Email | Brochure Request | Contact Us

888-900-1992

 

Established in Alaska since 1992

Information presented below is for reference and general educational purpose. If you have any suggestions or if you would like to improve the content of this page, please feel free to contact us, and if you are interested in planning a trip to Alaska, click here.

Katmai National Park and Preserve

 

Bears Fishing

The Land

Katmai National Park and Preserve is located about 290 air miles southwest ofKatmai National Park and Preserve Anchorage. The park is bounded by Shelikof Strait to the east, the Lake Iliamna watershed to the north, the Bristol Bay coastal plain to the west, and the Becharof Lake watershed to the south.

Flora and Fauna

Katmai National Park and Preserve is best known for its Brown bears and large populations of Salmon and other sport fish. Brown bears, found throughout the coastal region, come to feed on spawning salmon, sometimes in large concentrations. Moose live in the coastal and lake regions and there is a migratory caribou herd.Katmai Brown bears

Smaller mammals include red fox, wolf, lynx, wolverine, river otter, mink, marten, weasel, porcupine, snowshoe hare, red squirrel, and beaver.

The lake edges and marshes of Katmai National Park and Preserve are nesting sites for thousands of tundra swans, ducks, loons, grebes and arctic terns. Grouse and ptarmigan reside in the uplands with bald eagles, hawks, falcons and owls living on the seacoast and lake shores.

Sea lions, sea otters, orcas and gray whales can sometimes be seen in Shelikof Strait.

Salmon and Rainbow trout are found in abundance throughout Katmai National Park and Preserve.

History

In late prehistoric and proto historic times the area that is now Katmai National Park and Preserve was occupied by various groups of people, all part of the Pacific Eskimo group.

Between 1784 with the establishment Sea Otter of Russian fur traders on Kodiak and the Katmai Shelikof Strait coastal areas and 1890, when most of the sea otter population had been wiped out, all activity in the area of Katmai National Park and Preserve centered around fur trading. Salmon canneries filled the economic void until 1918 when the Katmai National Monument was established. The establishment of the monument closed much of the Katmai area to settlement, hunting, and commercial fishing.

Originally established Mt. Katmai as a National Monument in 1918 to  preserve geological features related to the 1912 eruptions of Mt. Katmai and Novarupta volcano, the park was redesignated a national park and preserve as part of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980.
Katmai National Park and Preserve was, "to be managed for the following purposes, among others: To protect habitats for , and populations of, fish and wildlife, including, but not limited to, high concentrations of brown / grizzly bears and their denning areas; to maintain unimpaired the water habitat for significant salmon populations; and to protect scenic, geological, cultural and recreational features."

Transportation

Katmai National Park and Preserve is accessible by aircraft from Anchorage, Kenai or Kodiak.

 

More Information

For more information on Katmai National Park and Preserve, visit the National Park Service website at http://www.nps.gov/katm/index.htm.

Source: Alaska State Parks.

For more information on Alaska State Parks, visit the Alaska State Parks web site.

Alaska National Parks

Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, Lake Clark National Park, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park

Alaska State Parks by Name

Anchor River State Recreation Area and Stariski SRS, Birch Lake State Recreation Site, Caines Head State Recreation Area and Resurrection Bay State Marine Parks, Captain Cook State Recreation Area, Chena River State Recreation Area, Chena River State Recreation Site, Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve, Chugach State Park, Clam Gulch State Recreation Area, Deep Creek State Recreation Area, Delta Junction Area State Parks, Denali State Park, Haines Area State Parks, Harding Lake State Recreation Area, Independence Mine State Historical Park, Kachemak Bay State Park and State Wilderness Park, Kasilof Area State Parks, Kenai River Special Management Area, Kodiak Area State Parks, Nancy Lake State Recreation Area, Ninilchik State Recreation Area, Point Bridget State Park, Salcha River State Recreation Site, Sitka Area State Parks, State Marine Parks in Prince William Sound and Resurrection Bay, Summit Lake State Recreation Site, Tok Area Parks, Totem Bight State Historical Park, Upper Chatanika State Recreation Site, Wickersham State Historic Site, Wood-Tikchik State Park

Free Brochure

Receive Our Newsletter

Add your Email

Reviews

Fantastic Bus Ride

I took the tour through Denali in July. Jen, our bus guide was FANTASTIC!! She made such an impression on me and my Dad...I will never forget. Her poem and love of Denali made our trip from the East coast. Thank you Jen.

- Shelley S. - July 2010

Very Meaningful Vacation!

On behalf of the Williams’ family, thanks for an excellent vacation! We can’t thank you enough for the planning and execution of the events. This was a wonderful, trouble free vacation where all we had to do was show up. The vouchers were a great idea and were never questioned when presented for the tours, hotels, and rental car. Sp....Read More

We had an awesome time!

We just got back from our trip to Alaska and I just wanted to say we had an awesome time in your great state. The itinerary for the six days went off without  any problems, we were REALLY pleased with the cabin at the Backcountry Lodge, the ride on the Alaska Railroad was unique. On our trip into Denali we saw quite alot of wildlife bu....Read More


Read All Reviews
Leave a Review

Join us on:

Visit Alaska Denali Tours On Facebook Visit Alaska Denali Tours On Twitter
Careers | Reservation Terms and Conditions | Vacation Partners | Site Map
Denali Lodges & Alaska Denali Tours | 1301 West Parks Hwy., Suite 5, Wasilla, AK 99654
1-877-376-1992 | In Alaska: (907) 376-1992 | Fax: (907) 376-1999 | info@AlaskaDenaliTours.com
Copyright © 2005 - Denali Lodges & Alaska Denali Tours