Katmai National Park
🇺🇸 United States
🐻 Brown Bears Salmon SpectacleKatmai National Park is in southwestern Alaska, United States. It encompasses volcanic mountains, rugged coastline, and tundra‑filled valleys. The park’s dramatic landscape of ash‑covered slopes and salmon‑rich rivers sets it apart from other Alaskan parks.
58.632° N 155.252° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Short-billed Gull
Larus brachyrhynchus
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Snowshoe Hare
Lepus americanus
Common Raven
Corvus corax
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Snowshoe Hare
Lepus americanus
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Moose
Alces americanus
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
Quiller
Erethizon dorsatus
Arctic Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus parryii
Canada Lynx
Lynx canadensis
Caribou
Rangifer tarandus
Northern Red-backed Vole
Myodes rutilus
Meadow Jumping Mouse
Zapus hudsonius
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser
Short-billed Gull
Larus brachyrhynchus
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
Common Raven
Corvus corax
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Wilson's Warbler
Cardellina pusilla
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
Recent sightings in Katmai National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Summer Salmon and Bear Gathering
Brown bears congregate in large numbers at Brooks Falls to feed on migrating salmon, joined by scavenging Glaucous-winged Gulls and soaring Bald Eagles.
2Shorebird and Songbird Arrival
As snow melts, migratory songbirds and shorebirds arrive en masse to breed, highlighted by the melodic calls of the White-crowned Sparrow and the bright plumage of the American Robin and Yellow-rumped Warbler.
3Autumn Waterfowl Migration
Wetlands and rivers fill with departing migratory waterfowl, where the Common Merganser and Mallard congregate alongside diving Belted Kingfishers before winter sets in.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Summer Salmon and Bear Gathering
- 2Shorebird and Songbird Arrival
- 3Autumn Waterfowl Migration
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
That first day at the park we encountered approximately 12 brown bears.
Numerous bears fished for salmon (we never saw them catch any), splashed, and even napped right before our eyes.
We arrived early in the season, before the salmon run was in full swing, so we didn’t see the massive concentration of bears we had imagined.
I wait outside the visitor center while my parents drop off our lunch at the food cache, I spot a bear bobbing up and down in the bay just beyond the sea planes.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Katmai National Park?
The most likely sightings are Brown Bear (seen by over 90% of wildlife watchers), Glaucous-winged Gull (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Black-billed Magpie (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Bald Eagle (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Common Merganser (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 315 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Katmai National Park for wildlife?
July has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Brown Bear in Katmai National Park?
Yes — over 90% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Bear sighting in Katmai National Park, based on 529 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Bald Eagle in Katmai National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Bald Eagle sighting in Katmai National Park, based on 226 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Sea Otter in Katmai National Park?
Yes — about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Sea Otter sighting in Katmai National Park, based on 14 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
