There are two lodges within Katmai National Park and Preserve’s boundary: Brooks Lodge and Grosvenor Lodge, both operated by Katmailand, the park and preserve’s concessionaire. Brooks Camp is the only campground within the park.
Lodging
Brooks Lodge is by far the most popular of the two in-park lodging establishments. Guest accommodations consist of sixteen modern rooms all with modern private facilities. All rooms have the same interior layout with 2 sets of bunk beds that sleep up to 4 guests. The main lodge holds a lobby with large circular fireplace, and an adjoining dining area where buffet-style meals are served three times daily. Cocktails may be purchased at the lodge bar each afternoon and evening.
Due to the high demand, the only way to book a room at Brooks Lodge is through a random lottery system. The application period for 2025 has closed, but the 2026 Brooks Lodge Lottery will be available at the link above December 1 – December 31, 2024.
A building with rooms offered at Brooks Lodge, Katmai National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson
The lobby in the Brooks Lodge main building, Katmai National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson
Grosvenor Lodge is much smaller, with a capacity for 4-6 guests at a time. Open June 9 – September 29, this remote lodge is geared more to fishing than bear viewing, although guided bear-viewing for backcountry and Brooks Falls is available. For 2024, rates range from $3,695 per person for a 3-night trip (guided add-ons and flights not included), $4,695 per person for a 4-night trip, and $7,195 per person for a 7-night stay (guided add-ons and flights not included).
In addition to the two in-park lodging choices above, according to park staff:
There is other lodging available on private land within or near Katmai. Tour packages may be available for exploring Katmai and surrounding areas. Lodges include:
- Battle River Wilderness Retreat
- Enchanted Lake Lodge
- Katmai Wilderness Lodge
- Kulik Lodge
- Royal Wolf Lodge
- Lake Clark Lodge
Surrounding communities providing lodging in the vicinity of Katmai include King Salmon, Naknek, Homer, Kodiak, and Anchorage. For more information see VisitBristolBay.com or Commercial Visitor Services.
Camping
A tent at Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park and Preserve / NPS file
The electric fence deterrent around Brooks Camp, Katmai National Park and Preserve / NPS file
The only campground within Katmai National Park and Preserve is Brooks Camp. There are no designated campsites. The campground has a 60-person capacity, so things can get a little crowded during the peak bear viewing season (late June through July and September).
Reservations for the current calendar year can normally be made beginning January 5 at 8 a.m. AKST (12:00 p.m. EST), online at www.recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. The cost is $18 per person per night June 1 through September 17, and $10 per person per night in May and September 18 through October 31. Campers are limited to 7 nights in July and 14 nights per calendar year. Group size is limited to 6 (fees are per person, not per group). Senior/Access pass holders receive a 50 percent discount.
Backcountry Camping
You can get some awesome views while backcountry camping, like the view here on Dumpling Mountain, Katmai National Park and Preserve / NPS file
Availability at both Brooks Camp and Brooks Lodge may be difficult to come by. Some park visitors will choose to backcountry camp outside the Brooks Camp Developed Area (BCDA), a 1.5-mile (2.41 km) radius as measured from the Brooks Falls Platform (signs posted along the Dumpling Mountain trail and along the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes Road indicate when you have reached this point).
Click here to read more about camping beyond the BCDA, what to expect, and what the regulations entail.
A morning surprise at Brooks Lodge, Katmai National Park and Preserve / Rebecca Latson
