Why We Are NOT Brooks Lodge!

Jul 25, 2024 | Lodge Info

One of the questions we get asked most is “Are you af­fil­i­at­ed with Brooks Lodge”? You may have heard of them. Many of the icon­ic award win­ning pho­tos you see of a bear catch­ing a salmon were tak­en at Brook Falls. It is a place where dozens of bears gath­er every sea­son to catch the salmon head­ing upstream. It has be­come in­ter­na­tion­al­ly renowned for some of the best bear view­ing and pho­tog­ra­phy in the world.

Sev­er­al dif­fer­ent fish­ing and bear view­ing lodges oc­cu­py the area around King Salmon, Alas­ka, where Brooks Riv­er and Falls are lo­cat­ed. Brooks Lodge is just one of them, but giv­en its pop­u­lar­i­ty, Brooks Lodge has to run a lot­tery sys­tem each year for prospec­tive vis­i­tors to se­cure a spot. Once there, you are ab­so­lute­ly guar­an­teed bear viewing, and there are many raised plat­forms along the Brooks Riv­er to pro­vide a scenic view. The most icon­ic spot, how­ev­er, right at Brooks Falls can be so crowd­ed dur­ing peak sea­son that the Park puts a time lim­it on vis­i­tors and you must wait in line again on the board­walk for a sec­ond chance at that per­fect shot. While this may be many peo­ples idea of per­fect bear view­ing, the crowds and wait­ing in line are not for everyone.

So what makes us dif­fer­ent from Brooks? Here at Kat­mai Wilder­ness Lodge, we offer a more in­ti­mate bear view­ing ex­pe­ri­ence, of­ten with­out an­oth­er group or build­ing in sight!

While we reg­u­lar­ly see sev­er­al bears at a time we don’t usu­al­ly see dozens shar­ing the same riv­er. This also means that we see more of the bears that aren’t com­fort­able be­ing in close prox­im­i­ty to so many oth­er bears, such as moth­ers and cubs or ju­ve­nile bears just start­ing out on their own.

Al­though it is not un­com­mon to see bears around the lodge, it is not a dai­ly oc­currence. So we take our guests out into the field by pri­vate boat, with 6 or less guests to a guide. You will spend the day ex­plor­ing Kukak Bay look­ing for bears. Many times once we spot where the bears are con­cen­trat­ed, we will hike into the field to set up by a stream or mead­ow and watch our bears en­joy­ing the vast wilder­ness that sur­rounds them.

Breath­tak­ing moun­tain views and scenic Alaskan vis­tas will form the back­ground of your shot, no mat­ter how zoomed out you are! Our guides are in­ti­mate­ly fa­mil­iar with the area and the bears that live here and are unique­ly pre­pared to give you the best pos­si­ble bear view­ing ex­pe­ri­ence.

So Kat­mai Wilder­ness Lodge or Brooks Lodge? It all de­pends upon the type of bear view­ing that you are in­ter­est­ed in. Just like every spot in Kat­mai Nation­al Park and Pre­serve, there is a scenic and nat­ur­al magic about it. As for the crew at KWL, we will be out here with the bears en­joy­ing the qui­et and breathtak­ing views that surround Kukak Bay. We hope to see you out here!

bear viewing in Alaska

Experience unparalleled bear viewing in Alaska at Katmai Wilderness Lodge

Katmai Wilderness Lodge is situated in the heart of the Alaskan wilderness. This extraordinary lodge serves as the epitome of Alaska bear lodges, immersing visitors in captivating wildlife encounters amidst breathtaking landscapes. Discover the raw beauty of Alaska's untamed wilderness, where majestic bears roam freely. With comfortable accommodations and exclusive access to prime bear-viewing locations, Katmai Wilderness Lodge assures an unforgettable adventure for those seeking an authentic Alaskan bear-watching experience. From eagles to otters along the coast of Katmai National Park, our lodge is home to a diverse array of species, ensuring a trip of a lifetime. Explore the vibrant flora of Alaska, indulge in fine dining with our nationally renowned chef, and relax in one of our seven charming and well-appointed cabins.

Bear viewing in Alaska

WILDLIFE

The best Alaska bear lodge! You will see bears,  eagles, sea otters, moose, and many other species call Katmai National Park home.

flora of Alaska

FLORA

From colorful lichen to fields of fuchsia Fireweed, over 700 species of plants prosper in this complex ecosystem.

Alaska bear guides

GUIDES

Meet the guides who will give one-on-one attention, friendly service, and a wilderness experience you'll never forget!

Fine Dining & Alaskan Cuisine

CUISINE

Our chef is nationally renowned for excellence in the kitchen. His presentations will delight your senses!

Alaska Bear Viewing Lodge

LODGE

Rustic elegance, and well appointed. You'll feel right at home in one of our seven beautiful cabins in Katmai National Park.

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