Katmai National Park and Preserve

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Katmai National Park and Preserve
IUCN Category Ib (Wilderness Area)

Location:	Alaska, USA
Nearest city:	King Salmon, AK
Coordinates:	58°30′0″N, 155°00′0″W
Area:	4,725,188 acres (19,122 km²)
Established:	December 2, 1980
Visitation:	23,754 (in 2003)
Governing body:	National Park Service

Katmai National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in Southern Alaska, notable for the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and for its brown bears. The park covers 7,383 mi² (19,122 km²). Most of this is a designated wilderness area, including 5,288 mi² (13,696 km²) of the park.

Novarupta lava dome

Established on December 2, 1980, the park is located on the Alaska Peninsula, across from Kodiak Island, with headquarters in nearby King Salmon, about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage. Originally, on September 24, 1918, the area was designated a national monument to protect the area around the major 1912 volcanic eruption of Novarupta, which formed the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, a forty square mile (100 km²), 100 to 700 foot deep, pyroclastic flow.

There are at least fourteen active volcanoes within the national park, most recently Fourpeaked Volcano, which became active September 17, 2006 after more then 10,000 years of dormancy. Katmai is also well known for brown bears and the salmon which attract both bears and people. Katmai contains the world's largest protected brown bear population; it is estimated to be in excess of 2,000. Bears are especially likely to congregate at Brooks Falls, where there is a viewing platform. Many well known photographs of brown bears have been taken at Brooks Falls.

Pyroclastic flow deposits in the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes

Activities at Katmai include hiking, backpacking, camping, fishing, paddling, boat tours, snow skiing, and interpretive programs.

This park contains numerous archaeological sites which indicate a long history of prehistoric occupations from the Paleoarctic tradition up to the Thule tradition.