Katmai National Park & Preserve
Katmai NP, Alaska · National Park · Accessibility score 1.1/5
Address: 1000 Silver Street, Building 603, King Salmon, AK 99613
Phone: (907) 246-3305
About
Katmai National Park & Preserve sits on the Alaska Peninsula, a place where volcanic peaks rise above vast stretches of wilderness and brown bears gather in extraordinary numbers. The park is famous for one scene above all others: bears standing atop Brooks Falls, plucking sockeye salmon from midair as the fish leap upstream. It's one of nature's great spectacles, and it happens every summer between June and September.
Most visitors arrive at Brooks Camp, the park's main hub and the only area with developed facilities. There's no road access to Katmai. You'll fly in by floatplane from King Salmon, a small town reachable by commercial flights from Anchorage. The floatplane ride itself is an experience, offering sweeping views of mountains, rivers, and coastline.
At Brooks Camp, a network of elevated boardwalks and platforms brings you remarkably close to feeding bears. The Falls Platform, about 1.2 miles from the visitor center, is the iconic viewing spot. The Riffles Platform offers a different perspective on bear activity closer to camp. Rangers are stationed throughout the area to ensure safety and answer questions.
Beyond bear viewing, Katmai holds deep geological significance. The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes preserves the aftermath of the 1912 Novarupta eruption, one of the most powerful volcanic events in recorded history. A bus tour takes visitors into the valley, where a stark terrain of ash deposits stretches for miles.
Brooks Camp has a small campground and Brooks Lodge offers cabins and meals, but both book up months in advance. Planning ahead is essential. The park's visitor season runs roughly from June through mid-September, with peak bear viewing in July and again in September when bears return for spawning salmon.
Katmai isn't easy to reach, and that's part of what makes it extraordinary. The effort to get here rewards you with wildlife encounters that few places on earth can match.
Accessibility
Accessible facilities at Katmai are concentrated entirely at Brooks Camp. Elsewhere in the park, accessible trails and facilities do not exist.
Most public buildings at Brooks Camp, including restroom facilities, are ADA accessible. The bear viewing platforms are reached along elevated walkways with ramps, and all viewing platforms are accessible. The trails to both the Brooks Falls Platform and the Riffles Platform are accessible, though the narrow paths at Brooks Camp can be rough and become very muddy, which may present challenges.
Limited all-terrain wheelchairs are available to borrow from Brooks Camp. Staff assistance may be necessary for anyone with limited mobility to get around the trails and access the wildlife viewing platforms.
One significant consideration: reaching Katmai requires travel by floatplane, and entering and exiting float planes can be challenging for people with limited mobility. There is no road access to the park.
The bear viewing platforms range from 0.25 mile to 1.2 miles from the Brooks Camp Visitor Center. While the walkways are ramped, visitors should be prepared for these distances.
For specific questions about accessibility accommodations or to arrange assistance, contact the park directly at PO Box 7, 1000 Silver Street, Building 603, King Salmon, AK 99613. Checking current trail conditions before your visit is recommended, as weather and seasonal changes can affect path surfaces.
More accessible places in Alaska
- Alaska SeaLife Center (Seward)
- Alaska Aviation Museum (Anchorage)
- Alaska Botanical Garden (Anchorage)
- Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center (Fairbanks)
- University of Alaska Museum of the North (Fairbanks)
- Gates of the Arctic National Park (Gates of the Arctic NP)
Photo credits
- Katmai National Park & Preserve - ak-katmai-national-park-preserve-us-national-park-service-1: National Park Service, Public domain (U.S. National Park Service)
- Katmai National Park & Preserve - ak-katmai-national-park-preserve-us-national-park-service-3: National Park Service, Public domain (U.S. National Park Service)
- Katmai National Park & Preserve - ak-katmai-national-park-preserve-us-national-park-service-4: National Park Service, Public domain (U.S. National Park Service)