Lake Clark National Park Things to Do
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.
Lake Clark National Park Bear Viewing Tours
Tours depart from Anchorage & Homer
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 a 5‑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 a time, Bear Camp offers a rare and exclusive wilderness immersion.
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 ’ s largest salmon run. You can also fly 70 miles southwest of Anchorage to Lake Clark Wilderness Preserve for amazing bear viewing and luxurious accommodations at the Redoubt Bay Lodge. Rust’s, which has ...more
Watch bears digging for clams, wandering the sedge grass, or nursing their young – all in a short 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 a morning outing (leaving at 8 a.m. at the latest) and possibly one that leaves around 2 p.m.
For many Alaskan travelers, bears are the ultimate highlight. Pair a magnificent sighting with a gorgeous helicopter flightseeing ride and you’ll have an unforgettable experience. On this unique tour from Homer, you’ll take a helicopter ride out into one of Alaska’s gorgeous national parks to witness these spectacular creatures in the wild.
With Alaska Air Service you’ll fly from Anchorage to Lake Clark National Park, where they’re a licensed park concessionaire. On the 6- to 7‑hour expedition with an intimate group (there’s a 4‑to‑1 guest-to-guide ratio), you’ll start with a landing inside the park on a beach 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
Hop aboard one of Regal Air’s planes departing from Anchorage and after a short, 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 National Park.
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 a flight-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.
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 a beach, right where the bears are. You’ll watch them playing and clamming and be close enough to take amazing photos.
Lake Clark Sailing & Private Yacht Charters View All
Sail on Lake Clark in Lake Clark National Park
You’ll spend either 4 or 7 days 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 a new location. Look for wildlife, hike, explore with kayaks and paddleboards, and enjoy bonfires on the beach.
Lake Clark National Park Hiking Trails
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 a 360-degree view of Lake Clark, Kontrashibuna Lake, and the Chigmit Mountains.
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 a loop by returning via the Beaver Pond Loop.
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 Lake Clark.
This trail makes a loop around a small 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.
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 a great valley for catching a glimpse of black or brown bears or Dall sheep.
Choose this trip if you definitely want to visit Richard Proenneke’s cabin and you want a challenging hike. Of the main three Lake Clark backpacking trips, this trip offers the most challenging terrain and requires the most backcountry navigation skills.
Choose this trip if you want to commit to fewer miles and don’t mind a little 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.
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 the lakes.
This out-and-back trail leaves from the Historic Proenneke Cabin site and ascends to a prominent point ½‑mile behind the cabin to the north of Hope Creek. A uniquely balanced rock marks the end of this trail and makes a great spot to take in the view of Upper Twin Lake.
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 a brushed, unmaintained social trail continues along the lake’s north shore.
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. A good ending point is a large waterfall, 1.75 miles up the trail. You can stop at the bottom of the falls or climb a steep trail to the bluff above the falls. The trail continues into the alpine, but eventually disappears into the tundra.
Lake Clark National Park Fishing Spots
Lake Clark boasts some incredible fishing — whether fighting Dolly Varden on a fly rod in the Chilikadrotna River or tossing a line 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 Lake Clark.