Flying

View of pilot inside a plane overlooking a mountain and a lake.

Bear Tracking in Plane with Pilot LACL

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is located on the Alaska Peninsula southwest of Anchorage and west of Homer. We are not on the road system.

<p>Flight seeing at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve offers a bird’s eye view of over 4 million acres of wilderness. Mountainous country rises from the coastline of western Cook Inlet, scaffolded with craggy peaks, glaciers, and snow-laden volcanoes. West of the mountains rests a region distinguished by braided glacial rivers, cascading streams, waterfalls, turquoise lakes, boreal forest, and tundra. What will you discover amongst the park’s diverse landscape from a bush plane?<br /> <br /> To help park visitors access the park, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve depends on many experienced air taxi providers licensed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Experience aside, safety depends on more than just a pilot's knowledge. An aviation passenger also has rights and responsibilities regarding safety.<br /> <br /> Small aircraft passengers should be familiar with the details of their trip to ensure everyone’s safety while cruising in small aircrafts throughout the park. Take an active role as a passenger and ask these questions.</p> <ul> <li>Who is the pilot?</li> <li>What type of plane are you flying in?</li> <li>Is there a flight plan?</li> <li>What is the weather forecast?</li> <li>Do you feel uncomfortable?</li> <li>Do you need clarification?</li> </ul> <p><br /> Asking questions to a pilot can feel daunting. There is probably a reason for your feelings of discomfort. Trust your intuition and communicate your concerns. The pilot may instantly put your worries at ease. If the pilot’s answer leaves you unsatisfied, insist on safe practices being followed or postpone the flight.</p> <h4>Get Started Trip Planning</h4> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/basicinfo.htm">Basic Information</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/directions.htm">Directions</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/placestogo.htm">Places to Go</a></p> </li> </ul>

Contact your flight provider for more information. 

Discover safely from a bird’s eye view. Volcanoes, coastline, mountain ranges, tundra, lakes, rivers, wildlife, and more! What will you see on your flight seeing trip?

Flight Seeing at Lake Clark

Aviation

Scenic Views

Backcountry Camping

All ages, but minors should be with an adult parent or guardian to ensure their safety around wildlife. 

A night time scene of a woman in a tent with her headlamp glowing up the walls.

Camping in August

<h2>Wilderness Travel</h2> <p>Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a trail-less wilderness, and you are free to camp where you like, unless otherwise closed. Camping within the Richard Proenneke Historic Cabin Site, on private property without landowner permission, and within the closures at Chinitna Bay or Silver Salmon Creek is always prohibited. </p> <p>All camping is primitive, no facilities or designated campsites exist. You should use <a href="https://lnt.org/learn/7-principles">Leave No Trace guidelines</a> to minimize your impacts. Backcountry permits for camping and hiking are not required, however there are <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/management/lawsandpolicies.htm">rules and regulations</a> governing one's behavior in all national park areas. Please do not take, shape or alter the wilderness around you.</p>

<p>Leashed pets are permitted in the park and preserve. However, we strongly encourage you to <strong>leave your pets at home</strong>, for your safety, their safety, and the health of the ecosystem. If your dog is already in Alaska with you, a quick Google search will give you a list of kennels that can board it for you during your trip to Lake Clark. Common park gateway communities with pet boarding facilities include Anchorage, Soldotna, Kenai, Kasilof, Homer, and Anchor Point.</p> <p>Dogs running loose can bring enraged bears or moose back to their owners. They can also harass or kill local wildlife. While it's pretty obvious when a dog is chasing a moose or a squirrel, a loose dog can eat ground nesting bird eggs and chicks so quickly the owner never realizes it happened. They may also either contract a disease from wild canine populations, or introduce disease to fox, coyote, or wolf through their scat. Be aware that these wild canines are highly territorial, especially during summer denning season, and <em>will</em> kill loose dogs they encounter in their territory.</p> <p>If you must bring your pet, remember that it must be leashed at <strong>ALL</strong> times, and that you must properly dispose of its scat by either burying it in a 6 inch cathole like you would your own waste, or by packing (flying) it out.</p>

You do not need to pay entrance fees, make reservations, or obtain permits from the National Park Service for any recreational activities in the park including backpacking, camping, river running, and bear viewing. However, because most visitors have to travel to the park via aircraft or boat, you likely will have to make advance reservations with an air taxi if you're not from the local area. To learn more, visit <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/directions.htm">the park's Directions page.</a> 

<p>Lake Clark National Park and Preserve has two distinct climate areas: the coast and the interior. The coast is often foggy and wet, with an average annual rainfall of 40 to 80 inches. The interior averages only 17 to 26 inches. The same weather systems that bring precipitation to the coast also bring milder winters; the interior often suffers temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit.</p> <p>Visitors to Lake Clark National Park and Preserve might bask in warm, gentle sunshine, be pummeled by fierce storms, or get soaked by rain. Weather conditions can change rapidly, and the mountainous terrain channels fierce winds. Gusts in the 30-50 mph range are not uncommon.</p> <p>Frost and snow can occur any time, but are most common from September to early June. Lake Clark typically begins freezing in November and melts in April. Ice conditions dictate whether planes on floats or skis can land.</p> <p>In general, visitors should be prepared to experience a number of different weather conditions during their stay in Lake Clark. Sturdy rain gear and waterproof footwear are a must, and smart travelers make sure to layer clothing.</p>

A camping trip into Lake Clark's trail-less wilderness can be a spectacular and rewarding experience. Thorough preparation and careful trip planning will help ensure you have a safe and meaningful trip. Here you will experience undeveloped wilderness, self-reliance, and solitude to an extent seldom found elsewhere.

Remote Base Camping

Wilderness

Wildlife Watching

Fly-In Bear Viewing Along the Park Coast

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve offers world class bear viewing opportunities on the coast where brown bears congregate in high numbers to feed.

You do not need to pay entrance fees, make reservations, or obtain permits from the National Park Service for any recreational activities in the park including backpacking, camping, river running, and bear viewing. However, because most visitors have to travel to the park via aircraft or boat, you likely will have to make advance reservations with an air taxi or bear viewing guide if you're not from the local area. To learn more, visit <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/directions.htm">the park's Directions page.</a> 

Bears hibernate in winter! The season for bear viewing is generally mid-June to the beginning of September along much of the coast. 

Learn where to go to see bears and become familiar with bear viewing best practices. Then watch the park's beautiful new 11 minute-long film, A Day on the Lake Clark National Park Coastline to get a feel for experience of being on the coast with bears.

Night-time bear viewing is not advised due to visibility concerns. If people travel to the same places in the same way day after day, year after year, our behavior becomes predictable to bears, and they are more likely to view us as an unobtrusive part of their environment.<br /> <br /> Each encounter is a learning experience for both bears and people. Appropriate and consistent human responses to bears minimize the chances of dangerous surprise encounters and can provide safer and better bear viewing experiences.<br /> <br /> In most cases it is best to stay in the open during the day where bears can see people and avoid them if they wish. Hiding from bears increases the likelihood that people will have a surprise encounter that could result in a dangerous situation for the bear and/or the person. <br /> <br />  

Fly-In Bear Viewing Along the West Cook Inlet Coast

Animals

Photography

Maritime

Marshes

Fishing

The National Park does not charge any fees. However, you must possess all required Alaska state fishing licenses and tags, and you must comply with <a href="http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishregulations.main">State of Alaska fishing regulations</a>.

3 people wearing PFDs ride in a boat from the shore of Port Alsworth

<h4>Ranger Recommendations</h4> <p>Remember that you are <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/fishing.htm">fishing in bear country</a>. Bears have the right to prime fishing sites, as fish are a critical food source for them. Give bears plenty of time and room to fish. Make sure you know about the park's food (including harvested fish) <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/management/food-storage-requirements.htm">storage requirements </a>before you go.<br /> <br /> Come prepared for unpredictable and often severe weather. Lake Clark is a BIG lake. Weather can change rapidly and due to its size, the lake can become as tumultuous as the sea. A calm day can quickly become rough in less than an hour. Keep an eye on the weather. Never go farther than you can safely return from if the weather shifts. Boating along the lakeshore can make it easier to get off the lake quickly if the weather changes. Boating in the middle of the lake or crossing the lake exposes you to higher risk.<br /> <br /> Keep your safety in mind at all times. Each person in the boat must have a Personal Flotation Device (PFD) on board the vessel, and we strongly recommend that PFDs be worn at all times. Alaskan waters are icy cold, even when air temperatures are warm. </p> <p>For more boating safety tips, check the State of Alaska <a href="http://www.dnr.state.ak.us/parks/boating/">Office of Boating Safety</a></p> <br />  

Fishing is popular both in summer and in winter if the lake freezes over. 

Lake Clark provides excellent fishing opportunities for adventurous anglers. The park and preserve includes some of the most pristine fishery habitats in the National Park system. Fly or boat out from Port Alsworth onto Lake Clark, where incredible fishing awaits.

Go Fishing on Lake Clark

Fish

Lakes

Watersheds

Headwaters

It takes about an hour to get to the Falls. You can spend as much time you would like fishing.

You must possess all required Alaska state fishing licenses and tags, and you must comply with <a href="http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishregulations.main">State of Alaska fishing regulations</a>.

From Port Alsworth, take the Tanalian Falls Trail to the Tanalian River

<h4>Ranger Recommendations</h4> Remember that you are <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/fishing.htm">fishing in bear country</a>. Bears have the right to prime fishing sites, as fish are a critical food source for them. Give bears plenty of time and room to fish. Make sure you know about the park's food (including harvested fish) <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/management/food-storage-requirements.htm">storage requirements </a>before you go. Come prepared for unpredictable and often severe weather.

Pets are allowed in the park and preserve. However, because Lake Clark is excellent bear and moose habitat it is highly encouraged that you leave your pets at home. All pets must be leashed.

Want to try fishing in Alaska? This scenic spot offers both the lure of possible grayling catches and opportunities to take stunning pictures

Go Fly Fishing at Tanalian Falls

Natural Sounds

Trails

Waterfalls

Museum Exhibits

inside of the Port Alsworth Visitor Center showing various exhibits

Exhibits inside the Port Alsworth Visitor Center

<h4>Ranger Recommendation</h4> The visitor center is only open in the summer and operating hours change throughout the season. You may call ahead to check the visitor center hours at (907) 781-2117.

The Kvichak watershed which is fed by Lake Clark and runs into Bristol Bay, is one of the world's most productive spawning and rearing habitats for sockeye salmon. Lake Clark protects clean cold water within these spawning grounds. The NPS works alongside subsistence users, councils, and the State of Alaska to steward these special waters which help sustain the economy and the culture of Alaska. Visit the Port Alsworth Visitor Center to learn more about this special resource.

Explore How Salmon Are Sustaining Southwest Alaska Communities

Native American Heritage

a wooden structure with a small door on stilts in winter

The Wassillie Trefon Fish Cache is the last best example of the traditional Dena'ina Athabascan fish cache in the Lake Clark-Iliamna area. It is also very likely to be the best example of a southwestern Alaska Native log cache in the entire Bristol Bay region.

See the Wassillie Trefon Dena'ina Fish Cache

A large wooden boat sits with the number 23 painted on it.

Explore a sailboat that spent more than 60 years on Bristol Bay waters during the heyday of Alaska's commercial salmon fishery.

This exhibit is outside but it is only open during visitor center hours. 

Discover Bristol Bay Fishing History

Coasts, Islands and Atolls

Industry

Ships and Shipwrecks

Oceans

Transportation

Two men working on sawmill stacked lumber in foreground and background.

A sawmill exhibit now is located across from Lake Clark National Park and Preserve visitor center in Port Alsworth, Alaska.

In 1932, Charlie Denison, his son Floyd and his wife Lena moved to Tanalian Point. With the help of several men and dog teams from Iliamna, Charlie and Floyd Denison brought the first sawmill to the community. The Denison steam powered sawmill led waves of change to the Lake Clark region. Locals were able to use the sawmill in exchange for shares of lumber, which allowed a local bartering system to be set in place. As the local economy shifted, so did the development of the region. Learn more about how access to a sawmill in such a remote region changed the Port Alsworth area.<br /> <br />  

Learn about early infrastructure of the Lake Clark region. The Denison steam powered sawmill led waves of change to the Lake Clark region.

Visit the Denison Sawmill Exhibit

Colonization and Settlement

Camping

There is a $65 per night cabin rental fee.

A wooden bench sits on the front porch of a cabin

The cabin is 8 miles from Port Alsworth by boat or floatplane.

<h4>Ranger Recommendation<br />  </h4> <p>The Priest Rock Cabin is about 8 miles from Port Alsworth, and the Joe Thompson Cabin is about 13 miles from Port Alsworth, both on Lake Clark. Seasoned kayakers can paddle from Hardenburg Bay, weather permitting. Visitors can also acquire a water taxi or floatplane to get these spots. Learn more about transportation on our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/directions.htm">Directions</a> page.<br /> <br /> The Joe Thompson Cabin is also the trailhead to the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/day-hikes.htm">Portage Creek trail</a>. The trail is 3.25 miles in length and travels up to the tundra of Lach Mountian. Visitors to the Priest Rock Cabin can access this trail via boat. The trail is open to the public and can be accessed without reservation to the Joe Thompson Cabin.</p>

Pet are allowed in the park and preserve. However, because Lake Clark is excellent bear and moose habitat it is strongly encouraged that you leave your pets at home. Pets outside must be leashed at all times.

Experience the simplicity and beauty of a public use cabin. Enjoy world class fishing and kayaking right outside the front door of a beautiful cabin in remote Alaska.

Spend the Night in a Rustic Cabin

Architecture and Building

Mountains

Front-Country Hiking

The trail up Tanalian Mountain is steep and rigorous with stunning panoramic views of Lake Clark and the surrounding mountains.

There are bears in the area so children should be accompanied by adults. The steep trail might not be suitable for some children.

Hike as far you want up the Tanalian Mountain Trail, which ascends quickly. This could be a short evening hike or if you're feeling adventurous, a day-long hike to the top.

A woman stands on top of a rocky mountain looking out towards the turquoise water of Lake Clark

Port Alsworth is not connected to the road system.

<h4>Ranger Recommendation</h4> The trail is steep, bring a lot of water and snacks. It is usually colder and windier at the top of the mountain so it's smart to bring extra layers. Rain can occur anytime in Southwest Alaska. Be prepared with raingear even on sunny days.

Pets are allowed in the park and preserve. However, because Lake Clark is excellent bear and moose habitat it is strongly encouraged that you leave your pets at home. Pets must be leashed at all times.

Epic elevation, heart-pumping exercise and stellar views. Discover the wild from Port Alsworth as you hike the trail to the top of Tanalian Mountain.

Hike up Tanalian Mountain

Tundra

Geology

This is a great introductory backpacking trip for children. Children should be accompanied by an adult.

Mountains and yellow trees reflect in blue waters

<h4>Ranger Recommendation</h4> <br /> Be prepared for changing weather, biting insects, and possible bear encounters. Proper food storage is required. Learn more about <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/bear-safety.htm">staying safe in bear country </a>and the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/learn/management/food-storage-requirements.htm">food storage requirements</a> before you head out on your adventure.

Pets are allowed in the park and preserve. However, because Lake Clark is excellent bear and moose habitat it is strongly encouraged that you leave your pets at home. All pets must be leashed.

Pack up and journey out to the wilderness. Lay in your tent listening to a lone wolf's howl. Stand in awe as mountains reflect across still waters in the early morning light.

Camp at Kontrashibuna Lake

Kayaking

All kayakers should know how to swim and feel comfortable paddling in a remote environment.

An aerial view of an island in the blue waters of Lake Clark

<h4>Ranger Reccommendation</h4> <br /> Be prepared with a good weather forecast, which you can obtain from the Port Alsworth Visitor Center. Rain and wind can pick up at any time along your journey making ocean-like waves and difficult paddling conditions. Plan for your day assuming there will be a headwind in the afternoon on the return to town. <br /> <br /> Lake Clark is a cold water lake. Talk with your outfitter or park staff about cold water safety. To learn more about staying in the park and preparing for weather, visit our <a href="https://www.nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/safety.htm">Safety</a> page. 

Pets are allowed in the park and preserve. However, because Lake Clark is excellent bear and moose habitat it is strongly encouraged that you leave your pets at home. Your pet should be leashed at all times.

Get acquainted with the beauty and vastness of Lake Clark firsthand. Spend a day on the water watching birds and jumping fish while paddling out to Tommy Island

Kayak from Port Alsworth to Tommy Island

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a land of stunning beauty. Volcanoes steam, salmon run, bears forage, and craggy mountains reflect in shimmering turquoise lakes. Here, too, local people and culture still depend on the land and water. Venture into the park to become part of the wilderness.