Katmai
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.
Official-source overview · detailed planning coverage is still being reviewed
At a glance
- State / territory
- Alaska
- Region
- Alaska
The official overview below is available now. Park-specific fees, distances, climate tables, and reviewed day plans are shown only when their supporting records have been reviewed. Check current access and arrangements with the park before travel.
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When to go
Located between the stormy north Pacific Ocean and the even stormier Bering Sea, the Katmai region is often a battleground between weather systems. When you visit, be prepared to encounter all types of weather. On average, wet and cool conditions predominate in spring, summer, and fall. Winters are drier and colder.
General official weather guidance; historical context, not a forecast.
Arrive and stay
Katmai National Park & Preserve is located on the northern Alaska Peninsula, northwest of Kodiak Island and southwest of Homer, Alaska. The park’s headquarters is in King Salmon, about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage. Unlike most national parks in the United States, Katmai is almost exclusively accessed by plane or boat.
Official directionsRisks and official checks
Conditions, access, reservations, and operating hours can change. This website is a planning resource and does not provide live conditions.
Official park informationSources and your trip kit
Where this information comes from
Park overview information is drawn from identified official sources. Published guide facts, assumptions, and editorial decisions retain their own review records.
Source retrieved: 2026-10-01. This is not a live-conditions check.
Image credit: NPS/David Jacob. See the image credits.
Data release 0 · Independent planning resource. Not affiliated with the National Park Service.