Brown Bears
of Katmai National Park

Katmai National Park and Preserve is one of North America's great wildlife-viewing areas. Katmai was declared a national monument in 1918 to preserve as a living laboratory its cataclysmic 1912 volcanic eruption, particularly the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. The intervening years have seen most of the geothermal activity die out, but an equally compelling attraction prompted the expansion of this area into a 4.2-million-acre national park and preserve in 1980—the awesome Alaska brown bear.

The Brooks River, in the heart of Katmai, is without a doubt the most accessible location in the world for photographing these magnificent animals. During the latter part of June and all of July a massive sockeye salmon run in the river attracts the bears, which come from the surrounding countryside to feed on the fish as they return to spawn after spending three years in the North Pacific. The bears, intent on fishing, give us the opportunity to photograph them in a variety of habitats, from a beautiful waterfall where they forage for jumping salmon to a quiet bend in the river where mothers can bring their cubs. New viewing platforms, built at the waterfall and at two additional strategic locations along the river, expand our bear photography potential and increase the number of people able to visit the platforms at one time. Walking one mile along a woodland trail attains access to the legendary Falls Platform.

Cabin accommodations at the Brooks Lodge offer bear photography literally outside your cabin door. There is a pleasant lodge and dining room for relaxing after a great day in the field.