In 1918, Katmai was founded to safeguard the area around Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, which had been severely damaged by volcanic eruptions.

In addition to protecting thousands of brown bears and essential habitats for salmon, Katmai National Park and Preserve today also preserves 9,000 years of human history.

Katmai National Park & Preserve

The goal of Katmai National Park and Preserve is to preserve, research, and interpret the area’s active volcanism, which surrounds the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, as well as its extensive coastal resources, habitats for brown bears and salmon, and a continuing narrative of how humans have coexisted with a dynamic subarctic ecosystem.

The park and preserve provide exceptional opportunities to observe brown bears, go salmon and trout fishing, explore the vast wilderness and enormous volcanoes, and engage in many other activities.

Where Katmai National Park is located?

Northwest of Kodiak Island and southwest of Homer, Alaska, the northern Alaska Peninsula is where you’ll find Katmai National Park & Preserve. King Salmon, about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage, is home to the park’s administrative offices. Katmai is almost entirely accessible by boat or plane, in contrast to most national parks in the United States.

How much does it cost to go to Katmai National Park?

A day trip to Katmai National Park costs approximately $950 USD.

How do you get to Katmai National Park and Preserve?

By Air: From Anchorage, Dillingham, Homer, King Salmon, Kodiak, and other nearby Alaskan towns and villages, air taxi flights provide direct access to the majority of Katmai National Park & Preserve destinations.

Via Boat: Katmai’s Pacific coast is reachable by boat.

Is there a ferry to Katmai National Park?

Katmai Water Taxi Services now offers service from King Salmon, Alaska, to Katmai National Park. The Brooks Falls access point is most nearby!

What is Katmai National Park famous for?

Even though Katmai has been a national park and preserve since 1980, it is still well-known for its volcanoes as well as its brown bears, pristine waters teeming with fish, remote wilderness, and rugged coastline.

From late June until September is the best time to visit Katmai National Park if you want to see bears. The chances to see bears during this time are excellent.

Is Katmai National Park worth visiting?

Brown bears and volcanoes are found in Katmai National Park and Preserve. It is one of our favorite national parks and is wild, mountainous, and isolated. One of the best national parks in the US for wildlife viewing is this one. Brown bears travel to the rivers every summer to eat salmon.

How many bears are in Katmai National Park?

The park is thought to be home to 2,200 brown bears, and the Alaska Peninsula is thought to be home to more bears than people. In an era when many bear populations around the world are in decline, Katmai offers some of the last unaltered habitats for these incredible animals.

The coastal and lake areas of Katmai National Park and Preserve are home to brown bears and moose. Caribou, red fox, wolf, lynx, wolverine, river otters, mink, marten, weasels, porcupines, snowshoe hares, red squirrels, and beavers are examples of other mammals.

Can you bring food to Katmai National Park?

Be prepared to bring all of your food during your trip to the park if you are not staying the night at a lodge. Remember to abide by all guidelines and rules relating to food storage and consumption and bear safety. At Brooks Camp, there are unique regulations.

Can you drive to Katmai?

Katmai is almost entirely accessible by boat or plane, in contrast to most national parks in the United States. From Anchorage, Alaska, you cannot drive to Katmai, Brooks Camp, or King Salmon.

Northwest of Kodiak Island and southwest of Homer, Alaska, the northern Alaska Peninsula is where you’ll find Katmai National Park & Preserve.

Between 25,000 and 37,000 visitor use days were reported by companies operating in Katmai National Park and Preserve annually over the years, with a sharp decline in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.