Plan your bear sightseeing tour for one of the first few days of your trip. Let me repeat that… Plan your bear sightseeing tour for one of the first few days of your trip! Do not “save the best for last” when it comes to weather-dependent activities in Alaska. The weather is very unpredictable and flightseeing planes do not fly in questionable weather. We were unable to do one of my bucket list items because the fog kept the planes grounded, and we didn’t have enough days left to reschedule the tour. This was a HUGE disappointment!
We got the call at 6:30 am telling us that our 8:00 am flight to Brooks Falls was delayed due to fog between Homer and Katmai National Park. The office said they would call back around 10:00 am with an update. At 10:00 am, we were told there was still fog, and the flight would leave closer to 12:00 pm. About 11:45 am, we stopped by the office to check the status, thinking that maybe they had forgotten about us. At this point, we couldn’t make other plans for the day. We were just sitting around feeling sorry for ourselves that this major tour, planned over a year ago, might not happen! Let’s just say we were a crabby bunch!
At noon, the office told us that the flight couldn’t leave any later than 1:00 pm, or we wouldn’t have enough time at Brooks Falls before they closed for the day. We told the office that we would take any amount of time at the falls we could get, even if it was only an hour. Not necessarily the best financial decision, but we were desperate! Unfortunately, the trip never happened. It remains on my bucket list!
The image of a brown bear poised at the top of a waterfall with its mouth open, waiting for an airborne salmon to jump right into its mouth is something I have dreamt of seeing for as long as I can remember. Brooks Falls is one of the most popular destinations to see bears “fishing” and was, unfortunately, not possible to navigate to the day that we had the excursion booked. There are no roads to Katmai National Park. You need to fly or boat in, so we were out of luck.
I’ll tell you a little about Brooks Falls based on my research and advice from fellow travelers. Hopefully, we’ll both be able to go someday, but in the meantime, get your bear fix by watching the park’s bear cams at the links below.
Live feed: https://www.nps.gov/katm/learn/photosmultimedia/brown-bear-salmon-cam-brooks-falls.htm
and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsLvnFQW_yM
Brooks Falls
Brooks Falls is a waterfall in Katmai National Park and is one of the best places to view brown bears in their natural habitat. Sockeye salmon make their annual run up the river to spawn every July, causing the bears to compete for the best fishing spots. Brooks Falls has viewing platforms at prime locations, giving tourists the chance to see the bears up close and get that highly sought after picture I so desperately wanted to take.
If possible, get to Brooks Falls EARLY in the day! There is a 40 person maximum on the main viewing platform, so if it’s full, you’ll have to wait. I’ve heard the wait could be over 2 hours during peak times. Try to avoid it from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm if at all possible during July. Once it’s your turn on the platform, you’ll have 30 minutes with the bears. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but there are other viewing platforms, not to mention the bears just wandering around the park, so hopefully everyone has a chance to get their fill of bears.
While I suggest you take into account the exact month and day you plan to visit Brooks Falls, keep in mind that the bears and salmon are unpredictable, wild animals. When the salmon run, exactly, fluctuates from year to year and you might get to the falls a week too early or too late for peak bear fishing. However, if you aim for mid-July, then I am confident that you will not be disappointed. That’s when I’ll be there!
FACT: Best month to see bears fishing: July
(Typically, there are bears at the falls from mid-spring until mid-fall.) 50+ bears have been seen fishing at the same time at Brooks Falls during the height of the season.
If you want to know more about Katmai’s brown bears, download the free eBooks from the National Park Service. There are photos of the bears, videos, and life stories.
If you have the time to spend the night at Brooks Falls, then check out the Brooks Falls Lodge. Warning… You must plan very far in advance!
- 16 rooms with private baths, heat, and electricity
- 2 sets of bunk beds in all rooms (sleeps up to 4 guests)
- Buffet-style meals three times a day and cocktails in the evenings
- Short walk to Brooks Falls
- 20ish miles from the “Valley Of Ten Thousand Smokes” volcanic region with tours leaving from the lodge
- Sport and fly fishing
- Flightseeing tours
- Trading Post (basic necessities, fishing tackle, boat & gear rentals, and of course, souvenirs)
If you want to stay at Brooks Falls Lodge, then you must plan ahead! Brooks Falls Lodge is always in high demand, so they use a random lottery system for the opportunity to book a room.
The lottery applications usually close on December 31st for over a year out. For example, you needed to have submitted your application by December 31, 2023 for the 2025 season. Please check their website for up-to-date information regarding the lotto system. Dates and details change every year.
The 2024 Season runs from June 1st – September 18th, 2024.
If you can’t get a room at the Lodge, or if you prefer simpler accommodations, check out the Brooks Camp campground.