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Katmai National Park
Activities

A variety of interpretive programs are available at Brooks Camp throughout the summer. Each evening, in the Auditorium located near the Visitor Center, one of a variety of 45-minute to one hour slide enhanced programs is presented by Park staff. Each afternoon, starting across from the Visitor Center, Park staff take visitors on an hour long, half-mile round trip cultural walk to a recently excavated and recreated archeological site. Each day Park staff also join Brooks Lodge staff to offer an all day guided bus tour to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Reservations for the bus tour must be made in advance at Brooks Lodge. Other special Park staff guided hikes, nature walks, programs, and activities occur on an unscheduled basis throughout the season. Check at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center for dates and times.

Bear at Kamai Lake
Bear at Katmai Lake
© Kennan Ward

Flightseeing tours of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and of the Katmai Coast are available from commercial tour providers, including Brooks Lodge. See Resources page for reservations information.


Hiking

More Alaska Hiking

Exploring Alaska on Foot: A Roundup of Spectacular Places Around Anchorage and Kachemak Bay
Katmai has more than four million acres of wilderness in which to hike, but only two maintained hiking trails. Dumpling Mountain trail starts at the Brooks Camp Campground and climbs 1.5 miles to an overlook, then continues another 2.5 miles to the summit. The 1.5-mile Ukak Falls Trail begins at Three Forks Visitor Contact Station and drops 700 feet down to the edge of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Hikers then can go to Ukak Falls and/or the Three Forks Convergence Overlook. The Trail is fairly steep and strenuous.

Backcountry hiking at Katmai is very strenuous and should be undertaken only with lots of planning and extreme care. Backcountry permits are required and are obtained at the King Salmon visitors center.


Paddling

Naknek Lake and its beautiful Bay of Islands and the Alagnak and King Salmon Rivers make for wonderful canoe, kayak or rafting adventures. Visitors can ply the waters of the coast in sea kayaks with professional outfitters.


Fishing

Salmon
© Quest! Global Angling Adventures
Fishing is fantastic at Katmai, where anglers enjoy trophy sportfishing for salmon and trout. The Alagnak and Naknek Rivers offer excellent fishing for rainbow trout, char, grayling, pike and five species of Pacific Salmon in season. Bristol Bay is recognized as a premier Alaska freshwater sport fishing destination.

A valid Alaska State Fishing License is required for all persons age sixteen and older who fish the waters of Katmai National Park and Preserve. Fishing licenses are available at many locations including the Brooks Lodge Trading Post at Brooks Camp. All persons fishing in Katmai must be aware of catch and release requirements as well as bag limit regulations for the specific site where they are fishing. Any fish kept at Brooks Camp must immediately be placed in a special bag purchased at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center and taken to the Fish Freezing Building near the Lodge. Fish cleaning and outdoor cooking of fish is not permitted at Brooks Camp.

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