Get Up Close And Personal With Brown Bears At This Overlooked Alaska National Park

Are you seeking out your next big adventure? Are you a wildlife enthusiast looking to have an experience of a lifetime? If either of these things sounds like you, it may be time for you to make a trek Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska. Established in 1918, Katmai National Park & Preserve is inhabited by an estimated 2,200 brown bears  – which is why it's one of the 13 national parks for bear-watching. While there is plenty of other wildlife to see, the only bears that live in Katmai are the brown bears. Brooks Falls, however, offers the best chance of seeing brown bears fishing. 

Katmai's brown bears enjoy plentiful salmon in the many rivers and water-sheds within this preserve. But, Brooks Falls attracts bears because the salmon are easier to reach than they are in larger bodies of water. Of course, once the spawning run is through, the bears will move on to fish at some of the other locations. The best time to see the bears along Brooks Falls is late June into July and early September through mid-October. Brooks Camp is where you'll want to stay if you're looking to get up close and personal with the bears — but it's not your average destination. 

As the most popular place to stay in Katmai National Park, you'll find Brooks Camp is located about 30 air miles from King Salmon can only be reached via a small float plane or water taxi. It's open June 1 to September 17 each year. But, if you're ready to pack your bags, you'll want to know what to do if you come across a bear on one of the areas' few trails, as well as what else to expect from this adventure.

When you visit Brooks Camp, the first thing you'll begin your stay with is a lesson on bear safety — something everyone who visits is required to go through. While these brown bears may not be ranked as one of the 12 most dangerous, they're still wild animals and you don't want to be the statistic of a bear attack. Even if you're only fishing at Brooks Falls, you are required to stay more than 50 yards from any of the bears. This is for your safety and the bear's as well. Fly fishing is the only fishing allowed, and it's catch and release. You will also need an Alaskan fishing license. 

If fishing isn't your thing, there are plenty of other things to do aside from watching the bears from the observation area. You can watch them from the Brown Bear Cam in the comfort of your hotel, and there are some designated hiking trails for those who like an adventure on foot. You can go boating, see the Katmai National Park from the air, and even participate in programs where you'll learn about the area from rangers. When you're done with your stay in Katmai National Park, you can also visit one of the many other historical locations and wildlife sanctuaries in Alaska.