Katmai National Park and Preserve, United States

Katmai National Park and Preserve Travel Guide

Trek Zone

National park

Facts and practical information

Katmai National Park and Preserve, located in the Alaska region of the United States, is a truly remarkable destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. Spanning over 4 million acres, this national park offers an unparalleled experience of stunning landscapes, diverse wildlife, and outdoor activities.

One of the main highlights of Katmai National Park is the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. This otherworldly landscape was formed by the cataclysmic eruption of the Novarupta volcano in 1912. The eruption left behind a vast expanse of ash and pumice, creating a unique and striking terrain that is unlike anything else on Earth. Visitors can hike through this captivating valley, witnessing the remnants of the volcanic activity and marveling at the power of nature.

For wildlife enthusiasts, Katmai National Park is a true paradise. It is home to one of the largest concentrations of brown bears in the world, offering incredible opportunities for bear viewing. The Brooks River, in particular, is renowned for its salmon runs, attracting numerous bears who come to feast on this abundant food source. Visitors can witness these majestic creatures fishing for salmon, providing an unforgettable wildlife encounter.

In addition to bear viewing, Katmai National Park offers a wide range of outdoor activities. Fishing enthusiasts can enjoy world-class angling opportunities in the park's pristine waterways, which are teeming with various species of fish. Hiking trails wind through the park, leading visitors to breathtaking viewpoints, hidden lakes, and cascading waterfalls. Kayaking and canoeing are also popular activities, allowing visitors to explore the park's coastal areas and get up close to its diverse marine life.

Alternative names: Area: 6395.38 mi²Visitors per year: 37.8 thous.Elevation: 1201 ft a.s.l.Coordinates: 58°31'55"N, 154°56'6"W

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AlaskaUnited States

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Katmai National Park and Preserve Top Attractions

Katmai National Park and Preserve Attractions - What to See and Explore

Katmai National Park and Preserve offers many attractions and places to visit. Here are the most important ones: Novarupta, Mount Katmai, Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, Mount Griggs. Below you will find a complete list of places worth visiting.

Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Novarupta
Novarupta is a volcano that was formed in 1912, located on the Alaska Peninsula on a slope of Trident Volcano in Katmai National Park and Preserve, about 290 miles southwest of Anchorage.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Katmai
Mount Katmai is a large stratovolcano on the Alaska Peninsula in southern Alaska, located within Katmai National Park and Preserve.
Natural attraction • Volcano • Valley
Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is a valley within Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska which is filled with ash flow from the eruption of Novarupta on June 6–8, 1912. Following the eruption, thousands of fumaroles vented steam from the ash. Robert F.

Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Griggs
Mount Griggs, formerly known as Knife Peak Volcano, is a stratovolcano, which lies 10 km behind the volcanic arc defined by other Katmai group volcanoes.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Mageik
Mount Mageik is a stratovolcano on the Alaska Peninsula. It has no confirmed historical eruptions, but its youngest eruptive products are apparently Holocene in age.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Denison
Mount Denison is a stratovolcano and one of the highest peaks on the Alaska Peninsula. Discovered in 1923 by Harvard professor Kirtley Fletcher Mather, the mountain was named for the geologist's alma mater, Denison University.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Douglas
Mount Douglas is a stratovolcano located south of Kamishak Bay, near the northeasternmost part of the Alaska Peninsula. It lies in the Katmai National Park and Preserve in Kenai Peninsula Borough.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Steller
Mount Steller is a stratovolcano in Katmai National Park in Alaska, United States. It is part of the Aleutian Range and is located on the Alaska Peninsula. The mountain was presumably named for the naturalist Georg Wilhelm Steller. While evidence is uncertain, the volcano is believed to have erupted during the Holocene epoch.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Kukak
Mount Kukak is an almost completely ice-covered stratovolcano on the Alaska Peninsula of Alaska, United States. Although the last eruption from Mount Kukak is unknown, it displays vigorous fumarolic activity.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Fourpeaked Mountain
Fourpeaked Volcano is an active stratovolcano in the U.S. state of Alaska. The Alaska Volcano Observatory rates Fourpeaked Volcano as Aviation Alert Level Green and Volcanic-alert Level Normal. It is nearly completely covered by Fourpeaked Glacier.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Trident Volcano
Trident Volcano is an eroded volcanic complex on the Alaska Peninsula in Katmai National Park, Alaska. Up to 23 domes comprise the complex stratovolcano, with the greatest elevation of 6,115 feet.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Devils Desk
Devils Desk is a stratovolcano in Alaska's Katmai National Park, split between the Kodiak Island and Lake and Peninsula boroughs of that U.S. state. Its peak, which is located in Kodiak Island Borough, lies 5,879 feet above sea level. It has an elevation of 6,411 ft.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Kaguyak
Mount Kaguyak is a stratovolcano located in the northeastern part of the Katmai National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska. The 2.5 km wide caldera is filled by a more than 180 m deep crater lake. The surface of the crater lake lies about 550 m below the rim of the caldera.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Mount Martin
Mount Martin is a stratovolcano, located on the Alaska Peninsula, United States, in Katmai National Park and Preserve. It is one of the volcanoes in the vicinity of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
Nature • Natural attraction • Natural feature
Fourpeaked Glacier
Fourpeaked Glacier is a calving glacier covering much of Fourpeaked Mountain, also known as Fourpeaked Volcano.
58°40'11"N • 155°25'52"W
Fure's Cabin
Fure's Cabin is a historic 15-by-20-foot log cabin that was built in c.1926. It is located on a narrow isthmus, on the portage trail between Naknek Lake and Lake Grosvenor in Katmai National Park and Preserve on the Alaska Peninsula.
Nature • Natural attraction • Volcano
Snowy Mountain
Snowy Mountain is a stratovolcano on the Alaska Peninsula of Alaska, United States. It was named by the National Geographic Society in 1919 because of the extensive glaciers nearby.
Island • Archaeological site
Takli Island
Takli Island is an island off the southern coast of the Alaska Peninsula in the Shelikof Strait of southwestern Alaska. It is located at the mouth of Amalik Bay, off the mainland portion of Kodiak Island Borough, in Katmai National Park and Preserve.
Archaeological site
Savonoski River Archeological District
The Savonoski River Archeological District encompasses a complex of prehistoric and historic archaeological sites on the Savonoski River near the mouth of the Grosvenor River in Katmai National Park and Preserve, located on the Alaska Peninsula of southwestern Alaska.

Day trips

Katmai National Park and Preserve – popular in the area (distance from the center)

In the vicinity of Katmai National Park and Preserve, it's worth seeing attractions such as: Brooks Falls (Katmai National Park), Alagogshak, Naknek Lake (Katmai National Park).

31 milesW
Natural attraction, Park, Waterfall
Brooks Falls, Katmai National Park
Brooks Falls is a waterfall located within Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Located on the Brooks River a mile and a half from Brooks Lake and an equal distance from Naknek Lake, the falls are famous for watching salmon leap over the 6 foot falls to get to their Brooks Lake spawning grounds.
31 milesSW
Volcano
Alagogshak
Alagogshak is a stratovolcano, located on the Alaska Peninsula, United States, in Katmai National Park and Preserve. It is the oldest of the volcanoes in the vicinity of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
37 milesW
Nature, Natural attraction, Lake
Naknek Lake, Katmai National Park
Naknek Lake is a lake in southern Alaska, near the base of the Alaska Peninsula. Located in Katmai National Park and Preserve, the lake is 40 miles long and three to eight miles wide, the largest lake in the park.
31 milesW
Archaeological site
Brooks River Archeological District, Katmai National Park
The Brooks River Archaeological District encompasses a large complex of archaeological sites along the banks of the Brooks River in Katmai National Park and Preserve in the U.S. state of Alaska.
35 milesSE
Archaeological site
Amalik Bay Archeological District, Katmai National Park
The Amalik Bay Archeological District is a geographic area with a significant number of archaeological sites in Alaska. It is located on the Pacific coast of Katmai National Park and Preserve, in the mainland portion of Kodiak Island Borough, Alaska.

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Best Time To Visit Katmai National Park and Preserve

Learn when is the best time to travel to Katmai National Park and Preserve weather-wise and what to expect in each season.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the top attractions to visit in Katmai National Park and Preserve?

The top attractions to visit in Katmai National Park and Preserve are: