A short flight takes guests to the famous Brooks River Falls to view magnificent brown bears feeding on salmon. This is where most people take the most iconic photos of these coastal bears catching salmon in their mouths. The peak time for viewing bears at Brooks are late June through the end of July and also September through mid-October. After a brief bear-country behavior orientation, you will walk about a mile until you come upon three bear-viewing platforms to safely watch the bears in their natural habitat.
Katmai National Park is home to the largest population of protected brown bears anywhere in the world. There are additional locations to view bears depending on bear feeding activity at the time of your visit, but Brooks Camp is popular because the falls create a temporary barrier for migrating salmon early on in the season which makes for an easier fishing spot for the bear. You will witness multiple styles of learned fishing methods by different bear, some using a couple of techniques, others sticking to one.
Katmai Brown Bear
- Peak viewing at Brooks end of June through the end of July and September through mid-October
- Adult males typically weigh between 600 and 900 pounds mid-summer and reach over 1000 pounds by late fall
- Adult females can weigh between 400-600 and over 650 pounds by late fall
- Average life span is 20 years. The oldest on record is 35 years old
Brooks River Live Bear Cam
Ask about the cost to add on a bear viewing trip.
