National Park Service Park Info U.S. Department of the Interior A trip planning and information guide to Alagnak Wild River Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve The Novarupta Katmai National Park and Preserve Issue Number 2021 ANELA KOPSHERVER ANELA KOPSHERVER What’s Inside: Brooks Camp ..............6 Katmai Origins ...........14 Backcountry Travel ...20 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY NATIONAL NPS PHOTO LIAN LAW Three National Parks, Many Amazing Experiences Welcome to Katmai Country National Park Service Welcome to Katmai! eruption of Novarupta in 1912 took place U.S. Department of the Interior long ago when compared to a human Katmai National Park and Preserve lifespan, but is geologically recent. The (Katmai) lies within the ancestral resulting ash covered everything for miles homelands of the Alutiit-Sugpiat (Aleut) and even today life is still recovering from Alagnak Wild River people. Human habitation of this region the effects of the eruption. Aniakchak National Monument and goes back many thousands of years and Preserve Katmai National Park and Preserve speaks of thriving communities and Many dedicated individuals from diverse perseverance in the face of challenging walks of life have worked tirelessly over Katmai was declared a National Monument environments. Today, the Alutiit-Sugpiat the years to ensure that wildlife remains in 1918; Aniakchak in 1978. The Alaska people strive to maintain their traditional abundant and diverse throughout this National Interest Lands Conservation Act of lifeways even in light of pressure region. It is in large part because of 1980 established Alagnak Wild River, while brought on by an ever-changing world. these efforts that Katmai today supports Katmai and Aniakchak were expanded to Their connections to these lands are world-class fisheries and outstanding include national preserve areas. Katmai was enduring and worthy of our respect. wildlife viewing opportunities. To observe also redesignated a national park. Together, According, I would like to take a moment an Alaskan brown bear in its natural these lands encompass nearly five million to acknowledge our Alaska Native environment is a testament to the priorities acres of unique landscapes managed by the communities—be they Alutiit-Sugpiat, of our nation. National Park Service. Dena’ina, or Yup’ik—for their enduring Mailing Address legacy as the caretakers of this wonderous Recently, we have all experienced some PO Box 7 land we are fortunate to experience, and very trying times due to the far-reaching King Salmon, AK 99613 today call Katmai. effects of the global coronavirus pandemic. Last year we were able to operate, albeit Park Headquarters Geographically, Katmai is found on the at a reduced operational capacity and this Phone: 907-246-3305 Alaska Peninsula which encompasses a vast year promises to be similar, though we are Fax: 907-246-2116 and beautiful landscape where the National striving to expand visitor services where Park Service also has the privilege of possible during the 2021 season. Thank you Websites managing Aniakchak National Monument for your understanding and cooperation Alagnak: www.nps.gov/alag and Preserve, and the Alagnak Wild River. with Covid-19 related mitigations; your Aniakchak: www.nps.gov/ania Regardless of your interests, collectively adherence to them will help us stay open Katmai: www.nps.gov/katm these different park areas offer a diversity of throughout the season. outstanding Alaskan experiences. We are glad you have come here to The geology of Katmai is both ancient experience for yourself the sights, sounds, and new. The park’s diverse landscapes and feel of this special place and we hope comprise expansive mountains, active that you take home many memories that volcanoes, flowing glaciers and a wild and will last a lifetime. beautiful seacoast that is frequently fed by sparkling rivers and lakes. The cataclysmic Mark Sturm, Superintendent Contents: Southwest Alaska’s Parklands.................................................2-3 Katmai and the National Park Idea .....................................14-15 Essential Information ..................................................................4 Exploring the Human History of Katmai .................................16 Getting Here, Getting Around ...................................................5 Cycle of the Salmon ..................................................................17 Welcome to Brooks Camp .......................................................6-7 Fishing Information ..................................................................18 Camping at Brooks Camp ...........................................................8 Backcountry Travel ...............................................................20-21 Brooks Camp Map .......................................................................9 Aniakchak National Monument ..........................................22-23 Bear Viewing ........................................................................10-11 Alagnak Wild River ..............................................................24-25 Safe Travels in Bear Country ....................................................12 Park Neighbors .....................................................................26-27 Live Bearcams ............................................................................13 Support Your Public Lands .......................................................28 2 The Novarupta Alagnak Aniakchak Katmai National Monument and Preserve Wild River National Park and Preserve Unbounded by dams or artificial channels, Midway down the wild, remote, and On June 6, 1912 residents of the northern the Alagnak River meanders its way from mostly roadless Alaska Peninsula lies Alaska Peninsula experienced one of the headwaters in the Aleutian Range across one of the nation’s most fascinating, but largest volcanic eruptions in recorded the Alaska Peninsula to Bristol Bay and the least visited, volcanic features. Aniakchak history. The eruption at Novarupta Bering Sea. The upper 69 miles of river are National Monument and Preserve volcano sent ash over 100,000 feet into the designated a national wild river, meaning surrounds a large caldera formed by the atmosphere, led to the collapse of Mount free flow, no dams, and little human impact. collapse of a 7,000 foot volcano. Set inland Katmai, and created the Valley of Ten in a place of frequent clouds and fierce Thousand Smokes. From the time of the earliest Alaskans, the storms, Aniakchak was unknown to all river has given much to those willing to but area residents until the 1920s, and had Katmai National Monument was learn its ways. In summer, the river teems its last eruption in 1931. Nestled inside established in 1918 to protect the with salmon. Fall brings migrating caribou the caldera is Surprise Lake, a remnant of volcanically devastated region surrounding and berries. It traverses the beautiful Alaska a much larger lake that catastrophically Mount Katmai and the Valley of Ten Peninsula, providing opportunities to drained in a massive flood. Warm springs, Thousand Smokes. Today, Katmai National experience the unique wilderness, wildlife, melting snow, and glaciers feed Surprise Park and Preserve is still an active volcanic and cultural heritage of the area. Lake, which in turn gives rise to the landscape, which also protects 9,000 years Aniakchak Wild River. of human history as well as important This river is one of the most popular habitat for salmon and the thousands of sport fishing destinations in all of Alaska. This narrow stretch of the Alaska brown bears that feed on them. Alagnak’s extraordinary rainbow trout, Peninsula boasts a rich human history. char, grayling, and abundant salmon are Volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis Katmai is a rugged and diverse land where some of the most attractive sport fish in the have interrupted the human story, yet bears are plentiful, salmon leap waterfalls world, and the river has become the most the land abides as a wild place where on their journey to spawn, steaming popular fly-in fishing destination in all of people can experience independence and volcanoes serve as a reminder of the Southwest Alaska. interdependence. Life has persisted here earth’s power, and where cultural change in the face of catastrophic change. continues. See pages 24-25 for more information. See pages 22-23 for more information. See pages 6-21 for more information. M. FITZ Glacially shrouded volcanoes, like Mount Mageik, form the geologic backbone of the Alaska Peninsula. Katmai National Park is the site of the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century (see pages 14-15). The Novarupta 3 Essential Information Dates and Hours of Operation page 12 for bear safety information. Only non-guided sport hunting is allowed in Alagnak, Aniakchak, and Katmai are open 24 the Alagnak Wild River corridor. In all other hours a day every day of the year. Most services Visitors to Brooks Camp are required, upon areas, sport hunting is prohibited. All hunting such as lodges and air taxis operate seasonally. arrival, to participate in a brief, mandatory bear activities require a license and are subject to safety talk at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center. National Park Service and Alaska Department National Park Service and concessionaire of Fish and Game regulations and restrictions. operated facilities at Brooks Camp are open Food Storage from June 1 through September 17. All food, beverages, garbage, equipment used Weather to cook or store food, and/or