Best Katmai National Park And Preserve Day Trips & Things to Do

Tucked within the remote wilds of southern Alaska, Katmai National Park and Preserve is a sanctuary of untamed beauty and raw natural power. Best known for its thriving brown bear populations, the park offers unparalleled wildlife viewing—especially at Brooks Falls, where bears gather each summer to catch salmon. Beyond bear watching, Katmai reveals the dramatic Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a volcanic wonderland formed by the 1912 eruption of Novarupta, now a stark expanse of ash and steaming fumaroles. Rugged coastlines, turquoise lakes, and vast alpine tundra support moose, wolves, and countless bird species, while historic Native settlements echo millennia of human resilience. Accessible mainly by floatplane from nearby towns like King Salmon, Katmai rewards adventurous travelers with solitude, silence, and a rare glimpse into the pulse of wild America.