Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska, Guide

There are certain scenes in the unofficial wildlife photography hall of fame—shots that both amateurs and professionals around the world attempt to capture when they finally get the chance. The bison roaming Yellowstone National Park, an elephant herd thundering across the African terrain in Tanzania or Botswana, a humpback whale breaching off the coast of Hawaii or Mexico. But there’s arguably no more recognizable sight than the one Thomas Mangelsen immortalized in “Catch of the Day.”

In the picture, a large brown bear stands at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park and Preserve as a sockeye salmon, attempting to make its way over the rapids, lands in the predator’s powerful jaws. The alignment of the photo is striking, but the moment itself isn’t exactly serendipitous. Each summer, a high concentration of bears congregate along the Brooks River as salmon migrate upstream to spawn, creating easy pickings for the mammals who need to pack on the fat ahead of hibernation.

Over the years, hundreds of thousands of people have made their way to this part of the Alaska Peninsula—specifically, to Brooks Camp, the park’s main visitor hub—to see and photograph the extraordinary event in person. There’s even a popular livestream of the falls, as well as an annual Fat Bear Week competition, a tournament-style bracket where the public votes for the bear that “best exemplifies fatness and success in brown bears.”

The primary bear-viewing window is condensed to just 3.5 half months because the Brooks Camp facilities are only open at full capacity from June 1 through mid-September each year, and the park can only be accessed by boat or float plane, so a visit to Katmai National Park and Preserve requires a decent amount of forethought.

“Katmai isn’t like national parks in the lower 48 states. It’s the size of Yellowstone and Yosemite combined, remote, and expensive and difficult to reach,” Matt Johnson, an interpretation program manager and park ranger, tells Travel + Leisure. Preparation is key, but once you arrive, he says, “You will likely be rewarded for your trouble.” The payoff includes the aforementioned wildlife sightings, as well as spectacular sport fishing, backcountry hiking, and a deeper understanding of the geologic and human history of this over four-million-acre wilderness.

While logistical preparation is paramount, I also found no amount of planning can ready you for the moment you spot your first bear. As I crossed over the Brooks River Bridge on a cool September morning, still quite a ways from the famous falls, I stopped, slack-jawed and speechless. Below, an adult brown bear stood vertically in the water, tearing apart its most recent catch. I watched in silence with several other onlookers. It was apparent that each of us understood the magnitude of the moment; the only audible noises were the crunching of fish bones, a slight breeze over the water, and the occasional hum of a float plane in the distance.

Know Before You Go

Ahead of taking off on this once-in-a-lifetime adventure, there are a few things to keep in mind. You don’t need bear spray (and it’s also not allowed on most flights), but bug repellent could be useful. Dressing in layers is recommended, and you should stash a rain jacket in your backpack in case a storm or drizzle rolls through. If you’re sticking to the Brooks Camp area, you don’t need to bring hiking boots—the trails and pathways are mostly flat—but your footwear should be comfortable; it’s a 1.2-mile walk from the visitor center to the falls platform. You can leave your America the Beautiful Pass at home; no entry pass or fee is required to access Katmai National Park and Preserve.

For just a short day trip to Brooks Camp, I carried everything in a crossbody bag. I brought a few snacks (which were left in the designated food cache at Brooks Camp while I went looking for bears), a camera, sunscreen, an extra layer, sunglasses, a portable power bank, and a water bottle. There’s a water bottle-filling station at Brooks Lodge, the only one in the Brooks Camp area.

Upon arrival at Brooks Camp, visitors are required to watch a “Bear School” video, which provides a thorough rundown of the critical rules and recommendations for visiting: Don’t carry any food or drink (other than water), travel in groups when possible, and remain at least 50 yards from the bears at all times. A National Park Service ranger is also there to answer any remaining questions or concerns you may have. You won’t have any phone service within the park, so be sure to download the NPS app ahead of time to use its map feature.

Whether your destination is Brooks Camp or you’re headed somewhere deeper into the park,  try to bake a bit of flexibility into your travel schedule. Weather delays are common, and trip cancellations aren’t out of the ordinary. “Unpredicted circumstances happen all the time, and we can’t recommend trip insurance enough,” says Sean Petersen, owner of Fly Katmai.

Finally, don’t mistake Brooks Camp for the entire park. “While a lot of visitors go to Brooks [Camp] to see bears catching salmon, we also like to remind our customers that Katmai became a national park because of the volcano eruption and not the bears,” adds Petersen. The Novarupta eruption of 1912 was known as the greatest volcanic eruption of the 20th century. The geologic event transformed the now national park land into what it is today, triggering the collapse of the Katmai caldera and creating steaming vents that fill the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, which you may see as you fly into Brooks Camp.

Best Time to Visit

The best time to visit Katmai National Park and Preserve depends on your ideal experience. “For those seeking to capture iconic photos of bears catching salmon at the falls, [July] is the time to visit Katmai,” says Petersen. “That’s when you have the highest chances of seeing the highest concentration of bears at the park and salmon jumping at [Brooks] Falls.” However, Petersen warns, “With a high number of bears in July, there’s also a high number of visitors, which may result in longer wait times to get on the top platform at the falls.” His personal favorite time to watch the bears near Brooks Falls is the first week of August. “It’s so close to July and lots of bears are still there, but it’s a lot less crowded with people,” he adds.

In Johnson’s view, early September is the best time to visit. “It’s not as crowded as in late July, it’s still warmer than usual, the concession operation is still open and humming along, and while the bears are not lined up at Brooks Falls for the salmon run at this time, there’s still an excellent opportunity to see them,” he says. Petersen also agrees that September, and into October, is ideal: “The Brooks River gets all five species of Pacific salmon, and [it’s] one of the rivers that has salmon the latest, so bears are there until the end of October,” he shares, adding that the bears will be nice and plump during this period ahead of winter.

Although Brooks Camp will be closed—and the bears won’t be out in full force—Johnson notes there are several other reasons to visit the park in the off-season. In the winter, you’ll “see a dozen active volcanoes and glaciers, and over 400 miles of ocean coastline in the snow” on a flight-seeing tour, he says. “In the springtime, watch for belugas in the Naknek River and listen for the unusual, surreal song of the varied thrush. The sound is like a referee whistle at a ghost sports field deep in the heart of the forest of white spruce, birch, alder, and poplar.”

How to Get There

There are only two ways of reaching Katmai National Park and Preserve: by air or by water. If you decide to take the aerial route—an incredible experience in and of itself—you’ll need to book your spot as soon as possible; the aircraft are small and seats are limited. Depending on which company you fly with and how much time you’re spending in the park, the journey can be slightly different.

Some operators, like Katmai Air, fly passengers from Anchorage to the town of King Salmon, where they’ll transfer to a float plane to Brooks Camp. Others, like Katmai Expeditions, start in King Salmon, so you’ll need to book a separate flight to King Salmon Airport (AKN); both Ravn Alaska and Alaska Airlines have regular service to and from Anchorage. Emerald Air Service offers flights to Brooks Camp for those coming from Homer. I opted for the more direct route by flying from Anchorage to Brooks Camp with Fly Katmai.

For travelers who are more comfortable arriving by boat, there’s Katmai Water Taxi Services; the King Salmon-to-Brooks Camp route takes 45 minutes one way.

Best Things to Do

Watch the bears at Brooks Camp.

Yes, observing the bears catch salmon at Brooks Falls and around Brooks Camp is the definitive highlight of the park, but you won’t just see them at the falls. “Sometimes, the best bear viewing is on the beach at Brooks,” says Petersen. As I disembarked the float plane by the beach, the first thing I noticed was large paw tracks in the sand. My personal favorite spot was the 1,200-foot-long Brooks River Bridge, where I spotted at least a dozen bears, including a mama and two cubs, without having to wait for a turn or squeeze between other viewers.

Still, you should hike to Brooks Falls, the location of Mangelsen’s photo, to watch the bears swatting at salmon and waiting for their food to come just a bit closer. You may have to put your name on a waiting list—there’s a 40-person capacity for the two-tiered platform—but the rangers will direct you to another viewing point until it’s your turn.

See the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.

“If you have a chance to see the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, either flying over it, backcountry camping, or the bus tour from Brooks Camp, it’s definitely worth it [and] the whole reason the place became protected in the first place,” says Petersen. During the bus tour, there’s an optional 3.4-mile hike to the floor of the valley, and those who choose to hike will be privy to a stunning landscape. “There are snow-capped volcanoes all along the horizon, a kaleidoscope of wildflower colors, rushing rivers and waterfalls, soothing songs of birds, layers of volcanic ash accumulated from the biggest eruption in modern times, and a vast wilderness rich in wonders,” says Johnson.

Hike to Dumpling Mountain.

Another option for hikers is the climb up to Dumpling Overlook (about 1.5 miles from Brooks Camp) and onto Dumpling Mountain (an additional 2.5 miles). “The trail isn’t too steep. It rises in eerie-looking groves of poplar, parsnip, and twisted stalk, and within a short period of time and just a couple miles, you come to a very scenic spot looking down on Brooks Camp and the surrounding lakes, and mountains all along the horizon,” says Johnson. “Just make sure to give yourself enough time to be on time for your departure, if you choose to hike after lunch, for example,” adds Petersen.

Fish for trout and salmon.

Serenity is part of the reason sport fishing plays such a key role in tourism at Katmai National Park and Preserve. “Katmai includes many pristine lakes where you can boat, camp, fish, listen to the sound of waves, witness amazing things like floating rocks (volcanic pumice, which is filled with air pockets like Swiss cheese), and experience deep peacefulness without the constant noise of traffic, videos, and machines,” says Johnson. There’s also the sheer abundance of rainbow trout and salmon, among other fish. Visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to purchase a sport fishing license beforehand; fishing the Brooks River Corridor also requires a permit.

Paddle the Savonoski Loop.

This is not an activity for beginners, the faint of heart, or the day-tripper, but kayaking or canoeing the Savonoski Loop is sure to be a memorable adventure. The 80-mile loop begins and ends at Brooks Camp, with the NPS noting the journey can take between four and 10 days. The first leg of the trip spans two or three days, and brings paddlers to Fure’s Cabin on Naknek Lake, a public-use cabin built in 1916; reservations for overnight stays are required.

Best Places to Stay

Brooks Lodge and Brooks Camp Campground

Brooks Camp is the area’s buzziest destination, and it offers a small campground and lodge with 16 cabins. Brooks Camp Campground has a 60-person capacity, and reservations can be made online. Brooks Lodge, on the other hand, uses a lottery system, and each lucky winner has the opportunity to book one of the cabins, which come outfitted with two sets of bunk beds.

Fishing Lodges

“There are many places to stay within and around the park. You can still stay somewhere else nearby and fly or boat into Brooks Camp for the day. You don’t have to spend the night at Brooks Camp in order to see it,” says Johnson. Two such options are Grosvenor Lodge and Kulik Lodge. The former is located between Lake Coville and Lake Grosvenor and hosts up to six guests at one time; the latter has amazing views of Nonvianuk Lake and has room for 24 guests across 11 cabins. Both lodges, along with Brooks Lodge, were originally known as Angler’s Paradise Lodges. They were started in the 1950s when Ray Petersen (an aviation pioneer and Sean’s grandfather) and John Walatka partnered with the NPS to set up fishing camps in the area.

King Salmon

“If people did not want to stay at a lodge, but are looking just for a few days in Katmai, they could also stay in one of many hotels [or] bed-and-breakfasts in King Salmon and fly into the park for the day,” says Petersen. “Our choices would be Blue Fly Bed & Breakfast, Antlers Inn, and King Salmon Lodge.”

Where to Eat

If you plan to visit Brooks Camp for the day, bring your own food and be sure to store it in the food cache by the visitor center and only enjoy it in the designated picnic areas. There’s a buffet at Brooks Lodge, but food service is prioritized for overnight guests. Based on availability, it may be possible to purchase a meal. When I was there, the team was extremely conscious of food allergies and preferences; there were both gluten-free and vegan options on deck. Next door, the Trading Post has a few snacks and drinks available for purchase.