Bear Creek Outfitters: Bear Viewing

Take an unforgettable excursion to watch majestic coastal brown bears in their natural habitat, leaving from Juneau with Bear Creek Outfitters—a pioneer in fly-out bear viewing (and fishing) in this area for 25 years. You’ll travel by floatplane, allowing you to quickly and easily get out into the gorgeous Tongass National Forest—the biggest national forest in the country. And since you can spend a full day or just a few hours, this tour is a great option for cruise ship travelers.

The Experience

Once you’re picked up and outfitted with top-quality rain gear, you’ll take a stunning, 25-minute floatplane ride out to your remote location. Depending on the time of the season, you may be headed to the Pack Creek Brown Bear Sanctuary on Admiralty Island National Monument or the Waterfall Creek area, where bears fish for salmon from the base of a gorgeous waterfall. With your experienced wildlife guide leading the way, you’ll walk over rough terrain for a quarter mile to get to a premier bear-viewing location.

Thanks to Bear Creek’s long history in the area, your expert guides will know where to find the bears and how to watch them safely—and of course will share details about these incredible creatures. You may see bears fishing for salmon from a stream or watch them playing on a remote beach. Whatever the environment, the sight of bears in the wild is always magical.

Along the way, you may also see seals, sea lions, moose, mink, mountain goats, black-tail deer, and porcupine, along with some beautiful birds.

Snacks and beverages are provided. Full-day trips include a delicious shore lunch.