“You can’t get there from here,” as the expression goes – at least, not if you are trying to drive to Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. You’ll either need to arrive by boat or plane.
Boarding the floatplane to Katmai National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson
Located on the northern Alaska Peninsula, northwest of Kodiak Island and southwest of Homer, Alaska, Katmai is truly wild and remote and definitely not visited as much as some of the larger parks in the Lower 48. The park’s headquarters is in King Salmon, about 290 air miles southwest of Anchorage.
According to park staff:
Many companies provide a variety of commercial visitor services including transportation, guided day trips, guided multi-day trips, overnight accommodations, and food services. Commercial partners are authorized by permit to operate in the parks. Browse a complete list of services.
- By Air
Most destinations in Katmai National Park & Preserve are directly accessed via air taxi flights from Anchorage, Dillingham, Homer, King Salmon, Kodiak, and other nearby Alaska towns and villages. Prices depend on group size, type of airplane, length of flight, and where the flight originates. Air taxi operators can be helpful in determining the most efficient way to reach your destination. Regularly scheduled commercial flights to King Salmon (AKN) are available from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) via Ravn Alaska and Alaska Airlines.- By Boat
Boats can access the Pacific coast of Katmai. Brooks Camp and other locations along the Naknek River drainage can be reached by power boat from the villages of Naknek and King Salmon.Brooks Camp
Brooks Camp, the most popular destination in Katmai, is approximately 30 air miles from King Salmon. Brooks Camp can only be reached via small float plane (chartered from many of the towns and villages listed above) or boat.
