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Katmai National Park: A Bear Necessity on Alaska Tours

Added Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012

The Katmai National Park, directly across the Gulf of Alaska from Juneau, is one of the best parks to catch a glimpse of the area's wildlife. Brown bears are perhaps the most abundant animals in the park, and when the red salmon travel inland to spawn, bears come out in droves to hunt the fish. Travelers who want to get up-close views of wild brown bears and other Alaskan wildlife can add the Katmai National Park to their Alaska travel itineraries.

Katmai is perhaps most famous for the red salmon run that happens every year beginning in late June and continuing through July and the subsequent fresh-water spawning before the fish head back to the salty waters of the sea. The fish turn a brilliant red when they swim into the fresh water. From about August to October, the rivers are filled with salmon, which provides a veritable buffet for the brown bears. This is the best chance visitors have to see the majestic bruins in their natural habitat.

The bears may be the biggest draw for many, but there are plenty of other species that call the park home, including caribou, wolves, snowshoe hares, sea lions, seals and whales. Visitors might not see every creature that lives in Katmai, but chances are that they'll see at least a handful of Alaska's native animals when they visit the park.

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