Katmai National Park and Preserve
Katmai National Park is a wild land of volcanoes, rivers, and lakes on the Alaska Peninsula. It was created to protect a valley once buried by a huge volcanic eruption, but today it is best known for its bears.
Katmai is famous for Brooks Falls, where big brown bears line up to catch jumping salmon in their mouths. Visitors love watching these chubby bears fish and play, especially during the popular Fat Bear Week contest.
Bears at Brooks Falls
Every summer dozens of brown bears gather at a waterfall to catch salmon leaping upstream. Safe viewing platforms let people watch the bears snatch fish right out of the air.
Fat Bear Week
Each fall the park holds a fun online contest where people vote for the chubbiest bear. The bears eat lots of salmon to grow big and round so they can sleep all winter.
Valley of Smokes
In 1912 a giant volcano erupted here and buried a valley in hot ash, which steamed for years. Today the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes is a strange, moon-like landscape you can hike across.