Brooks Falls
Bears fishing just yards away, from safe viewing platforms.
Katmai National Park
Brown bears catch leaping salmon at Brooks Falls, the star of Fat Bear Week, on a remote Alaskan peninsula reached only by floatplane.
In July and September, dozens of bears gather at Brooks Falls, watched from a raised platform. The park also holds the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, an ash-filled valley from the huge 1912 Novarupta eruption.
- Best Time
- July and September
- Time Needed
- 1–3 days
- Cost Level
- $$$$
- Open
- June to mid-September
- Getting There
- By floatplane via King Salmon or Anchorage.
What to See
1 of 3 are freeValley of Ten Thousand Smokes
A bus tour across a landscape of volcanic ash.
Fat Bear Week
Online voting each fall for the fattest bear, with live cams.
Know Before You Go
- The lodge and campground book up a year ahead.
- Mandatory bear safety talks are given on arrival.
Where to Stay
Stay at Brooks Lodge, or fly in from Anchorage or Homer.
Where to Eat
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Last checked 2026-11-01. Part of the Alaska list.