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Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
When the volcano Novarupta erupted in June of 1912, the surrounding Ukak River Valley was buried under hundreds of feet of ash and pumice.
Plan Around Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
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Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes Details
When the volcano Novarupta erupted in June of 1912, the surrounding Ukak River Valley was buried under hundreds of feet of ash and pumice. The vivacious, green valley turned into a steaming sea of gray and black. Four year after it erupted, when botanist Robert Griggs visited Novarupta, he found the 40-square-mile valley still spewing steam from hundreds of fumaroles (natural vents) evaporating under the heat of the volcanic refuse. It is no surprise why Griggs named it, The Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Today, while the steam is gone, the name and the system of natural vents, remains. Several members of the Aleutian Range ring the valley: Mount Griggs, Snowy Mountain, Mount Katmai, Trident Volcano, and Mount Mageik. Many of these mountains make wonderful day trips (bring your map and compass), as does the Knife Creek Glacier. No visitor center is present in the valley. From Brooks Camp, a 23-mile road leads to the valley. Once you get to the ridge overlooking the valley, Three Forks Overlook provides some shelter and a place to stop and rest. From there, you can hike into the valley to explore and launch further day trips into the surrounding peaks and glaciers. The Baked Mountain Huts are a great place to establish base camp. Of course, the Novarupta eruption site - now a mere 200-foot hump of hardened magma - is a must see. It is located at the valley's eastern terminus, near Katmai pass.
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Low
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Nearby Parks Around Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
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Nearby Points of Interest Around Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes while the map context is still fresh.
10.7 mi away
IIiuk Arm
Roughly 20 miles from Brooks Camps, Illiuk Arm is well worth the 2-3 day trek for a great spot to camp and check out the abandoned village.
17.6 mi away
Mount Katmai
Check out this high alpine lake left over from the 1912 eruption of the volcano Novarupta.
18.0 mi away
Lower River Platform
Accessible platform for bear watching downstream of the falls.
18.1 mi away
Brooks Lodge
Previously a fishing cap, this lodge now overs 16 rustic rooms and a classic Alaskan dining experience.
18.1 mi away
Katmai National Park
The centerpiece of massive, 7,383-square-mile Katmai National Park is the still-active Mount Katmai stratovolcano and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a 40-mile-long ash flow deposited by an eruption in 1912.
