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Katmai National Park Travel Guide: Floatplanes to Brooks Camp

Writer: Wild Dirt
Wild Dirt
Jun 10, 2025
3 min read

Updated: 5 days ago

Katmai National Park Travel Guide

Katmai National Park is where bears take center stage. Every summer, dozens of brown bears crowd Brooks Falls, creating a spectacle that is both thrilling and awe-inspiring. The sight of these majestic creatures leaping after salmon is a scene straight out of a National Geographic magazine. Beyond the bears, Katmai is a land of volcanoes, crater lakes, and untouched wilderness. With no roads in, it's as remote and raw as Alaska gets.


Katmai National Park is Alaska raw, where bears rule the rivers, salmon leap through waterfalls, and volcanoes frame a wilderness untouched by roads.

How to Get to Katmai

There are no roads into Katmai. The only way into this remote country is by plane or boat, with options departing from Anchorage or King Salmon. Most visitors opt for the thrilling adventure of flying into Brooks Camp on floatplanes, a classic Alaskan experience that sets the tone for their wilderness adventure.

  • Nearest Airport: King Salmon (AKN, flights from Anchorage)

  • By Floatplane: Regular flights to Brooks Camp in summer

  • By Boat: Seasonal access from King Salmon

  • Pairings: Lake Clark NP, Kodiak Island


Katmai National Park Travel Guide

Know Before You Go

  • Entry Fee: None

  • Access: No roads, floatplane or boat only

  • Wildlife: Brown bears are abundant, always follow ranger guidance

  • Permits: Required for backcountry camping, limited lodging at Brooks Camp


Bear Etiquette Tip

At Brooks Camp, every visitor goes through a short bear safety orientation before heading out. Keep at least 50 yards from bears, and more from a sow with cubs. Store all food, drinks and scented items in the designated caches or buildings, never in your tent, and eat only in the marked areas. If a bear is on the trail ahead, stop, give it room and wait. Bears have the right of way here, so build extra time into your day for bear jams on the trail.

Best Time to Visit Katmai

July is peak bear viewing as salmon leap at Brooks Falls. June and September also offer excellent wildlife watching with fewer people. Fall is colorful, but the weather can ground planes.



Best Things to Do in Katmai

  • Brooks Falls Bear Viewing: Iconic platforms overlooking the salmon run

  • Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes: A Volcanic ash-filled canyon from the 1912 eruption

  • Fishing: World-class salmon and trout

  • Backcountry Adventures: Remote lakes, rivers, and tundra


Best Hikes in Katmai


Katmai National Park Travel Guide

Places to Stay

  • In Park: Brooks Lodge (basic cabins, book a year ahead), Brooks Camp Campground

  • Nearby: Limited lodging in King Salmon

  • Backcountry: Fly-in wilderness lodges


Places to Eat

Brooks Lodge provides basic meals for guests and day visitors. Beyond that, pack your own supplies.


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