Summary
$0
Entrance fee
None
Live cameras
Historic Crowd Data
Avg. monthly visitors, 2015–2024 · National Park Service
Light
Moderate
Busy
Very Busy
Peak season is July–August, when around 59% of annual visitors arrive. For lighter crowds, aim for October–May.
Plan Your Visit
Remoteness & SafetySelf-sufficiency required▾
Access & EntryNo entrance fee▾
Bear Viewing & Volcanoes2 sites · 2 volcanoes▾
Bear Viewing2▾
Chinitna Bay
Premier brown bear viewing — bears feed on sedges in salt marshes and clams in tidal flats; private flightseeing/boat access only
Silver Salmon Creek
~25 mi southeast of Chinitna Bay, similar tidal-flat bear viewing; private operators only, not NPS-run
Volcanoes2▾
Mount Redoubt
10,197 ft active stratovolcano, erupted at least 30 times in the last 10,000 years, most recently 1989 and 2009
Mount Iliamna
10,016 ft stratovolcano, no confirmed eruptions in recorded history but persistent fumaroles and seismic activity
Dick Proenneke's CabinNational Historic Site▾
CampingNo permit required▾
Landmarks5 stops▾
Key Locations5 stops▾
Port Alsworth
Main hub village, ranger station, visitor center
Lake Clark
Glacially-fed, turquoise, the park's namesake
Twin Lakes
Home to Dick Proenneke's cabin
Tanalian Falls4 mi RT
~4 mile round-trip trail from Port Alsworth, 30-ft waterfall over ancient lava rock
Chinitna Bay
See Bear Viewing above
Things to Do6 categories▾
Fishing3 areas▾
Crescent LakeMay–Oct · peak Jul–Aug
The park's most popular fishing destination, tucked in the Chigmit Mountains near Redoubt Volcano
Silver Salmon CreekPeak salmon runs
Productive salmon water shared with actively fishing brown bears — anglers must yield fishing spots to bears
Kijik, Telaquana & Tanalian WatersAK license required
Home to arctic char, arctic grayling, Dolly Varden, lake & rainbow trout, northern pike, and all five Pacific salmon species
Hiking Beyond Tanalian Falls4 trails▾
Kontrashibuna Lake Trail5.5 mi RT
Maintained Tanalian Trails route continuing past Tanalian Falls into designated wilderness
Beaver Pond Trail3.2 mi RT
Quiet birch-grove walk from Port Alsworth to a viewpoint over an old beaver pond
Tanalian Mountain8.6 mi RT · 8+ hrs
Steep, full-day climb from Port Alsworth with panoramic summit views
Portage Creek Trail3.25 mi · 1,850 ft gain
Single-track climb through spruce & birch forest to alpine tundra near Joe Thompson Cabin
Paddling & Boating2 lakes▾
Lake ClarkGuided & self-guided
42-mile glacially fed lake ringed by hanging valleys; motorized boat access via lodges & commercial operators
Crescent LakeFly-in access
Popular paddling & motorboat destination in the Chigmit Mountains near Redoubt Volcano; PFDs required aboard
Wild & Scenic River Rafting3 rivers▾
Tlikakila River~70 mi · 2–4 days
Mostly Class I float from Summit Lake to Lake Clark with a brief Class II/III section; float plane plus 2-mi portage to put-in
Mulchatna River100–230 mi · up to a week+
Fast Class I–II river with Class III canyon water at low flow, forming the park's western border
Chilikadrotna River70–200 mi · Jun–Sep
Fast single-thread Class I–II channel flowing from Twin Lakes
Birding187 species▾
Park-wide BirdingYear-round
187 documented bird species across tundra, wetland, coastal & forest habitats
Bald Eagle
Fishes the tidal marshes
Trumpeter Swan
Nests on backcountry lakes
Common Loon
Haunting call across Lake Clark
Horned Puffin
Nests along the coastal cliffs
Golden Eagle
Hunts the mountain terrain
Hunting & TrappingPreserve only▾
National Preserve LandsState license required
Sport hunting & trapping permitted under Alaska state regulations; not allowed on national park lands
Park Contact Information