"Surprise Lake from Rim of crater" by U.S. National Park Service , public domain
Aniakchak
National Monument & Preserve - Alaska
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is a U.S. National Monument and National Preserve, consisting of the region around the Aniakchak volcano on the Aleutian Range of south-western Alaska.
A trip planning and information guide to Alagnak Wild River, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
Map of the National Parks in Alaska. Published by the National Park Service (NPS).
https://www.nps.gov/ania/index.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assateague_Island_National_Seashore
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is a U.S. National Monument and National Preserve, consisting of the region around the Aniakchak volcano on the Aleutian Range of south-western Alaska.
Given its remote location and challenging weather conditions, Aniakchak is one of the most wild and least visited places in the National Park System. This landscape is a vibrant reminder of Alaska's location in the volcanically active "Ring of Fire," as it is home to an impressive six mile (10 km) wide, 2,500 ft (762 m) deep caldera formed during a massive volcanic eruption 3,500 years ago.
Located on the Alaska Peninsula, 450 miles southwest of Anchorage, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is inaccessible by road. Notoriously bad weather makes access to Aniakchak unpredictable. Drop-offs and/or pick-ups may be significantly delayed.
King Salmon Visitor Center
Located next door to the King Salmon Airport, the King Salmon Visitor Center provides information on the many federal public lands of Southwest Alaska, particularly those in the Bristol Bay area. A large collection of films is available for viewing and an Alaska Geographic bookstore sells maps, charts, videos, posters, clothing and more.
This visitor center is located next to the passenger terminal at the King Salmon Airport.
Floating the Gates of Aniakchak
A lone raft floats the Aniakchak Wild River as it flows through the "Gates"
A lone raft floats the Aniakchak Wild River as it flows through the "Gates"
Aniakchak Caldera
Aerial shot of Aniakchak Caldera
Aerial shot of Aniakchak Caldera
Black Nose, Aniakchak Caldera
Black Nose, Aniakchak Caldera
Black Nose, Aniakchak Caldera
Maar Lake, Aniakchak Caldera
Maar Lake, Aniakchak Caldera
Maar Lake, Aniakchak Caldera
The Gates of Aniakchak
The Gates of Aniakchak
The Gates of Aniakchak
Subsistence
The study of subsistence resources in parks has been a mix of long-term work and projects instigated by issues facing the Federal Subsistence Board.
Winter hunting is an important subsistence activity in many Alaska communities and park areas.
Science in Wilderness Marine Reserves
ANILCA establishes the largest scientific laboratory...ever!
A spawning salmon struggles to get back into the water.
Balancing the Benefits and Impacts of Science in Alaska’s Wilderness
Achieving consistency in permitting decisions across multiple units of the National Park System remains a constant challenge. When opportunities allow, park managers combine environmental compliance for related projects spanning several units, such as the installation of climate monitoring stations for the Inventory & Monitoring networks.
A woman with long, dark hair, lilac shirt and jeans stands next to a climate monitoring station.
In Celebration of ANILCA
Former President, Jimmy Carter, offers a sentimental introduction to the 25th Anniversary Edition of Alaska Park Science and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA).
Black and white photo of six white men standing in front of an old National Park Service Building.
A History of Science in Alaska's National Parks
National park units in Alaska precede the establishment of the National Park Service in 1916. The first park unit, Sitka National Monument, was conceived in 1908, and by the mid-1920s four national monuments along with Alaska’s first national park were part of the growing park system. Discover how the early 1900s and observations of a few helped to establish the National Park Service in Alaska.
Black and white photo of Arno Cammerer sitting at his desk looking through papers.
Old is Getting Older
In the last 25 years, persistent archaeological survey and improved scientific techniques have resulted in new data which confirms that Alaska sites are actually much earlier than we once believed.
NPS archaeologist works at Amakomanak site in Noatak National Preserve.
Land Ownership in National Park System Units in Alaska and Possibilities for Mining and Other Developments
There are over 54 million acres of National Park System units in Alaska, which is 65 percent of the entire National Park System. Although most of those lands are in federal ownership and are managed by the NPS, there are over two million acres of non-federally owned lands within those units. These non-federal lands are in private, state, borough, or municipal ownership. The existence of these lands creates the possibility of mining and other developments within the boundaries
rustic buildings near a creek, hills and mountains in the distance
NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve, Alaska
Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports.
snow covered volcanic caldera
Volcanic Hazards in Alaska’s National Parks
There are over 100 volcanoes in Alaska, 54 of which are considered historically active, and 14 are found in Alaska national parks, preserves, and monuments. The Alaska Volcano Observatory monitors and conducts research on volcanoes in Alaska in order to better understand volcanic processes and determine the likelihood of future volcanic hazards, with a primary goal of informing the public about volcanic hazards and impending volcanic activity. Alaska Park Science 18(1), 2019.
A snow covered volcanic peak.
Duck-billed Dinosaurs (Hadrosauridae), Ancient Environments, and Cretaceous Beringia in Alaska’s National Parks
This article presents new information from Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve on the Alaska Peninsula, that sheds light on the likely ancient environment that allowed the migration of one group of dinosaurs, the hadrosaurs (duck-billed dinosaurs), across Beringia during the Cretaceous. Alaska Park Science 17(1), 2018.
An artists drawing of Hadrosaurs in Aniakchak.
Small Mammals as Indicators of Climate, Biodiversity, and Ecosystem Change
This is a time of rapid environmental changes in Alaska. Species that have evolved within tundra habitats over multiple glacial cycles are not only best adapted to high-latitude and high-elevation environments, but may also respond more slowly to change. Studies of small mammal communities could provide valuable insights to larger ecosystem changes.
two marmots perched atop a large boulder
POET Newsletter March 2013
Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) newsletter from March 2013. Articles include: The Japan Tsunami Marine Debris Summary; Restoring "Plastic Beach" Back to Kamilo Point; Coming to a Beach Near You; and An Unexpected Visitor.
dock on beach
Conserving pinnipeds in Pacific Ocean parks in response to climate change
The evolutionary record from previous climate perturbations indicates that marine mammals are highly vulnerable but also remarkably adaptable to climatic change in coastal ecosystems. Consequently, national parks in the Pacific, from Alaska to Hawaii, are faced with potentially dramatic changes in their marine mammal fauna, especially pinnipeds (seals and sea lions).
black harbor seal
Alaska Aviation Safety
In Alaska, small planes are often the best way to get around but flying has its risks. Aviation safety requires more than just a pilot’s skill–it takes all of us. Learn more about aviation to increase the safety of your next park flight.
An NPS pilot in a plane cockpit flying over a turquoise lake
Series: Alaska Park Science - Volume 16 Issue: Science in Alaska's Arctic Parks
The National Park Service manages five parks that fall partially or entirely within the Arctic tundra biome. These five parks encompass 19.3 million acres of land and constitute approximately 25% of the land area managed by the National Park Service nationwide. These are undeveloped places, with free-flowing rivers and wilderness at a massive scale.
a group of muskox running across a field
Series: Alaska Park Science - Volume 13 Issue 2: Mineral and Energy Development
There’s no denying that energy and mineral extraction have been and will continue to be important across the North for a long time. Mining and energy-related industries provide direct and indirect employment for thousands of people, taxes and other revenues. Our need is for science, engineering, and scholarly research; to develop safe, effective, and affordable technologies; to protect, preserve, and restore the natural and human environment; and to record and communicate our history.
aerial view of buildings and a pier sticking out into the ocean
Series: The Legacy of ANILCA
The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act impacts the National Park Service in many ways. ANILCA stipulates the designation of wilderness, subsistence management, transportation in and across parklands, use of cabins, mining, archaeological sites, scientific research studies and more.
Two men drag a harvest seal from icy blue waters across frozen ice.
Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Cenozoic Era
The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths.
fossils on display at a visitor center
Series: Copper River Basin Symposium - Wrangell-St Elias National Park and Preserve
February 2020: With a theme of Tradition, Science, and Stewardship, the two-day symposium included keynote speakers, 26 short presentations, and a poster session. A panel discussion delved into opportunities in working with indigenous communities. Ahtna elders provided wisdom in daily welcomes, and there was a presentation by Copper River Stewardship Youth. Topics ranged widely from fisheries to archaeology to geology. As well as sharing knowledge, participants shared meals, stories, and ideas.
Copper River Basin Symposium logo by Lindsay and Elvie
Series: Alaska Park Science, Volume 18, Issue 1, Understanding and Preparing for Alaska's Geohazards
Alaska is the most geologically active part of North America. Much of the awe-inspiring landscapes of Alaska's parks are created by geologic processes. But sometimes, these processes can be hazardous. This issue explores the state of the science to understand geohazards in Alaska national parks. Alaska Park Science 18(1): 2019.
A man jumps down a dune of volcanic ash.
Series: Alaska Park Science - Volume 17, Issue 1. Migration: On the Move in Alaska
Alaska is home to many amazing animal migrations. In this issue, you will read about caribou, salmon, Golden Eagles, Swainson's Thrushes, beluga whales, and more. Human migrations have also occurred here, from ancient Beringia to the Klondike Gold Rush. You can even read about now-extinct species from the Cretaceous and Pleistocene eras. Enjoy this issue of Alaska Park Science and read about migration. Alaska Park Science 17(1), 2018.
Caribou swim across a river.
Quaternary Period—2.58 MYA to Today
Massive ice sheets advanced and retreated across North America during much of the Quaternary, carving landscapes in many parks. Bering Land Bridge National Preserve contains geologic evidence of lower sea level during glacial periods, facilitating the prehistoric peopling of the Americas. The youngest rocks in the NPS include the lava of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park and the travertine at Yellowstone National Park, which can be just a few hours old.
fossil bone bed and murals of mammoths
Cenozoic Era
The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago [MYA] through today) is the "Age of Mammals." North America’s characteristic landscapes began to develop during the Cenozoic. Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat-like carnivores and early horses, as well as ice age woolly mammoths.
fossils on display in a visitor center
Bumble Bees of Alaska: A Field Guide
This field guide to bumble bees will help you identify these abundant and conspicuous pollinators, which are found across most of Alaska. They are well-adapted to cold, harsh climates and live in every habitat where there are flowers offering up pollen and nectar, including forests, shrublands, tundra, wetlands, riparian areas, beaches, and gardens.
a bumble bee perched on tiny pink flowers
Series: Pacific Ocean Education Team (POET) Newsletters
From 2009 to 2015, the Pacific Ocean Education Team published a series of short newsletters about the health of the ocean at various National Park Service sites in and around the Pacific Ocean. Topics covered included the 2010 tsunami, marine debris, sea star wasting disease, ocean acidification, and more.
Ocean waves wash in from the right onto a forested and rocky shoreline.
Fossil Footprints Across Our Parks / Huellas Fósiles a Través de Nuestros Parques
Join us on a virtual hike to see fossil footprints across our national parks! As we travel back in time, we’ll discover stories of fantastic pasts and learn that fossil footprints are worthy of protection for the future. <br><br> ¡Únase a nosotros en una caminata para ver huellas fósiles en nuestros parques nacionales! Mientras viajamos a través del tiempo, descubriremos historias de pasados fantásticos y aprenderemos que las huellas fósiles merecen ser conservadas para el futuro.
Two primitive tetrapods, looking something like giant lizards walking through desert sand dunes.
Volcanic Processes—Lahars
Lahars are volcanic mudflows and are among the most destructive of volcanic phenomena. Lahars present significant geohazards since they can travel great distances down river valleys and impact population centers away from the immediate area of a volcano.
wide river valley filled with sediment and snowy peaks in the distance
Aniakchak Volcano – Shaping the Cultural and Physical Landscape of the Alaska Peninsula
The landscape of Aniakchak is a vibrant reminder of Alaska's location in the volcanically active Ring of Fire. In spite of such violent volcanic events, the living world, animal and human, eventually adjusted, recovered, and endured. The history of Aniakchak Caldera exemplifies the destructive force of nature while also demonstrating the resiliency of people.
A lake in the middle of a caldera with high walls all around
Sub-Plinian Eruptions
Sub-Plinian eruptions create high eruption columns that are unsteady. Pyroclastic flows and lahars also form during these eruptions from composite volcanoes.
volcanic ash eruption
Plinian Eruptions
Plinian eruptions are more intense than Sub-Plinean eruptions. Eruption columns may extend into the stratosphere and spread out in an umbrella shape and produce widespread ash deposits. Pyroclastic flows and lahars also occur during these eruptions.
black and white photo May 18, 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption
Volcanic Craters
Craters are present at many volcanic vents. The size and shape of volcanic craters vary a great deal from volcano to volcano, and they even change during the lifespan of an active volcano. Craters can become filled by lava domes or lava flows, and new craters may form during subsequent eruptions.
cinder cone crater
Crater Lakes
Water lakes may exist in craters and calderas (large collapse features) as these depressions can become filled by rainwater or melting snow or ice, or be places where groundwater can accumulate at the surface. Crater lakes can be long-lived or ephemeral, and may contain fresh or acidic waters.
crater lake and snowy rim
Maars and Tuff Rings
Maars and tuff rings are low-standing pyroclastic cones with large craters that usually form from highly-explosive eruptions caused by the interaction of magma with ground or surface waters. Ubehebe Crater in Death Valley National Park is a maar.
lakeshore and tundra
Fumaroles
Fumaroles are places where steam and volcanic gases are emitted. They are present on most active volcanoes. The occurrence of fumaroles and other geothermal features such as hot springs, geysers, and mud pots are important signs that a volcano is active.
steam vents on the crater rim
Magmatic Eruptions
Magmatic eruptions include fresh lava or tephra from a magma source. Magmatic eruptions range from quiet effusions of lava to extremely explosive eruptions that can blow apart mountains and send ash clouds around the globe.
volcanic eruption with glowing lava seen at night
Composite Volcanoes (Stratovolcanoes)
Composite volcanoes are made up of both lava flows and pyroclastic deposits and usually experience multiple eruptions over long periods of time. Mount Rainier is a composite volcano.
photo of a snow covered volcanic peak
Volcanic Domes
Lava domes are steep-sided rounded accumulations of highly viscous silicic lava over a vent. Some domes are part of composite volcanoes, but large ones can make up their own volcanoes. Lassen Peak is a dome.
photo of a rounded hill of blocky rock
Cinder Cones
Cinder cones are typically simple volcanoes that consist of accumulations of ash and cinders around a vent. Sunset Crater Volcano and Capulin Volcano are cinder cones.
photo of a dry grassy field with a cinder cone in the distance
Series: Volcanic Features
Volcanoes vary greatly in size and shape. Volcanoes also may have a variety of other features, which in turn, have a great range in diversity of form, size, shape, and permanence. Many volcanoes have craters at their summits and/or at the location of other vents. Some craters contain water lakes. Lakes of molten or solidified lava may exist on some volcanoes. Fumaroles and other geothermal features are a product of heat from magma reservoirs and volcanic gases.
photo of a lava lake in a summit crater
Plan Like a Park Ranger - 10 Tips for Visiting Alaska's National Parks
Planning a visit to the National Parks of Alaska? Check out our top 10 tips and plan like a park ranger.
two people camp next to a glacier
Summit Calderas
Summit calderas form on preexisting composite volcanoes that experience VEI 6-7 eruptions that cause their summits to collapse. Summit calderas may become filled with precipitation to form steady-stake lakes, although these lakes may also be drained if the caldera rim becomes breached.
photo of a snow covered volcanic summit caldera
Calderas
Calderas are large collapse features that can be many miles in diameter. They form during especially large eruptions when the magma chamber is partially emptied, and the ground above it collapses into the momentary void. Crater Lake and Aniakchak Crater are calderas.
photo of oblique aerial view of a volcanic caldera with snow and ice
Series: Volcano Types
Volcanoes vary in size from small cinder cones that stand only a few hundred feet tall to the most massive mountains on earth.
photo of a volcanic mountain with snow and ice
Explosive Calderas
Explosive calderas result from violent eruptions of great quantities of silicic magmas. These eruptions produce massive eruption columns that extend into the stratosphere, and voluminous pyroclastic flows. Eruptions that produce explosive calderas generally range from 6 (Colossal) on the Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) to 8 super eruptions (Apocalyptic).
digital oblique aerial image of a volcanic caldera
Series: Volcanic Eruption Styles
Categories in this traditional classification are based on the eruption styles of particular volcanoes. These magmatic eruption styles are listed in the order of increasing explosivity.
volcanic eruption with glowing lava
Pyroclastic Flows and Ignimbrites, and Pyroclastic Surges
Pyroclastic flows and surges are among the most awesome and most destructive of all volcanic phenomena. Pyroclastic flow deposits are found in at least 21 units of the National Park System.
photo of a cloud of ash and dust moving down a mountain side.
Volcanic Ash, Tephra Fall, and Fallout Deposits
Volcanic ash, pumice, and tephra ejected in volcanic eruptions ultimately falls back to Earth where it covers the ground. These deposits may be the thin dustings or may be many tens of feet (meters) thick near an eruptive vent. Volcanic ash and tephra can present geohazards that are present great distances from the erupting volcano.
photo of a bluff with exposed fine-grained volcanic ash and pumice.
Series: Volcanic Eruption Types
The most fundamental way to characterize a volcanic eruption is whether it is magmatic, phreatic, or phreatomagmatic.
volcanic eruption seen at a distance
Series: Geologic Time—Major Divisions and NPS Fossils
The National Park System contains a magnificent record of geologic time because rocks from each period of the geologic time scale are preserved in park landscapes. The geologic time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian.
photo of desert landscape with a petrified wood log on the surface
Series: Park Paleontology News - Vol. 15, No. 2, Fall 2023
All across the park system, scientists, rangers, and interpreters are engaged in the important work of studying, protecting, and sharing our rich fossil heritage. <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/newsletters.htm">Park Paleontology news</a> provides a close up look at the important work of caring for these irreplaceable resources. <ul><li>Contribute to Park Paleontology News by contacting the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/common/utilities/sendmail/sendemail.cfm?o=5D8CD5B898DDBB8387BA1DBBFD02A8AE4FBD489F4FF88B9049&r=/subjects/geoscientistsinparks/photo-galleries.htm">newsletter editor</a></li><li>Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossils/">Fossils & Paleontology</a> </li><li>Celebrate <a href="https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fossilday/">National Fossil Day</a> with events across the nation</li></ul>
Photo of a boulder with a dinosaur track on one side.
Tertiary Fossil Floras of Alaskan National Parks
The National Park Service units of Alaska have an outstanding fossil record, including fossil plants. Six Alaskan NPS units preserve notable plant fossils of Tertiary age (Paleocene through Pliocene Epochs, 66 to 2.58 million years ago). These fossils were first documented in 1869 and show a major change going from the Eocene to the Oligocene about 34 million years ago.
Photo with to fossil leaves.
Shaping the System Under President Jimmy Carter
President Jimmy Carter oversaw one of the largest growths in the National Park System. Explore some of the parks that are part of the legacy of the presidency of Jimmy Carter, who served as the 39th president of the United States from January 20, 1977, to January 20, 1981.
Historic photo of Jimmy Carter walking through a crowd at Harpers Ferry
Alaska's Shrinking Glaciers
Alaska is one of the most heavily glaciated areas in the world outside of the polar regions. Approximately 23,000 square miles of the state are covered in glaciers—an area nearly the size of West Virginia. Glaciers have shaped much of Alaska’s landscape and continue to influence its lands, waters, and ecosystems. Because of their importance, National Park Service scientists measure glacier change. They found that glaciers are shrinking in area and volume across the state.
A close up of the surface of a glacier with ice and rocky morraine.
Shrinking Glaciers in Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is one of nine national parks in Alaska with glaciers. Aniakchak is one of the smallest glaciated parks in the state and has one of the smallest proportions of glacier-covered area (0.1%). Glacier cover in Aniakchak decreased by 14% from the 1950s to the 2000s, and our most recent study found a decrease in area from 1985 to 2020.
An historic photo of Aniakchak Caldera.
Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera.
Alaska’s Endangered Heritage: Climate Change and Cultural Preservation
The rugged beauty of Alaska has been the homelands of Alaska Native people for thousands of generations. Today the relentless march of climate change threatens a range of cultural resources from archeological sites to historic cemeteries. Now the National Park Service is in a race to document heritage across the parklands in Alaska.
View of a snow-covered mountain from across a lake.
Project Profile: Mitigate Climate Change Impacts & Improve Subsistence Food Security Via Co-Stewardship Arrangements
The National Park Service will enhance climate change resilience and food security in rural Alaskan communities. The project prioritizes goals of building Tribal-NPS co-stewardship relationships that support Tribes’ ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions and associated food security challenges. Activities include improving harvest reporting strategies and conducting community harvest assessments. This project has additional goals to develop adaptive approaches.
Dried fish hanging overlooking a campsite in a forest clearing near a lake.
Dinosaurs of the National Park Service
Dinosaur fossils have been discovered at or are associated with at least 27 NPS units. Geographically, their finds are concentrated in the parks of the Colorado Plateau, but they have been found from central Alaska to Big Bend National Park in Texas to Springfield Armory National Historic Site in Massachusetts. The most famous site is the Dinosaur Quarry of Dinosaur National Monument, but a rush of new finds since the 1970s has greatly expanded our knowledge.
allosaurus fossil
Park Info
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Te Novarupta
A trip planning and information guide to
Alagnak Wild River
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve
Katmai National Park and Preserve
PHOTO COURTESY S. GAGE
Issue Number 2022
What’s Inside:
PHOTO COURTESY L. LAW
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY
NPS PHOTO
Brooks Camp ..............6 Katmai Origins...........14 Backcountry Travel ...20
Three National Parks, Many Amazing Experiences
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Alagnak Wild River
Aniakchak National Monument and
Preserve
Katmai National Park and Preserve
Katmai was declared a National Monument
in 1918; Aniakchak in 1978. The Alaska
National Interest Lands Conservation Act of
1980 established Alagnak Wild River, while
Katmai and Aniakchak were expanded to
include national preserve areas. Katmai was
also redesignated a national park. Together,
these lands encompass nearly fve million
acres of unique landscapes managed by the
National Park Service.
Mailing Address
PO Box 7
King Salmon, AK 99613
Park Headquarters
Phone: 907-246-3305
Websites
Alagnak: www.nps.gov/alag
Aniakchak: www.nps.gov/ania
Katmai: www.nps.gov/katm
NPS Mobile App
Download the app and content from entire
parks for offine use prior to visiting as there
is limited to no service.
Welcome to Katmai Country
Welcome to Katmai!
Katmai National Park and Preserve
(Katmai) lies within the ancestral
homelands of the Alutiit-Sugpiat (Aleut)
people. Human habitation of this region
goes back many thousands of years and
speaks of thriving communities and
perseverance in the face of challenging
environments. Today, the Alutiit-Sugpiat
people strive to maintain their traditional
lifeways even in light of pressure
brought on by an ever-changing world.
Their connections to these lands are
enduring and worthy of our respect.
Accordingly, I would like to take a moment
to acknowledge our Alaska Native
communities—be they Alutiit-Sugpiat,
Dena’ina, or Yup’ik—for their enduring
legacy as the caretakers of this wonderous
land we are fortunate to experience, and
today call Katmai.
Geographically, Katmai is found on the
Alaska Peninsula which encompasses a vast
and beautiful landscape where the National
Park Service also has the privilege of
managing Aniakchak National Monument
and Preserve, and the Alagnak Wild River.
Regardless of your interests, collectively
these diferent park areas ofer a diversity of
outstanding Alaskan experiences.
The geology of Katmai is both ancient
and new. The park’s diverse landscapes
comprise expansive mountains, active
volcanoes, fowing glaciers and a wild and
beautiful seacoast that is frequently fed by
sparkling rivers and lakes. The cataclysmic
eruption of Novarupta in 1912 took place
long ago when compared to a human
lifespan but is geologically recent. The
resulting ash covered everything for miles
and even today life is still recovering from
the efects of the eruption.
Many dedicated individuals from diverse
walks of life have worked tirelessly over
the years to ensure that wildlife remains
abundant and diverse throughout this
region. It is in large part because of
these eforts that Katmai today supports
world-class fsheries and outstanding
wildlife viewing opportunities. To observe
an Alaskan brown bear in its natural
environment is a testament to the priorities
of our nation.
We hope that you have the opportunity to
experience these special places for yourself.
Those that journey here are sure to take
back memories that will last a lifetime.
Mark Sturm, Superintendent
NPS/L. LAW
Social Media
Contents:
Southwest Alaska’s Parklands.................................................2-3
Essential Information..................................................................4
Getting Here, Getting Around ...................................................5
Welcome to Brooks Camp .......................................................6-7
Camping at Brooks Camp ...........................................................8
Brooks Camp Map .......................................................................9
Bear Viewing ........................................................................10-11
Safe Travels in Bear Country ....................................................12
Live Bearcams............................................................................13
2 The Novarupta
Katmai and the National Park Idea.....................................14-15
Exploring the Human History of Katmai .................................16
Cycle of the Salmon ..................................................................17
Fishing Information ..................................................................18
Photographing a Wild Heritage & Katmai’s Wildlife ..............19
Backcountry Travel...............................................................20-21
Aniakchak National Monument..........................................22-23
Alagnak Wild River ..........................
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2885ft
879m
4400ft
1341m
Ra i nb o w
io
Aniakchak Peak
The
Gates
N
r
nal P
ent
Natio
onum
al M
n
io
t
Na
at
Creek
Mes
hik
Creek
Cub
en Wall
The Gard
3800ft
1158m
N
e
eserv
H i gh
ANIAKCHAK
NATIONAL MONUMENT
ek
en
Cre
Lava
C re e k
ANIAKCHAK
NATIONAL PRESERVE
Cr
e
Creek
oe
Ci n d e r
BAY
Fork
rth
No
rt
Wiggly
My s
Elephant Mountain
Cr
tery
River
n)
Cre
ek
be
go
Black
Cape
Horn
2280ft
695m
Villag
eC
r
Al
a
(Sh
CAPE KUMLIK
Aniakchak
Lagoon
No
ANIAKCHAK
NATIONAL PRESERVE
BAY
Columbia River
Packers Cabin
1481ft
451m
Cr
R A
N G
2430ft
741m
Elephant Head
Point
ANIAKCHAK
ek
st
We
ek
C re e k
re
Ray
eC
mic
Pu
Cape Ayutka
B A Y
n
Mai
933m
Kumlik Island
Garden Island
A M B E R
N o r the a s t
A L
E U
T I
A N
3060ft
Eagle Island
ry
O C E A N
All offshore islands shown on
this map are administered by
Alaska Maritime NWR.
The Twins
3268ft
996m
i
arn
nt
Ya
l
Na t i o na
CAPE
KUNMIK
3271ft
997m
ek
P A C I F I C
1371ft
419m
ek
ALASKA PENINSULA
N AT I O N A L W I L D L I F E R E F U G E
Bear
Cre ek
tio
na
lP
re
se
f
3030ft
924m
Bay
ol
Cre
ni
er
rv
e
bo
W
ALASKA PENINSULA
N AT I O N A L W I L D L I F E R E F U G E
tar
an
un
da
ry
National Parks in Alaska
Alaska National Parks
Alaska
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior
Upper Noatak Valley, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
C
U
H
K
S
I
CH
BEAUFORT
Noatak
Noata
k
Cape Krusenstern
2
r
ve
River
7
er
A
IT
Kobuk
Valley
Riv
S
TR
10
ko
Yu
uk
uk
n
upi
ne
Fort Yukon
iv
e
Circle
BE
RI
Koy
Bering Land Bridge
P o rc
Bettles/Evansville
C AN AD A
AT ES
U N IT ED ST
NG
12
Kobuk
r
R i v er
4
Yukon-Charley
Rivers
Fairbanks
Alaska Public Lands
Information Center
on
Tana
n
iv
ver
i t na
Sus
1
Eagle River
Anchorage
1
T
LE
OK
CO
Nus
ha
Dillingham
1
Homer
ST
O
L
Yakutat
Kenai Fjords
Glacier Bay
GULF OF ALASKA
Juneau
Gustavus
Katmai
Y
Sitka
Petersburg
Hoonah
Kodiak
Sitka
Stra
it
Port Heiden
Skagway
Haines
DA ES
NA TAT
CA D S
E
IT
I
BR
A
Klondike
Gold Rush
Seward
King Salmon
B
Mt. St. Elias
18008ft
5489m
Cordova
UN
SEA
K
WrangellSaint Elias
C ha
BERING
KO
9
4
tham
S
KU
W
Soldotna
1
Valdez
McCarthy
IN
Rive
r
Y
B
A
Iliamna
k
ga
Chitina
er
Prince
William
Sound
Kenai
Lake
Clark
Nabesna
Gulkana
Palmer
Bethel
IM
River
Ku sko
kw
im
Glennallen
5
2
1
Slana
3
13
Alaska Public Lands
Information Center
Tok
8
River
8
5
Ri
4
Mt. McKinley
20320ft
6194m
Alaska Public Lands
Information Center
a
2
McKinley Park
Denali
R
Eagle
2
3
er
Yu
k
NORTON SOUND
Alaska’s immense size can make travel to and through the
state challenging. Some planning is necessary. Just getting to
Alaska can be an adventure involving travel by air, highway, and
sea. Commercial airlines serve Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau,
and other towns, while cruise ships ply Alaska’s southeastern
waters through the Inside Passage. The Alaska Marine Highway
transports people and vehicles on ferries from the Lower 48 to
towns in Southeast Alaska and between points in Southcentral
Alaska. The Alaska Highway, paved in Alaska and most of Canada,
is open and maintained year-round. It extends 1500 miles from
Dawson Creek, British Columbia, to Fairbanks, Alaska, and
provides a land link with roads to the south.
Subsistence hunting, fshing and gathering by rural
Alaskans continues on many park lands here. These
customary and traditional uses of wild renewable
resources are for direct personal or family
consumption. Local residency and customary reliance
on these uses determines eligibility for continued
subsistence uses on national park lands.
6
2
Nome
Copp
S
IA
S S TAT E
U
R
S
ED
IT
UN
Uses of Park Lands: Many national park lands in
Alaska are designated as national preserves.This
designation allows for uses not typical in national
parks or national monuments in the continental
United States. Within these preserves, sport hunting
and trapping are permitted subject to state fsh and
game laws, seasons, and bag limits; and to federal
laws and regulations.
Gates of the Arctic
11
Kotzebue
Private Lands: Privately owned lands are located
within and next to park boundaries throughout Alaska.
These private lands are not open to public use or travel
without permission from the owners. Check with park
staff to determine the location of private lands and
public easements. Unauthorized use or travel across
private lands could be deemed criminal trespass.
6
9
KOTZEBUE
SOUND
SEA
Anaktuvuk
Pass
Rive
r
Travel Tips
Once in Alaska, you may have several options for travel to the
park lands. Unlike most National Park Service areas in the Lower
48, most in Alaska are not accessible by road. Scheduled air service
to towns and villages will put you within air-taxi distance of most
of these hard-to-reach parks. Experiencing Alaska’s more remote
treasures can require signifcant time, effort, and money and may
involve air or boat charters, rafts, kayaks, and hiking. See the back
of this brochure for access information for individual parks.
Inupiat Heritage Center
EA
R
For information about individual parks, contact them directly
(see back of this brochure) or visit the National Park Service
website at www.nps.gov/akso/index.cfm. For information
about national parks or other public lands in Alaska, visit or
contact the Alaska Public Lands Information Centers in
Anchorage, Fairbanks, Ketchikan, and Tok, or visit their
homepage at www.AlaskaCenters.gov.
• Anchorage: 605 West Fourth Avenue, Anchorage, AK 995012248, 907-644-3661 or 866-869-6887
• Fairbanks: Morris Thompson Cultural and Visitors Center,
101 Dunkel Street, Suite 110, Fairbanks, AK 99701-4848,
907-459-3730 or 866-869-6887
• Ketchikan: Southeast Alaska Discovery Center,
50 Main Street, Ketchikan, AK 99901-6659, 907-228-6220
• Tok: P.O. Box 359, Tok, AK 99780-0359, 907-883-5667
or 888-256-6784.
Tourist information is available from the Department of
Commerce, Community and Economic Development,
P.O. Box 110804, Juneau, AK 99811-0804,
www.travelalaska.com. For information about ferry or railroad
travel in Alaska, contact:
• Alaska Marine Highw
National Parks in Alaska Map
National Park Service
U.S. Department of the Interior