Katmai National Park | Alaska Geographic

katmailogojpg Katmai National Park and Preserve
Home to the world’s largest protected population of brown bears, Katmai is known for incredible bear viewing. Katmai was originally set aside to protect the Valley of the Ten Thousand Smokes, formed in 1912 during the largest volcanic eruption of the century.

Quick Links: Park Service Links -- Other Resources -- Tips for Visitors -- Natural Highlights -- Historical Highlight -- Cultural Highlight

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Tips for Visitors
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• Brush-up on the natural and cultural history of the area at the King Salmon Visitor Center.

• Watch bears fishing for salmon at Brooks Camp.

• Catch a trophy-sized rainbow trout in one of the park’s crystal-clear streams or lakes.

• Paddle the 86-mile Savonoski Loop to experience the park’s spectacular backcountry.

• Hike through the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and examine the ash and pumice from the largest eruption of the century.

Natural Highlights

• Brown bear viewing is unbeatable here, where some 2,000 bears are lured to the high numbers of spawning salmon during the summer months.

• Katmai is one of the world’s most active volcanic centers today with 15 active volcanoes that are monitored from 19 stations by the Alaska Volcano Observatory.

Historical Highlight

The eruption of Novarupta on June 6-9, 1912 was the greatest volcanic eruption of the 20th century and the fifth largest in recorded history. Ash traveled a far as Seattle, Washington, Virginia, and even to Africa.

Cultural Highlight

The Katmai area is home to the Alutiiq Native people, who have hunted, fished, and gathered berries and other materials from the land for many generations. Artifacts discovered here reveal that the first people arrived about 9,000 years ago.