Katmai National Park
Alaska Est. 1980

Katmai National Park

Volcanic Lake River Ocean
Plan a visit Check conditions
Established
1980
Size
3,674,530 acres
Visitors / yr
36K
Entrance
Free
Best season
June through September
Nearest airport
AKN King Salmon Airport
01

Why Katmai is worth the trip

Alaska · Established 1980

You know the photograph. A brown bear at the lip of a waterfall, jaws open, a sockeye salmon hanging in midair. That is Brooks Falls in July, where elevated platforms let you watch dozens of brown bears fish at close range, the same bears that fatten up each fall for the internet's beloved Fat Bear Week.

The bears overshadow Katmai's other claim. In 1912 the Novarupta eruption, the largest of the 20th century, buried a nearby valley in ash hundreds of feet deep, and the explorers who found it steaming named it the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. You fly here, usually by floatplane out of King Salmon, and everything about the logistics says expedition. So does the payoff.

Start with our full Katmai guide, then use the planning below.

02

Top things to do in Katmai

Where we would start, and what we would plan a day around.

01 Float the Savonoski Loop Boating · nps.gov Float the Savonoski Loop The Savonoski Loop is an 80 mile paddle through the scenic backcountry of Katmai National Park. Paddlers need intermediate canoeing or kayaking skills, and... 02 Become A Katmai Jr. Ranger Junior Ranger Program · nps.gov Become A Katmai Jr. Ranger Take your stewardship to the next level by earning your Junior Ranger Badge. 03 Become a Not-So-Junior Ranger at Katmai Junior Ranger Program · nps.gov Become a Not-So-Junior Ranger at Katmai Become a Not-So-Junior Ranger Journeys at Katmai: An Activity Book for Not-So-Junior Rangers is geared toward young adults and adults. This book delves deeper... 04 Explore Katmai by Air Flying · nps.gov Explore Katmai by Air Katmai National Park and Preserve spans over four million acres of remote, wild, and spectacular country and there's no better way to see it...
Before you go

Get the Katmai heads-up

Permit windows, closures and seasonal alerts, plus our best Katmai guides, in your inbox before you go. Free, no spam.

03

Plan your trip

Our guides for the big decisions, plus the gear, maps and lodging we would actually use for Katmai.

Complete Guide Fun Facts

Where to stay

Gateway towns with lodging, food and outfitters.

  • King Salmon, AKGateway town
  • Brooks Camp Campground 32 sites · Reserve
Compare stays near Katmai

Maps & guides

Carry paper. Cell service dies fast inside most parks.

Katmai Trails Illustrated map
Waterproof National Geographic topo of the park.
View on Amazon
Katmai field guide
Trail-by-trail detail and planning help in print.
View on Amazon
America the Beautiful pass
$80 a year. Covers entrance fees at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites.
Get the pass

What to bring

Field-tested picks we bring on park trips.

  • Bear Spray
    Required carry in grizzly country. Practice the quick-draw before you need it. View on REI
  • Day Hiking Pack
    A 22-30L pack fits water, layers, snacks, and a first aid kit. View on REI
  • Trail Shoes
    Lightweight with good traction for maintained trails. View on REI
  • Water Bottles
    Carry at least 2 liters. More in desert heat. View on REI

Getting there

  • AKN King Salmon Airport 5 mi
  • ANC Ted Stevens Anchorage International 290 mi
NPS Official Page Reservations Google Maps

Some links in this section are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would use ourselves.

Katmai map

VC Visitor Center CG Campground Nearby Park
04

When to go

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Live Webcams

Riffles BearCam Live
Riffles BearCam
Dumpling Mountain Cam Live
Dumpling Mountain Cam
Naknek River Cam Live
Naknek River Cam

Month-by-Month Conditions

Tap any month for details

Month
High
Low
Crowds
Roads
Jan
24°
10°
Low
Partial
Feb
30°
15°
Low
Partial
Mar
32°
15°
Low
Partial
Apr
44°
28°
Low
Partial
May
55°
36°
Low
Open
Jun Best
62°
44°
Peak
Open
Jul Best
65°
49°
Peak
Open
Aug Best
63°
48°
Peak
Open
Sep Best
56°
41°
Peak
Open
Oct
44°
29°
Low
Open
Nov
32°
18°
Low
Partial
Dec
26°
11°
Low
Partial
Best months to visit Crowd level (low to peak)
05

More Katmai guides

06

Parks near Katmai

Within reach if you are building a longer trip.

Lake Clark National Park
Alaska

Lake Clark

179 miles away
Kenai Fjords National Park
Alaska

Kenai Fjords

213 miles away
Denali National Park
Alaska

Denali

366 miles away
Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Alaska

Wrangell-St. Elias

468 miles away

Worth protecting

Katmai belongs to all of us

Protections that took generations to win can be rolled back in a single session of Congress. We keep watch so they hold.

See what's at stake Join the fight for Alaska

Threatened Lands Map

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