Hiking

With more than four million acres of mountains, valleys, rivers and coastline, Katmai National Park has almost limitless options for hiking and backpacking. If visiting for a short time, you can hike the Brooks Camp trails, a network of four trails totaling roughly five miles. Highlights include several bear viewing overlooks, prehistoric artifacts and modeled prehistoric villages, views of crystal blue Naknak Lake, and surrounding rivers and waterfalls. Some of these trails are accessible to people with wheelchairs or limited mobility. With a little more time, you could hike just about anywhere else you choose in the park's vast backcountry. Topography maps can be purchased online or at the park headquarters visitor center. Between mountains, valleys and coastline, the park has a wide variety of landscapes to explore, from boreal forests to tundra and alpine meadow, to coastal beaches and intertidal areas. A particularly popular hiking destination is the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, which steamed for decades after the eruption of nearby Novarupta - the largest volcanic eruption in recorded history. Be aware of bears in the area. Encounters are likely, and the best way to prevent an attack is to know how to read the signs and plan your response accordingly. Because weather in the area is unpredictable, come prepared with plenty of wet-weather clothing.