This 12-plus-mile backpacking route lets you see the parks most iconic lakes: the alpine Turquoise Lake and the borealTwin. 15+ mile backpacking route in Lake Clark. Photo credit: Jonathan Irish. The owners Ryan and Heather have carved out a little piece of paradise. The most intimate multi-day cruise option. Youll need a floatplane drop-off and pick-up (either from Anchorage or Port Alsworth) to complete this route. Meet your guide(s) in Anchorage for a pre-trip meeting. Watch the park's coastal orientation film. Boutique, small ship adventure cruises in Alaska's Inside Passage, Cruises depart from Whittier, a 1 hr drive from Anchorage. Southwest Alaska | Lake Clark, Katmai National Park | AlaskaTravel.com Ready to start a visit to the parks? Get ready to explore this amazing park by hopping aflight to Gustavus! Auniquely balanced rock marks the end of this trail and makes agreat spot to take in the view of Upper TwinLake. Qizhjeh Vena/Lake Clark is the ancestral homelands for the Dena'ina Athabascan people. There are 2 ways to get from Anchorage to Lake Clark National Park by plane Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner. A trip to Chinitna Bay on Lake Clark's Cook Inlet coast offers a unique experience in the heart of coastal brown bear country. Find how many days you need based on what you want to see and do in Alaska. Area lodges transport their guests in trailers towed by ATVs. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. The National Park Service states that Lake Clark was established to protect a region of dynamic geologic and ecological processes that create scenic mountain landscapes, unaltered watersheds and habitats for wilderness dependent populations of fish and wildlife, vital to 10,000 years of human history. The chart below tells how to get to the top places you'll want to visit. How to find a moose in Anchorage in less than an hour. What can I do in the evening in Anchorage? In Port Alsworth transfer to a float plane for a short flight to Twin Lakes. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. Bear Viewing Tour | Lake Clark National Park | Chinitna Bay - Alaska Tours By area, Alaska holds more than half of Americas national park lands. Iliamna - before landing on the beach in Chinitna Bay on the southern end of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. Sport fishers must abide by all State of Alaska fishing regulations. 2-5 day small ship explorations. Of the main three Lake Clark backpacking trips, this trip offers the most challenging terrain and requires the most backcountry navigation skills. Learn more about bear viewing. Guests can enjoy free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge during their stay. Highlights plus less visited destinations. Watching them fish for spawning salmon was like being in a Nature documentary. This relatively level, moderately intense trail meanders through the forest, with intermittent views of Lake Clark to the North, Tanalian Mountain to the east, and Holey and Marthas Mountains to the south. This is the gentlest of the available hikes in Port Alsworth. Highlights plus less visited destinations. More than 100 years after the eruption, the landscape displays the beautiful, otherworldly signs of this massive change. Like most of Alaska's national parks, it is one of the least visited of all 59--many have never even heard of it--a major draw for Alaska's adventure circuit and residents alike who go there for its remoteness and untrammeled beauty.Entrance to the park and travel within it is possible only by plane, boat, or on foot. If you choose to camp at Silver Salmon, learn more about Camping on the Cook Inlet Coast. Air charters and scheduled flightseeing tours take off from Lake Hood Seaplane Base and other strips. The most intimate multi-day cruise option. The park was first proclaimed a national monument in 1978, then established as a national park and preserve in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. Mighty Wrangell-Saint Elias has glaciers larger than Rhode Island, and a copper mining history runs deep. In Port Alsworth transfer to a float plane for a short flight to Twin Lakes. Guests are paying for a first class experience in beautiful surroundings. Campgrounds, RV Parks & Public Use Cabins. How long does it take to get from Seward to Lake Clark National Park? Does it get better than this? It is best suited to texts and emails. Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. Anchorage is the hub of most itineraries. A trip to Silver Salmon Creek on Lake Clark's Cook Inlet coast offers outstanding bear viewing and sport fishing opportunities for visitors. Redoubt and Mt. You'll have all day today to explore this magnificent park! Learn more about bear viewing. Bus trips to the valley depart regularly through park concessionaires. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. We will camp on lower Twin Lake on a nice gravel ridge with commanding views and good hiking. NOTE: All backpacking trips in Lake Clark require Backcountry Navigation Skills, due to the scarcity of maintained trails. 7-10 days is the most common. Second, our guide Jessica was great and kept us on brown bears all day long. 99653, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. My dad and I LOVED every minute of this tour - the flight out was beautiful and landing on the blue water was amazing. From there you can either explore on foot or, more commonly, take a small bush plane to other parts of the park. We have to give our warmest thanks to the incredible naturalists, guides, chefs, other staff, and of course, to David and Joanne for running such an impeccable show and sharing it with us during our time in Lake Clark at the end of our Alaskan voyage. Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. This trail makes aloop around asmall beaver pond and connects back via the Tanalian Falls trail. The bear viewing areas in Chinitna Bay are located in an open setting on the edge of the sedge meadow where bears graze in early summer. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, The 9 Best Northern Lights Viewing Spots Near Anchorage, How to Travel to Alaska in January and February, The Best Large Family & Group Vacations in Alaska, How to Get from Anchorage to Your Cruise Port in Whittier or Seward (or the reverse! Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. The lake that bares the park's namesake is Lake Clark--a 40-mile, vividly turquoise-colored body of water that is fed by glaciers, waterfalls, rivers, and streams; and that is surrounded by volcanoes, mountains, tundra, freshwater lakes, forest, meadows, marshes, bogs, and sandy coastline as I said, it is the best of wild Alaska rolled into one fine park. Highlights. The Port Alsworth setting is immeasurably peaceful, but as it is the main thoroughfare to the national park, it is not without its fair share of people. YMMV. We'll match you with a local itinerary expert to help you plan your trip. ), Stoves, cooking & eating utensils, boats, paddles, life jackets, safety & repair gear, Personal clothing and gear perourequipment list. Anchorage, 3 Ways to Explore Lake Clark National Park in Alaska Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, The 9 Best Northern Lights Viewing Spots Near Anchorage, How to Travel to Alaska in January and February, The Best Large Family & Group Vacations in Alaska, How to Get from Anchorage to Your Cruise Port in Whittier or Seward (or the reverse! Keep in mind that all shell fish may be exposed to the algae that causes Paralytic Shellfish Poising (PSP). Cruises and land tours are great ways to see Alaska. Book entire boat for your family or group, or opt to bunk with other guests. What can I do in Alaska during a spring visit? Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. We could not have asked for a better package for pick up, flight service, guided boat service for bear viewing, scenery, and a fabulous lunch with a great guide and staff. This trail leaves from the primitive campground at Hope Creek. Big ship or small ship? The flight from Homer, Kenai or Anchorage is less than an hour. Yes, Redoubt Mountain Lodge offers airport transportation for guests. Photo credit: Stefanie Payne, It's bear time at the Silver Salmon Creek Lodge located on the Cook Inlet in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Choose a round-trip Inside passage or one-way Gulf of Alaska Cruise. Explore the area on foot. Take off for bear viewing, hiking, or fishing in Lake Clark National Park and Katmai National Park. He was an exceptional craftsman and writer who made numerous films and wrote One Mans Wilderness which is required reading for the trip. What can I do on an April visit to Anchorage? What follows is a general flow of events. The first stop for most in Port Alsworth is at the Lake Clark National Park Visitor Center where backcountry permits and information is issued to incoming travelers. Flightseeing and sea kayaking are two popular options; both are incredibly spectacular. Lunch was great also. 99653, Download the official NPS app before your next visit. This 10-plus-mile hike, the shortest of the main 3backpacking routes in Lake Clark, is good if you dontmind. Which one is right for you? You may walk two or more miles back and forth between sites on the salt marsh and/or those in the tidal flats and creeks in search of bears or fish. Then board your return flight to Anchorage via Juneau, or fly to Juneau and continue building your Alaska vacation from there. Length: 10-12 hours. Deluxe Catch-and-Release Fishing Land at either the east or west end of Turquoise Lake; theres excellent camping in both locations. Some of the more popular amenities offered include free breakfast, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge. Alaska National Parks Mosquitoes should not be an issue but bring a mosquito head net and a small bottle of DEET repellent just in case. On this unique tour from Homer, you'll take a helicopter ride out into one of Alaska's gorgeous national parks to witness these spectacular creatures in the wild. What makes a salt marsh special? Plan your trip to Twin Lakes and the Proenneke Cabin. Day trippers come to RML regularly by float plane and are generally not a problem, other than adding bodies and boats to the area. Alert 1, Severity closure, Visitor Center Closed for the Season. Theres exceptional access to five parks in particular. View bears as they feed on abundant Alaskan salmon in the shadow of the Chigmit range and Mt. An Alaska experience of a lifetime! For Anchorage.net is the official source for Anchorage, Alaska and Southcentral Alaska travel information on everything from outdoor adventures to metropolitan amenities. Where can I store my luggage in Anchorage? Most visitors arrive by small plane operating on wheels that land on the beach. Our packages are designed for small groups and provide you with a personalized experience. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Lake Clark National Park & Preserve Bear Viewing Tours Bear-viewing day tours of Lake Clark's coast are available out of Port Alsworth, Anchorage, Kenai, and Homer. Lake Clark National Park in Alaska is one of the greatest bear viewing destinations on Earth! Photo credit: Jonathan Irish, All set up with our origami kayaks made by Oru and ready to paddle Turquoise Lake! Because we're based here, we know exactly what the area has to offer and can help you plan a trip perfect for your interests, timing and skills. If you need to flag this entry as abusive. Anchorage is the best spot to start a visit to Alaskas iconic bear viewing locations. Gather and consume shellfish here at your own risk. A First Timer's Travel Guide To Lake Clark National Park Although none of the trails on Upper Twin Lake are officially maintained, they have been worn into the tundra by years of travelfirst by Dick Proenneke and now by the visitors that come to his homestead and Twin Lakes each summer. Lake Clark National Park Which airlines fly from Anchorage Airport to Kenai Airport? Car, train, or group tour. Coho (silver) salmon and humpback (pink) salmon as well as Dolly Varden run up the creek in the late summer, providing ample excitement for adventurous anglers. Or continue around Lower Twin Lake, cross the Chilikadrotna River mouth, and walk the lake shores as far east as you likepossibly all the way to Dick Proennekes cabin. Boutique, small ship adventure cruises in Alaska's Inside Passage, Cruises depart from Whittier, a 1 hr drive from Anchorage. Part of HuffPost Travel. Moose, wolves, foxes, ermines, and marine mammals have also been encountered at Silver Salmon. We can day hike to Dick Proenekes cabin one day and another great day hike around Emerson creek. Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. Enjoy lunch on board and keep an eye out for whales, bears, and mountain goats. Amazing location, crew and overall experience! Ascend the tundra bench due south of the spit at the west end of Turquoise Lake, then contour around the mountains almost due south until youre on the tundra bluff above Lower Twin Lakes. Follow the trail for one mile to cross Portage Creek. Our room was very good and met our needs well. Popular Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Categories, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Lodges, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, AK, #2 of 7 Specialty lodging in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Use the Seldovia tide chart and add 30 minutes to the predicted cycles. It is not a Four Seasons hotel room, but rather a nice cabin with an exceptional view. For a longer hike from Upper. 7-10 days is the most common. Here youll spot five species of Alaska salmon: king (or chinook), red (sockeye), pink (humpys), silver (coho), and chum Anchorage.net is the official source for Anchorage, Alaska and Southcentral Alaska travel information on everything from outdoor adventures to metropolitan amenities. If youre not confident in your wilderness traveling abilities, consider hiring a guide. The linked air taxi operators are permitted to operate within the national park under FAA Part 135 air taxi regulations which require three miles visibility and glide distance to shorelines while crossing open water such as Cook Inlet. Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? In Addition to All Other Park Rules and Regulations Temperatures will range from the 20s to 70s. Challenging hike that visits Richard Proennekes cabin. -PRICE= $9510.00 per person (party of 2) in standard room, or $9690.00 per person (party of 2) in suite-style room. Taking a Boat to Silver Salmon Creek Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. Lake Clark National Park - Arctic Wild Highly recommend this trip. Thank you! Take the free shuttle to the cozy Glacier Bay Lodge, then drop by the visitor center inside the lodge to see exhibits, check the schedule for evening presentations, and stretch your legs on trails like the one-mile Forest Loop Trail. How To Get To Lake Clark National Park - Horizon Guides Climb the only maintained trail outside of Port Alsworth. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Bird Watching The largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century reformed a great portion of the Katmai landscape. With such a diverse landscape that exists in Lake Clark, it is unsurprising that the area is rich with wildlifeand one of the best places to put yourself smack in the middle of it is at the Silver Salmon Creek Lodge on the western shores of the Cook Inlet in south-central Alaska. Most towns are 2-4 hours apart, but the scenery is part of the journey. Visit Silver Salmon Creek - Lake Clark National Park & Preserve - NPS This is the most strenuous of the hiking options in Port Alsworth, but the views are worth the effort. Prices depend on group size, type of airplane, length of flight, where the flight originates, and whether you choose to hire a guided trip or just an air taxi. Anchorage 907-345-2228 1740 E. 5th Avenue Anchorage, AK 99501. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. We arrived at lunch time and were served a delicious meal of soup, salad and salmon cakes. Brooks Camp is synonymous with bear viewing in Alaska. Fishing In Bear Country Pilots and boat operators wishing to travel to Silver Salmon should be aware of the extreme tidal fluctuations in this area. Brown bears aren't the only wildlife at Silver Salmon. Here's how to prepare for a safe trip to this remote and scenic location. Photo credit: Jonathan Irish, Bear viewing adventure on the coast: Silver Salmon Creek Lodge. Kayaking the bay in Port Alsworth, the main thoroughfare into the park. During our visit, temps in the morning were chilly (32 degrees), making the outings brisk, especially on the water while under power. However, you can take the travel to Port Lions, AK, take the car ferry to Homer, AK, then take the travel to Lake Clark National Park. One last cast of the fishing rod. Take off for bear viewing, hiking, or fishing inLake Clark National ParkandKatmai National Park. Five hours of observing bears and we saw at least a dozen, including brown and black bears, and many of their various feeding and social behaviors. Does the rental car need to be four-wheel drive? Our four day base camp trip has ample time for enjoying the storied lakes and mountains and for enjoying the wilderness solitude. The braided waterway is one of three nationally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers in Alaska's Lake Clark National Park & Preserve. Insider tips to pick the best Alaska cruise. Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. Don't underestimate travel times. Alaska is big! Discover the optimal month due to daylight, temperature, and rain. Difficulty: Difficult Distance: 3 miles Elevation Gain: 1000 feet. Visit Chinitna Bay - Lake Clark National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Alaska Flightseeing | Denali Glacier Tours | Anchorage Bears Be prepared to walk through sandy terrain a few hundred yards from the beach to the nearest sedge meadow or fishing spot. Bugs were present from time to time on the water, in swarms. Choose this trip to see some of Lake Clark National Parks most iconic lakes: the alpine Turquoise Lake and the boreal Twin Lakes. Airlines. Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park, The 9 Best Northern Lights Viewing Spots Near Anchorage, How to Travel to Alaska in January and February, The Best Large Family & Group Vacations in Alaska, How to Get from Anchorage to Your Cruise Port in Whittier or Seward (or the reverse! Find all the transport options for your trip from Lake Clark National Park to Anchorage right here. The classic Alaska Cruise, offered by such companies as Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean. From the end of the trail, you can explore for miles along an alpine ridge overlooking LakeClark. Join NPS Scientists as they monitor plants along the Lake Clark Coast. Wildlife is common along this route, especially Dall sheep in the alpine valleys . One gets the distinct impression that the humans are the zoo animals (we are in the enclosures, after all) and the bears and other indigenous life forms tolerate our presence. Focus on Denali & Kenai Fjords. If you want to be in Lake Clark National Park and have a truly once-in-a-lifetime Alaska experience, head out to RML. Redoubt volcano on this immersive full-day flightseeing excursion into Lake Clark National Park. Lake Clark National Park Day Tours & Attractions Your guide takes you around beautiful Crescent Lake in a small aluminum John boat with outboard motor and oars. Visit September to April to see the Northern Lights. You'll return to the lodge at 3:30 p.m., which leaves you plenty of time to enjoy another hike through the lush forest near the lodge before settling in for a delicious dinner. A long day hike from our camp will take us to his handcrafted cabin on Upper Twin Lake. On the western edge of Cook Inlet, Lake Clark National Park is an intriguing balance of easy access and remote wilderness. We flew in to Redoubt Bay for a bear viewing experience and I would do it a million more times. The most intimate multi-day cruise option. Choose this trip if you want to commit to fewer miles and dont mind alittle bushwacking. ", "That feeling of wide open wonder, the possibilities for nearly limitless wandering, and the image of those proud caribouthat will stay with me a long time", "Our guide was an encyclopedia on legs. Day 1. Stellar location and staff. All rooms are excellent in location, cleanliness and overall comfort, especially considering the Food and bear viewing were amazing! This experience will forever stand out as one of the ultimate wildlife adventures either of us have ever had. Your guide is yours for your entire stay, and he or she is at your service. Alaska is big! Everything is first class, from the guide who is with you whenever you leave the camp to the accommodations in this fly in location to the outstanding food and beverages. Its especially beautiful in fall, fall, when golden birch trees explode in color. ), Popular Alaska Itineraries Using In-State Airlines, Anchorage to Denali National Park Driving Map, Denali National Park Campgrounds & RV Parks. 2-5 day small ship explorations. Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. Photo credit: Jonathan Irish. With 17 national park units and 16 national wildlife refuges, the options may seem limitless. You are responsible for your own safety and for keeping the bears wild. Highlights plus less visited destinations. Getting to Katmai from Anchorage is easy. Plan your journey with this gorgeous printed map. Trips available from Whittier, Homer, Seward, Juneau, and Sitka. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Our picks for the best tours and experiences during your Alaska Cruise. Get acquainted with what makes backpacking in Alaska unique and familiarize yourself with these backcountry tips before you plan your trip. The pontoon boats that take you out to watch bears are first class and their guides are extremely knowledgeable. With only ourselves and the Lake Clark wilderness to contend with, we were free to explore the pristine lake at our own pace free of distraction and anything that wasn't our own making. Insider tips to pick the best Alaska cruise. Your must-have activity guide + map while in Alaska. Joined by naturalists who have studied the bears that inhabit the area season after season, we were granted an unusual glimpse into the behavioral nuances and growth patters of sows, cubs, and full-grown males that call the Cook Inlet home. Familiarize yourself with the responsibilities that come with fishing in bear country prior to your trip to Lake Clark. This trail follows the south side of Hope Creek, ascending the creeks valley; agreat spot to see Dallsheep. kitchen, the service and food are incredible! Get ready to explore this amazing park by hopping a flight to Gustavus! Let us simplify it for you, How much does an Alaska summer vacation cost? How to find a moose in Anchorage in less than an hour. How to visit Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Denali National Parkis home to North Americas tallest peak and amazing wildlife. Lake Clark National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service) Discover more about people that call this area home. Your browser is not supported for this experience.We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari. Each cabin gets their personal guide and you decide what you want to do that day. The office has informative displays, educational films, helpful rangers, and loads of information. So much to see and do - absolutely stunning location and all the staff were so friendly. more information on current conditions Visit our keyboard shortcuts docs for details. AK Make it aloop by returning via the Beaver PondLoop. Interactions between bears and people are different in a high density area like Silver Salmon Creek where people come with the intent to observe the bears than it is in the remainder of the park. Air taxi can make stops at pre arranged destinations throughout the park depending on the weather. Please clean clams below the tide line and cast remains into the ocean. The 5,625-square-mile park stretches from the shores of Cook Inlet, across the Chigmit Mountains, to tundra-covered hills in Southwest Alaska. Insider tips to pick the best Alaska cruise. Does the rental car need to be four-wheel drive? Photo credit: Jonathan Irish, Food storage in bear country at Dick Proenekke's Cabin on Upper Twin Lake in Lake Clark National Park. Navigating the Tides This effort in all of its wildness was perfectly evident at Turquoise Lake, just a hop and a skip from park headquarters in Port Alsworth.
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