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.
Sugpiaq qayak model class Flyer
Sugpiaq Qayak Model Workshop
Katmai National Park is hosting a free traditional Sugpiaq qayak model building workshop for the communities of King Salmon and Naknek. The workshop takes place from 5 to 8 pm February 23 to 27, 2026, and from 1 to 4 pm February 28 to March 1, 2026.
bear pin design contest information with drawn image of a happy bear
2026 Brooks Camp Bear Pin Logo Contest
The park invites Southwest Alaskan residents of all ages to submit a design for the bear pin. The winning design becomes the official Katmai bear pin that tens of thousands of visitors wear this summer
Katmai caribou 2
Meeting Notice for 2026 Subsistence Caribou Hunt for Igiugig and Kokhanok Residents
A public meeting will be held regarding a proposed limited subsistence caribou hunt for residents of Igiugig and Kokhanok, Alaska. The caribou hunt is tentatively scheduled from January 1 to March 31, 2026.
#32 Chunk NPS image by Christine Loberg
Something Big is Coming!
Fat Bear Week returns to Katmai National Park September 23-30, 2025. Choose the bear that has what it takes to survive the winter and experience the crowning of the champion on September 30, 2025, at www.fatbearweek.org.
a brown and white caribou with large, velvet antlers walks through a field of grass with tree stands in the background.
Federal Subsistence Hunt and Public Meeting Notice
The National Park Service (NPS) will open a federal subsistence hunt on September 14, 2025 for the Kukaklek Shelf caribou in Katmai National Preserve. This hunt is limited to residents of Kokhanok and Igiugig, Alaska who are federally qualified subsistence users.
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