The Best Places to See Bears in Alaska + Photo Tips
For the United States, there’s one place in a league of its own when it comes to bear watching. And that’s Alaska. The state has 98% of the US’s brown bear population and over 70% of North America’s, which is why it’s the best place to see bears.
While no wildlife is ever guaranteed, there’s a very high chance of seeing them if you book a flightseeing tour with a local company that will fly you to Brooks Falls in Katmai or popular areas in Lake Clark National Park.
And it’s a life-changing moment when you first lay eyes on a coastal brown bear eating salmon.
So, if you’re looking for the best place to see bears in Alaska, you’re in the right place. Enjoy learning about the bear hot spots, looking at my photos, and watching my videos.
Looking to visit both Lake Clark and Katmai National Park in one day to see bears?
This will let you cross off two bucketlist places in one day!
Where to Go Bear Watching in Alaska
Let’s dive into the best places to see bears in Alaska! Also, as is obvious, this isn’t every single spot, but a nice roundup to help people out. First, I think these are so worth adding to your Alaska itinerary. They will create memories you’ll never forget.
Brooks Falls – Katmai National Park
Easily the most famous of the bear-watching destinations in Alaska. This is thanks to Brooks Falls being within Katmai National Park and the consistent availability of epic bears throughout the summer.
I visited Brooks Falls in August of 2024 and had a nice time. The salmon run had died down, so we didn’t have the 25+ bears snapping at flying fish. It was more like six bears and a few flying fish. Still, seeing the iconic view was remarkable, and I was so thankful to have had the chance to visit.
Everyone who visits has to sit through a 15-minute Bear Safety Class. This is a general don’t do stupid things and/or get eaten.
Funnel Creek – Katmai National Park and Preserve
This was our first day of bear watching from Lake Clark Resort, and it turned out to be the most impressive day of wildlife photography. We landed in a remote part of Katmai Preserve and saw 25-30 bears both in the air and on the ground.
Once we settled into our little spot on Funnel Creek, I’d estimate we had around 12-15 bears come and go. I was on cloud nine. I’d never experienced anything like this before, and the highlight was a mom and three cubs coming down to the water and napping 20 feet from us.
Truly, truly amazing. You can see our entire trip below. (I recommend watching on your TV, though.)
McNeil River Sanctuary
Another one of the 10/10 locations for bear watching in Alaska. It’s actually more than that. It’s the most bears ever documented in an area, ever. It’s so highly sought out that there’s a yearly lottery, and only 10 people get to go per 4-day stretch. This is on the eastern edge of the Alaska Peninsula, a bit northeast of Brooks Falls.
Im 98% sure we flew over this on our final day in 2024, but we couldn’t land due to ground conditions. One day, I’d LOVE to see this in person.
Chitina Bay – Lake Clark National Park
Chitina Bay, on the coast of Lake Clark National Park, was the first place Jaimie and I went bear watching back in 2021. It was super cool, but nowhere near the experiences we had in Katmai. However, it was somewhat self-inflicted. We went right at the beginning of bear-watching season, so the bears were pretty far off in the meadows. We had a adolcent sorta near us, but not 10 feet close like in 2024.
Still, it’s one of the closest areas to Homer, Soldotna, and Anchorage. I think later in the year (not the beginning of June), you will 1000% get better bear access.
Salmon Creek – Lake Clark National Park
Mostly Brown bears, with occasional black bears. One of the top photography-focused bear destinations in Alaska — coastal meadows, tidal flats, and a salmon-rich creek combine to create an ideal habitat. The creek runs through open prairie grassland along the beachfront, with the Neacola Mountains as a backdrop, making for strong photo compositions.
On a good July morning, you might watch six or eight bears working the same 100-yard stretch of stream. Season runs June through September — June brings cubs and sedge grazing, September is hyperphagia, when bears are eating up to 20 hours a day, and males that started June at 700 pounds are pushing 1,000-plus.
If you’re looking for one of the best places to see bears in Alaska, this is it.
Wolverine Creek – Redoubt Bay and Cook Inlet
Brown bears are primarily present, with black bears also present. One of the few spots where you can watch bears go “snorkeling” — head fully submerged, ears and body sticking out of the lake — hunting salmon pooled up in the shallows.
The experience is entirely boat-based; there’s no shoreline access. Small skiffs and covered pontoon boats motor you into the cove to watch bears fishing at the creek mouth. Peak season runs mid-June through mid-July, about 50 minutes by floatplane from Anchorage.
It can get crowded at peak salmon, but the water-level perspective on the bears is unlike anything you’ll get from a platform.
Frazier Lake – Kodiak Island
Kodiak brown bears are a distinct subspecies and among the largest bears on earth. This is the second-largest sockeye run on the island, and during peak times, it’s typical to see five to ten bears working the falls and fish ladder where salmon back up on their way into the lake.
The viewing area sits about 50 yards from where bears fish, though they regularly come much closer — sometimes napping or nursing cubs nearby. Best July through September.
Floatplane from Kodiak City, about 50 minutes out, followed by a short walk to the falls. Kodiak Island is hands down one of the best places to see bears in Alaska.
Skilak Lake – Kenai Peninsula
We had a fun encounter as a black bear wandered up a small creek next to our campsite and popped up as we were making breakfast. It almost seemed more surprised than we were. Jaimie ran to hide behind the car, the bear ran off, and I ran to grab my camera.
This is one of the most accessible areas to see them in Alaska, along with nearby Russian River Falls. You can get both brown bears and black bears in the Kenai Peninsula.
Denali National Park – Mainland Alaska
The only location on this list without a salmon run or a waterway. Which is why Denali Brown Bears, aka Grizzly Bears, are different from Coastal Brown Bears.
While the Coastal Brown bears of Katmai or Lake Clark are more docile and welcoming to human presence, thanks to an abundant food supply, Denali Grizzly Bears are more like the ones you’d see in Montana and Wyoming.
They are more aggressive and territorial, so you should keep your distance if you spot them. And because food is more scarce, you need to treat encounters with caution.
We never got to see them in Denali, though. Granted, it made for a safer experience, haha.
Pack Creek – Admiralty Island (Inside Passage)
One of the densest populations on earth, Admiralty Island has more bears per square mile than almost anywhere in North America. Pack Creek puts you on a tidal flat watching them fish for salmon up close during the July–September salmon run.
The brown bears here are habituated to humans but wild, which means close encounters without the erratic behavior of a surprised animal. Permit required, floatplane in from Juneau. Group sizes are limited, so it stays uncrowded.
Mendenhall Glacier and Steep Creek – Juneau
The most accessible bear viewing in Alaska — no charter, no permit, no remote logistics. Bears fish Steep Creek within walking distance of the glacier visitor center, typically late July through September when sockeye and coho move through.
The tradeoff is crowds on the boardwalk. But a glacier as your backdrop while a brownie pulls salmon from the creek is a composition you won’t find anywhere else. This is very easy to reach.
Anan Creek – Inside Passage
Both black bears and brown bears — one of the few places in Alaska you’ll reliably see both species at the same site. The pink salmon run here is among the largest in Southeast Alaska, which is what pulls them in.
A Forest Service wildlife observatory keeps you elevated and close without disturbing the animals. The season runs roughly from July through mid-August, peaking with the salmon—permit required; accessible by floatplane or boat out of Wrangell, about 30 miles south.
Utqiagvik and Kaktovik – Arctic Circle
These are the places to see Polar Bears in Alaska, though Kaktovik is considered the gold standard. Thanks to subsistence whale hunting, polar bears feed on the carcasses, creating incredible photo and bear-viewing opportunities.
Unfortunately, federal regulations and COVID-19 have put a pause on most of the bear watching at the moment, with hope for a 2027 revival in the air.
When the pandemic struck, Kaktovik paused visitation. Then in 2021, the federal government, which manages polar bears, halted boat tours, mostly over concerns about how tourists were affecting bear behavior and overrunning the town.
Alaska Native leaders are now in talks with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to address those concerns and reignite the industry, perhaps as early as 2027. The agency told The Associated Press in a statement that it’s working with Kaktovik “to ensure that any future opportunities are managed in a way that prioritizes visitor safety, resource protection, and community input.”
Just like in Churchill, polar bears congregate along the shores waiting for sea ice to form. September and October are the prime months to see them here.
How much does it cost to go bear watching in Alaska?
This depends on where you go, where you depart from, and which company you use. But generally speaking, you’re looking at $1,000-$1,300 per person for a day of bear watching. Yes, I can envision your eyes opening as you look at the pricing.
It is expensive. Most of the best things to do in Alaska cost money. But it’s incredibly worth it. The days spent with bears in Alaska are among my fondest memories!
The cheapest option I’ve found is the boating one from Homer to Cook Inlet. You’ll spend more time on the boat and less on the ground. But you’re also saving bascially 50%! Not a bad deal.
Tips for Photographing Bears in Alaska
Fast Shutter, ISO Auto
When it comes to your camera settings, your camera, lens, and time of day will matter. So the exact setting will vary. But this is a general framework. Also, if you’re on a tripod, you have a little more freedom with shutter speed.
- Shutter Speed – 1/1000 (remember, double your focal length (500mm = 1/1000, 400mm = 1/800)
- Aperture – f/5.6
- ISO – AUTO (Don’t risk having a ton of dark photos in case a cloud moves in or you move to photograph a bear in the shade.)
Turn on Eye Tracking, Continuous Autofocus, and High-Speed Mode
Turning these on in your settings will let you easily lock onto a bear, stay focused on them as they move, and capture every single movement they make. (Make sure you have a high-quality memory card that can read fast.)
Bring a telephoto lens
I don’t think I need to say this, but I will. You want at least 200mm, and 400-500 will be perfect. I had a 400mm 2.8 telephoto and a 100-500 lens for when bears got closer.
Bring a wide-angle secondary lens
Just in case, have a 24-70 or a 24-105 on hand if you want to get wider shots of the entire scene. This is great if you have the good fortune to have 40 bears in view.
Have a sturdy tripod
If you are bringing a massive prime lens, make sure you have a tripod that can handle it. A Manfrotto 055 was really nice ot me in Alaska. It’s heavy as heck, but it kept everything very sturdy.
Related:
Best Cameras for Wildlife Photography
Best Mirrorless Cameras
Bring protection from the elements
I highly recommend these lens coverings. They’re plastic and uberlightweight and helped me a lot when it started to rain on us. And then this one offers more protection but is slightly bulkier.
Stay aware of your surroundings
This applies less at Brooks Falls, because you’re on a platform. But elsewhere, even with a guide, stay aware of what is happening and how the bears are behaving. While the odds are low that they will come up to you, you need to protect yourself first and foremost.
When is the best time to go bear watching in Alaska?
You have a short but fantastic window for bear watching in Alaska. From June through September, bears across the state feast on salmon returning home to spawn. It’s why so many of the best places to see bears are on rivers.
These are the places salmon return to lay eggs and then eventually die.
These are not exact dates, obviously. But once salmon start to swim upstream, the bears converge on these hot spots. Then, the rest is history! Or for the bears, a massive buffet.
How do you get to these Alaska bear-watching destinations?
Get ready to fly (or maybe boat). Almost all of the top-tier bear-watching locations in Alaska are far away from civilization. Outside of Skilak Lake, Mendenhall Glacier, and Redoubt Bay, you’ll need an airplane to drop you off.
This is what makes these locations so superb, but also expensive.
Final Thoughts on The Best Places to See Bears in Alaska
Bears are amazing. Alaska is amazing. Combined, you’re on another planet! So, as you’re planning your summer adventures, make sure to book a day out with the bears in one of our incredible national parks.
If it were up to me, the most incredible moments to be had are probably at Brooks Falls during the peak salmon run. But it’s also exceptionally crowded, and you will only get a turn or two at the closest platform. Otherwise, going to another Katmai spot or McNeil River will be a pretty great consolation prize.
These experiences will shape you for the better and leave you with photos and memories you’ll forever cherish.
Until next time, adventurers, stay safe.
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