Katmai National Park & Preserve | American Tour Association

A PLACE TO REMEMBER

Make room for the wonder.

Katmai combines bear-viewing opportunities with an extraordinary volcanic landscape. Most visits need air transport and careful coordination, making this an outing to arrange well before departure.

salmon jumping at waterfall — Each year, 200,000 to 400,000 sockeye salmon jump Brooks Falls.
NPS/David Jacob · Photography credit

Bear standing at the edge of a waterfall while a salmon is leaping towards it. — In July, brown bears often stand on the lip of Brooks Falls to try to catch leaping salmon.
NPS/David Jacob · Photography credit

BUILD YOUR OWN PARK DAY

Places to consider

01Brooks Camp
02Bear-viewing platforms
03Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes trips

Choose the stops that suit your time and your party. These are ideas for exploring, rather than a fixed itinerary or a promise that every road, trail or facility will be open.

Before you set out

Arrange authorized transport and confirm bear-viewing procedures. Wildlife behavior, weather and water levels can alter the experience.

Give the day room

Allow time for the approach, parking and breaks. Pick walks for the least mobile members of your party, and leave space for weather or a change of plans.

Bring your group

Confirm vehicle access, drop-off and parking with the park. Check any guided tours, transport and accessibility arrangements before fixing the rest of the itinerary.

Official park visitor guide ↗Current conditions ↗

Check the official NPS guide for current access, fees, passes, reservations and permits. Gateway names identify useful surrounding communities or access areas, not exact entrance directions. Photographs may show earlier seasons or conditions.