Katmai National Park and Preserve is a national park in southwestern Alaska, United States, with its gateway at King Salmon. It is best known for its brown bears and the salmon runs that draw them, and for a volcanic landscape that feels unlike most parks.
Bears and salmon at Brooks Falls
The park's most famous sight is the brown bear population, which gathers to fish for salmon at Brooks Falls. Visitors can watch the bears from viewing areas during the salmon season, seeing how they position themselves at the falls to catch fish as they leap upstream. It is a slow, patient kind of wildlife watching, and the bears often go about their business close enough to make the trip memorable.
The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
The park also includes the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a volcanic landscape shaped by past eruptions. Its barren, ash-covered terrain offers a striking contrast to the rivers and lakes elsewhere in the park, and it adds a geological dimension to a visit centred on wildlife.
Planning a visit
- King Salmon is the nearest town and the practical base for reaching the park.
- The park address is 1000 Silver St, King Salmon, AK 99613.
- To check details before you travel, the park can be reached by phone at +1-907-246-3305.
Katmai suits visitors who want to see large wildlife in a remote, wild setting and are prepared for the particular rhythm of a place where the bears set the pace. Allow time to take in both the falls and the volcanic valley, which together give the park its character.