KATMAI NATIONAL PARK & PRESERVE – Fascinated by Fat Bear Week and wondering what it’s like to view them in person at Katmai National Park & Preserve? Here’s how we did it!
↟ Fly to King Salmon, Alaska. We took Alaska Airlines.
↟ Book a place to stay in King Salmon. We stayed in the wonderful and cozy Bear Trail Cabins with the kindest hosts.
↟ Take a float plane to Brooks Falls within the national park. Katmai Expeditions flew us there. It was set up by the folks at Bear Trail Cabins, which also provided a shuttle to the dock. If you prefer, you can go by boat, but it’ll take longer, of course.
↟ Watch out for bears on the beach as you get out of the plane. Then stash all your food and supplies in the bear safe storage in Brooks Camp.
↟ Attend “Bear School” at the Katmai visitor center in Brooks Camp. It’s required for everyone who visits so you know how to stay safe and keep the bears safe, too!
↟ Walk up to Brooks Falls. It’s a little over 1 mile. You’re almost guaranteed to see bears along the way, and it’s highly possible you encounter one right on the path!
↟ Sign up on the waiting list to get onto the primary viewing platform. Small groups are let in to prevent overcrowding.
↟ Behold the beauty and majesty of some of the biggest brown bears on Earth as they fatten up on salmon!
Be sure to plan WAY in advance! We started booking about 12 months before our trip, and many places to stay were already fully booked.
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