Katmai National Park
Katmai was first established as a National Monument
in 1918, to protect the area surrounding Novarupta volcano, which formed the
Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes with its pyroclastic flow after the 1912
eruption. The National Monument was later expanded to cover over 4 million
acres, becoming Katmai National Park in 1980. Katmai National Park was named
for Mount Katmai, a stratovolcano located within the park.
Known for its volcanoes, brown bears, salmon,
rivers, and rugged coastline, Katmai is a vacation destination for outdoor
activities and adventures such as camping, hiking, backpacking, skiing,
fishing, and kayaking. There are about fifteen active volcanoes in the park,
notably Mount Martin, Mount Mageik, Trident, Novarupta, and Mount Katmai, which
are situated within the preserve. Fourpeaked Volcano became active in 2006
after 10,000 years of lying dormant, demonstrating that there may be more
active volcanoes that are yet unknown.
Also located in the park are archaeological sites
dating back to prehistoric traditions. A glacier formed inside Mount Katmai,
and a lake formed in the caldera. Coastal areas of the park, including Hallo
Bay, Kukak Bay, and Chiniak, are popular for their clams and other food
sources.
Brooks Camp is the developed area of the park, which
offers bear viewing platforms for visitors to check out the nearly 100 annual
brown bears that catch salmon in the river.
