Katmai National Park & Preserve

In July, brown bears often stand on the lip of Brooks Falls to try to catch leaping salmon.
A landscape is alive underneath our feet, filled with creatures that remind us what it is to be wild. Katmai was established in 1918 to protect the volcanically devastated region surrounding Novarupta and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Today, Katmai National Park and Preserve also protects 9,000 years of human history and important habitat for salmon and thousands of brown bears.
Map showing location of park.
bear pin on display with Brooks Camp visitor center in background
Bear Pin Logo Design Winner
A design by Fred Anderson of Naknek, Alaska, won the annual Brooks Camp bear pin logo contest in Katmai National Park. Park staff distribute the pins to over 20,000 visitors who complete mandatory bear safety training at Brooks Camp.
poetry in parks logo
Park and Community Poetry Workshops
Poet Jodie Hollander is leading three free poetry workshops and readings in Katmai National Park and Naknek from July 26 to 31, 2026. The two-hour workshops begin at 2 pm on July 26, 2026, at the Bristol Bay Historical Society Museum in Naknek, and at 7 pm on July 29, 2026, at the Brooks Camp auditorium in Katmai National Park.
salmon jumping at waterfall
Photo by NPS/David Jacob
Bear standing at the edge of a waterfall while a salmon is leaping towards it.
Photo by NPS/David Jacob
Three bears walk near a sleeping bear
Photo by NPS/Bryanna Plog
lake inside of an ash and glacier covered volcano
Photo by NPS/Roy Wood
meadow in foreground and snow capped volcanoes on the horizon
Photo by NPS/Michael Fitz