Katmai National Park & Preserve
AK
About Katmai National Park & Preserve
A landscape is alive underneath our feet, filled with creatures that remind us what it is to be wild. Katmai was established in 1918 to protect the volcanically devastated region surrounding Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Today, Katmai National Park and Preserve also protects 9,000 years of human history and important habitat for salmon and thousands of brown bears.
Things To Do
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Become A Katmai Jr. Ranger
Take your stewardship to the next level by earning your Junior Ranger Badge.
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 into Katmai's history and resources on an exploratory journey fit for any National Park fan.
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 than from the window of a small airplane.
Boating in Katmai National Park and Preserve
Katmai contains hundreds of miles of rivers and streams, many large lakes, and countless small ponds. These waterways were used by Native Alaskans long before contact with Russian and European explorers. Today, they remain beautiful and attractive travel corridors allowing contemporary explorers relatively easy access to Katmai’s wilderness. Explore Katmai's pristine water features by boat.
Watch Bears at Brooks Camp
Brooks Camp is renowned for its remarkable bear viewing opportunities.
Take a Guided Tour to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
Join a ranger-guided tour to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Experience the raw power of nature and learn about the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century.
Available Activities
Weather
Located between the stormy north Pacific Ocean and the even stormier Bering Sea, the Katmai region is often a battleground between weather systems. When you visit, be prepared to encounter all types of weather. On average, wet and cool conditions predominate in spring, summer, and fall.
Winters are drier and colder.
Getting There
Katmai National Park & Preserve is located on the northern Alaska Peninsula, northwest of Kodiak Island and southwest of Homer, Alaska. The park’s headquarters is in King Salmon, about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage. Unlike most national parks in the United States, Katmai is almost exclusively accessed by plane or boat.
Plan Your Visit
Let Cairn help you plan the perfect trip to Katmai National Park & Preserve with AI-powered itineraries.
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Katmai National Park and Preserve
Katmai is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week.