National Park · Alaska, United States
Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park is a national park in Alaska, United States, covering 3,674,529 acres (1,487,031 ha), established in 1980; it recorded 34,479 visits in 2025.
Photo: Captain Budd Christman, NOAA Corps via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Alaska, United States |
| Area | 3,674,529 acres (1,487,031 ha) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 34,479 |
| Coordinates | 58.5000° N, 155.0000° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Katmai National Park
Katmai National Park and Preserve is a United States national park and preserve in southwest Alaska, notable for the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes and for its brown bears. The park and preserve encompass 4,093,077 acres (6,395.43 sq mi; 16,564.09 km2), which is between the land areas of Connecticut and New Jersey. Most of the national park is a designated wilderness area. The park is named after Mount Katmai, its centerpiece stratovolcano. The park is located on the Alaska Peninsula, across from Kodiak Island, with headquarters in nearby King Salmon, about 290 miles (470 km) southwest of Anchorage.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
June to September — the visitor season, with bear viewing best in July and September
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | King Salmon, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | King Salmon Airport |
| Getting there | The park is located on the Alaska Peninsula, across from Kodiak Island, with headquarters in nearby King Salmon, about 290 miles (470 km) southwest of Anchorage. |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | Yes |
|---|
Like Katmai National Park? Visit Katmai National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- King Salmon Airport (AKN) · King Salmon, United States · 60.7 miles away
- Iliamna Airport (ILI) · Iliamna, United States · 86.7 miles away
- Egegik Airport (EGX) · Egegik, United States · 88.8 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in Alaska
Frequently asked questions
Where is Katmai National Park?
Katmai National Park is in Alaska, United States (58.5000° N, 155.0000° W).
When was Katmai National Park established?
Katmai National Park was established in 1980, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Katmai National Park?
Katmai National Park covers 3,674,529 acres (1,487,031 ha).
How many people visit Katmai National Park each year?
It recorded 34,479 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
When is the best time to visit Katmai National Park?
June to September — the visitor season, with bear viewing best in July and September.
Does Katmai National Park have campgrounds?
Yes — Katmai National Park has campgrounds.
How do I get to Katmai National Park?
The nearest town is King Salmon, Alaska. The nearest airport is King Salmon Airport. The park is located on the Alaska Peninsula, across from Kodiak Island, with headquarters in nearby King Salmon, about 290 miles (470 km) southwest of Anchorage.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katmai_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/katm/ — Official park page.