detailed information about the many Federal public lands on the Alaska Peninsula. Information about the Bristol Bay area and Southwest Alaska is also available.

Exhibits help visitors understand and appreciate the spectacular natural and cultural resources and rich history of the Alaska Peninsula. A three-dimensional map of Southwest Alaska, salmon life cycle illustrations, information on local wildlife, and the annual waterfowl calendar art contest entries are all on display. A large collection of films is available for viewing and the bookstore offers maps, navigation charts, videos, posters and more.

National Park Service Areas

Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve
Alagnak Wild River
Aleutian World War II National Historic Area
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge
Becharof National Wildlife Refuge
Kodiak Island National Wildlife Refuge
McNeil River State Game Sanctuary
Alaska State Boroughs
Bristol Bay Borough
Lake & Peninsula Borough

Link to our Homer Attractions coverage for more information.

Link to our Kodiak Attractions coverage for more information.

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