Alaska wildlife is unparalleled. Viewing moose, walrus, and many other animals is a common activity in our state, but the Alaska brown bear is a majestic creature that you cannot miss during your Alaska vacations. By doing a little research before, you’ll find maximum success for Alaska Peninsula brown bear viewing through Alaska’s Gold Creek Lodge.
About the Alaska Peninsula Brown Bear
The brown bear is the largest land predator in North America, and perhaps that’s why we have a fascination with watching them. Adult male bears can weigh up to 900 pounds, while newborn cubs can be just one pound right after birth. To bulk up to their massive weights, brown bears feed on salmon, sedges, and clams, and move around Katmai National Park according to which food they’re seeking out. When they want salmon, the bears will feed at Brooks Camp by the river and the falls. For sedges and clams, they’ll move inland to meadows. Brown bears are now synonymous with grizzlies, but know that Kodiak brown bears only reside on Kodiak Island.
Brown Bear Viewing in Alaska
As Brooks Falls within Katmai National Park is the most populated brown bear area, Alaska’s Gold Creek Lodge will transport you to the park via float plane or boat to get there. After bear safety orientation from Katmai park rangers at Brooks Camp, see the brown bears from three platforms for greatest viewing range and maximum safety. The behavior of bears is always unpredictable, so your safety is our priority. Throughout our day trips, you’ll likely see a mother bear teaching her cub to catch salmon right out of the waterfalls. We can incorporate your Alaska Peninsula brown bear viewing into a wildlife viewing package, or any package of your choice for you to have the Alaska trip of your dreams.
If you’d rather see the bears in a less populated area, we can take you on backcountry adventures to see them as well. Humans do not visit most of Katmai National Park, so this is an experience not many can boast of. However, it is more difficult to spot the bears, as they may be tucked in the foliage, and the lack of a convenient safety viewing platform makes it tougher to get close views. Keep in mind, during the spring and early summer, the bears migrate to open meadows to feed on sedges and clams, so backcountry trips might be the best option for bear viewing in Alaska during this time of year. In the late summer and fall, they feed on salmon, so going to Brooks Camp on our day trips might be your best bet.
Bears hibernate from November until April, so seeing them in the wild is only possible from late April until the end of October.
Alaska Nature
Alaska’s Gold Creek Lodge is one of the best lodges in Alaska to view nature, whether it’s the bears, walrus, moose, and more. Seeing the Alaska Peninsula brown bears is one of our biggest attractions at the lodge, and rightfully so—it’s an experience you’ll never forget. To book your customized package with bear viewing, visit us on our website or give us a call at 907-246-4653.
