Experience the untamed beauty of Lake Clark National Park. Soar over majestic mountains, encounter wildlife in its natural habitat, go for epic hikes on the many scenic trails, and experience thrilling water adventures. Take off on a bear-viewing tour from Homer or Anchorage by plane or set sail on a private boat to enjoy amazing wildlife encounters and fishing in the waters of Lake Clark.
Things to Do
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Lake Clark National Park Bear Viewing Tours
Lake Clark National Park Hiking Trails
Lake Clark National Park Fishing Spots
Lake Clark National Park Bear Viewing Tours
Tours depart from Anchorage & Homer
Alaska Bear Camp 6-Day Adventure
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Season: Jun 01 to Sep 04 $6595 to $6795 (+ internal air)6 Days / 5 Nights
In the best way possible. you’re outnumbered by bears during your stay at this private fly-in wilderness camp. Fly by chartered plane from Homer to Alaska Bear Camp on a5‑night, 6‑day all-inclusive package. This deluxe backcountry camp accommodates just 14 guests in some of the best bear habitat in the world. In contrast to day trips catering to dozens of visitors at atime, Bear Camp offers arare and exclusive wilderness immersion.
Alaska Ultimate Safaris Helicopter Bear Viewing
Season: June 1 - Sept 15$1699 per person4 - 8 hrs
For many Alaskan travelers, bears are the ultimate highlight. Pair amagnificent sighting with agorgeous helicopter flightseeing ride and you’ll have an unforgettable experience. On this unique tour from Homer, you’ll take ahelicopter ride out into one of Alaska’s gorgeous national parks to witness these spectacular creatures in thewild.
Natron Air Bear Viewing
Season: May 25 - Sept 15$575+2 to 3 hrs
Fly out of Soldotna with Natron’s owner and pilot, Tim. You’ll soar over the Cook Inlet towards Mt. Iliamna Volcano and land on abeach, right where the bears are. You’ll watch them playing and clamming and be close enough to take amazing photos.
Trail Ridge Air Inc. Bear Viewing
Season: July 1 - Sept 30$1250+ per person6 - 12 hrs
Viewing brown bears in their natural habitat is one of the most amazing things you can do in Alaska. If it’s high on your list, book aflight-seeing/ bear viewing trip with Trail Ridge Air, knowing that personable pilots will take you to where bears splash and fish, and where visitors run out of words to describe their amazement.
Smokey Bay Air
Season: Year Round$895 Bear Viewing, $585+ Flightseeing45 min - 5 hrs
Watch bears digging for clams, wandering the sedge grass, or nursing their young – all in ashort flight from Homer to Katmai or Lake Clark National Park. Smokey Bay’s bear tours last about five hours total — including flights and about three hours on the ground. On any given day there will always be amorning outing (leaving at 8a.m. at the latest) and possibly one that leaves around 2p.m.
Rust's Bear Viewing
Season: May to Mid September$995+6 - 10 hrs
Take off by seaplane for an all-day bear-viewing expedition. Fly past glaciers and volcanoes to the brown-bear country of southwest Alaska. Your Seaplane Bear Safari will take you to Brooks River Falls in Katmai National Park, home of the world ’ slargest salmon run. You can also fly 70miles southwest of Anchorage to Lake Clark Wilderness Preserve for amazing bear viewing and luxurious accommodations at the Redoubt Bay Lodge. Rust’s, whichhas...more
Alaska Air Service: Bear Viewing
Season: May 22 to Sep 01 $930 per person6-7 hrs
With Alaska Air Service you’ll fly from Anchorage to Lake Clark National Park, where they’re alicensed park concessionaire. On the 6- to 7‑hour expedition with an intimate group (there’s a4‑to‑1 guest-to-guide ratio), you’ll start with alanding inside the park on abeach or in the grasslands to watch bears. Then you’ll travel, unrushed, to other spots in the park. Few operators include multiple locations, but showing you as much of the park’s...more
Regal Air Bear Viewing
Season: May 10th – Mid September$1075+6.5 to 10 hrs
Hop aboard one of Regal Air’s planes departing from Anchorage and after ashort, scenic flight you can be watching enormous brown bears swat salmon from Alaska’s rushing waters. Tours visit one of two destinations: Lake Clark National Park or Brooks Falls in Katmai NationalPark.
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Lake Clark Sailing & Private Yacht ChartersView All
Sail on Lake Clark in Lake Clark National Park
Sailing Lake Clark
Season: June - September$2,666+ per cabin (double occupancy)3+ nights
You’ll spend either 4or 7days sailing around Lake Clark, experiencing all the natural majesty this national park has to offer, with its many craggy mountains set close to the water. Anchor each night in anew location. Look for wildlife, hike, explore with kayaks and paddleboards, and enjoy bonfires on thebeach.
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Lake Clark National Park Hiking Trails
Tanalian Mountain Trail
Difficulty: DifficultDistance: 8 milesElevation Gain: 4700 feet
This is the most strenuous of the hiking options in Port Alsworth, but the views are worth the effort. From the summit of Tanalian Mountain, you’ll enjoy a360-degree view of Lake Clark, Kontrashibuna Lake, and the Chigmit Mountains.
Tanalian Falls Trail
Difficulty: ModerateDistance: 4 milesElevation Gain: 650 feet
This relatively level, moderately intense trail meanders through the forest, with intermittent views of Lake Clark to the North, Tanalian Mountain to the east, and Holey and Martha’s Mountains to the south. It ends at the impressively powerful Tanalian Falls. Make it aloop by returning via the Beaver PondLoop.
Fishtrap Lake to Snipe Lake
Difficulty: DifficultDistance: 10 miles
Choose this trip if you want to commit to fewer miles and don’t mind alittle bushwacking. The flights for this trip are typically the least expensive of the trips listed here; since it’s the closest to Port Alsworth it requires less flight time.
Teetering Rock Trail
Difficulty: EasyDistance: 1 mileElevation Gain: 200 feet
This out-and-back trail leaves from the Historic Proenneke Cabin site and ascends to aprominent point ½‑mile behind the cabin to the north of Hope Creek. Auniquely balanced rock marks the end of this trail and makes agreat spot to take in the view of Upper TwinLake.
Turquoise to Twin Lakes
Difficulty: DifficultDistance: 12 miles
This 12-plus-mile backpacking route lets you see the park’s most iconic lakes: the alpine Turquoise Lake and the boreal Twin Lakes. Wildlife is common along this route, especially Dall sheep in the alpine valleys between thelakes.
Beaver Pond Loop Trail
Difficulty: EasyDistance: 3 milesElevation Gain: 600 feet
This trail makes aloop around asmall beaver pond and connects back via the Tanalian Falls trail. It’s especially beautiful in fall, fall, when golden birch trees explode in color. This is the gentlest of the available hikes in Port Alsworth.
Emerson Creek Trail
Difficulty: DifficultDistance: 3 milesElevation Gain: 1000 feet
This trail leaves from the Emerson Creek delta, on the north side of Upper Twin Lakes, just east of the stream that connects the Upper and Lower Twin Lakes. Agood ending point is alarge waterfall, 1.75miles up the trail. You can stop at the bottom of the falls or climb asteep trail to the bluff above the falls. The trail continues into the alpine, but eventually disappears into the tundra.
Kontrashibuna Lake Trail
Difficulty: ModerateDistance: 5 milesElevation Gain: 800 feet
Begin this hike on the Tanalian Falls trail; continue past the falls to the shores of Kontrashibuna Lake. This long, narrow lake is nestled between steep mountains on either shore. The official trail ends at the lake, but abrushed, unmaintained social trail continues along the lake’s northshore.
Portage Creek Trail
Difficulty: ModerateDistance: 3 miles
Climb the only maintained trail outside of Port Alsworth. Follow the trail for one mile to cross Portage Creek. Continue another two miles into the alpine tundra. From the end of the trail, you can explore for miles along an alpine ridge overlooking LakeClark.
Hope Creek Trail
Difficulty: ModerateDistance: 5 milesElevation Gain: 1200 feet
This trail leaves from the primitive campground at Hope Creek. The trail follows the south side of Hope Creek ascending the creek’s valley for miles. This is agreat valley for catching aglimpse of black or brown bears or Dallsheep.
Upper Twin Lakes Loop
Difficulty: DifficultDistance: 15 miles
Choose this trip if you definitely want to visit Richard Proenneke’s cabin and you want achallenging hike. Of the main three Lake Clark backpacking trips, this trip offers the most challenging terrain and requires the most backcountry navigation skills.
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Lake Clark National Park Fishing Spots
Fishing in Lake Clark National Park
Lake Clark boasts some incredible fishing — whether fighting Dolly Varden on afly rod in the Chilikadrotna River or tossing aline into Upper Twin Lake in search of Grayling, Lake Clark’s bountiful lakes and many rivers mean you are never far from excellent fishing. Guiding fishing is available at several of the lodges in LakeClark.
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