Katmai National Park and Preserve encompasses 4.7 million acres of pristine wilderness on the Alaska Peninsula, across from Kodiak Island in Southwestern Alaska. Wild rivers and streams, rugged coastlines, broad green glacial hewn valleys, active glaciers, volcanoes and brown bears characterize Katmai. Katmai contains Alagnak Wild River; Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, a 30-square-mile volcanic caldera; and a very large population of brown bears.
Katmai National Park and Preserve is an area rich with history and wildlife. It is the site of the Brooks River National Historic Landmark, with North America's highest concentration of prehistoric human dwellings. The park is also home to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, the result of a volcanic eruption in 1912 which buried more than 40-square-miles of wilderness under as much as 700 feet of ash. The name was derived from the thousands of small holes and cracks in the ash deposits that gave off gas and steam from heated ground water. Fourteen active volcanoes lie within the park today and the Alaska Volcano Observatory operates 19 monitoring stations there.
Activities and Attractions
With a brown bear population topping more than 2,000, Katmai is best known for viewing these large carnivores in their natural habitat. The park is also home to the Alagnak Wild River, designated so in 1980, preserving the upper 56 miles in a free-flowing condition for the enjoyment and benefit of both current and future users. The river is home to all five species of pacific salmon, rainbow trout, arctic char, arctic grayling and northern pike, making is a popular fishing destination. The park also offers unlimited opportunity for boating, rafting, backcountry hiking and camping.
Accessibility
Park headquarters, located in King Salmon, can be reached by commercial airline. Brooks Camp, located approximately 30 air miles from King Salmon, is the main access point for the park. Brooks Camp is only accessible by small floatplane or boat. Bear viewing and flightseeing tours of the park can also be arranged from Kodiak, Homer and Anchorage.
Fees and Visitor Count
There are no entrance fees in Katmai. However, all visitors to Brooks Camp, including lodge guests, day visitors and campers, must pay a user fee. The Brooks Camp Campground is about one mile from Brooks Falls by trail and there is an $8 per person/per night fee for camping. Backcountry users are not charged a day use fee. Reservations for both camping and day use must be made prior to your visit through the National Parks Reservation Service at http://reservations.nps.gov. Visitors to Katmai average 56,900 each year.
Weather and Climate
In Brooks Camp, summer temperatures range from 44°F to 63°F. Summers are cool with frequent high winds and rain. Insects can be intense and head nets are recommended. Winter temperatures range from just below 0 to nearly 40°F.
Facilities
Brooks Camp Visitor Center - 907-481-1781 - Located on Naknek Lane, near the mouth of Brooks River (Open June 1-September 17)
King Salmon Visitor Center - 907-246-4250 - Located next to the King Salmon airport terminal (Open year-round, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Three Forks Visitor Contact Station - Located 23 miles from Brooks Camp on the park's only road (Open June 1-September 17)
History
The area was established as a national monument in 1918 to preserve the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a 40-square-mile, 100 to 700-foot deep, pyroclastic ash flow deposited by the Novarupta Volcano in 1912. Over the years, protection of the area's brown bears became equally important, and Katmai was designated a national park and preserve in 1980.
http://www.nps.gov/katm/index.htm