Lake Clark National Park is one of the least accessible national parks in Alaska, and as such also one of the least visited. It received less than 17,000 visitors in 2023, being the third least visited national park in the US that year.
Founded on 2 December, 1980, in order to protect sockeye salmon and the habitat it lives in, the park is located in southwestern Alaska, and takes its name from the largest lake in the park – Lake Clark.
It measures 4,030 square miles (10,438 square km), and boasts mountains (the Chigmit Mountains range) and active volcanoes (Redoubt and Iliamna), scenic blue lakes and wild rivers, forests and more. It is also home to a great variety of wildlife – brown and black bears, bald eagles, moose, coyotes, caribou, river otters can all be seen roaming in the park.
I had the chance to explore the park a bit during my latest trip to Alaska, when I took a floatplane to Crescent Lake for a bear viewing experience, and after visiting I highly recommend going.
In this post, I will explain how to visit Lake Clark National Park – how to get there, the best things to do, how long you should stay and where to stay if you decide to stay overnight.
If you are going to Alaska for the first time, my post What To Know Before Traveling To Alaska will tell you what to expect and how to best prepare for your trip. My post What To See In Alaska will guide you through the best destinations.
How To Visit Lake Clark National Park
How to get to Lake Clark National Park
You may be wondering – Can you drive to Lake Clark National Park? The answer is no. This Alaska national park is not connected to the rest of the country by road.
The best way to get to Lake Clark National Park is by plane, and some areas can also be reached by boat.
Floatplanes depart from Anchorage or Homer and usually land in Crescent Lake, one of the most scenic areas of the national park; whereas planes operating on wheels and landing on the beach connect Anchorage and Homer to Chinitna Bay and Silver Salmon Creek.
Flights are also available from other smaller towns in Alaska such Kodiak, Iliamna and King Salmon.
I flew with Rust’s Flying Service, which is one of the many companies operating from Anchorage.
Chinitna Bay can also be reached by boat from Anchor Point, near Homer, but the sea conditions can be very rough so this is generally not recommended. Similarly, you can get to Silver Salmon Creek by boat from Anchor Point – but again, be aware of rough sea conditions.
Best time to visit Lake Clark National Park
In theory, the national park is open year round. However, lodges close at the end of September until June, and no tours run in the area. Also, as the park is isolated and you can only get there by plane or boat, and you may find that literally all companies stop operations when the winter approaches.
In any case, the best time to visit Lake Clark National Park is between June and September. That’s when you get to see most of the wildlife, especially bears who can be spotted along the coastline, feeding.
Temperatures in the summer range between 50 and 65°F (10 and 18°C). The rainiest month is usually August. I visited at the very end of September (27 September) and had a glorious sunny day (though it was very cold), but since this is Alaska, I would not take the sun for granted!
My post Should You Visit Alaska In Autumn? shares more of what it’s like to visit Alaska off season.
Best things to do in Lake Clark National Park
There are many things to do in Lake Clark National Park. The following is just a selection.
Bear viewing
Needless to say, bear viewing is the reason most people visit the park. The area of Crescent Lake is the most popular one to admire the beautiful mammals. When I visited, we saw a whopping 20 during our boat tour!
Bear viewing boat tours from Crescent Lake usually take around two hours. Your guide will drive around the lake in search for bears, who usually hang out along the shore to feed on salmon, or to rest and play. The guides are very knowledgeable (mine was for sure!) and will be ready to answer questions about the way bears live, interact and socialize for example.
Bear viewing can also be done in other parts of the national park, such as Silver Salmon Creek and Chinitna Bay, where there are boat tours as well as walking tours and tours by ATV.
If you love wildlife as much as I do, head over to my post The Best Places For Bear Viewing In Alaska and pick your favorite spot for the best wildlife encounters.
Fishing and kayaking
Other things to do in Lake Clark National Park include kayaking (most lodges will rent out kayaks to guests) and fishing for salmon – the area is ripe with sockeye and silver salmon, but you will need to have an Alaska state fishing license in order to legally fish.
The best spots for fishing in the park are Crescent Lake and Silver Salmon Creek. While you can easily go fishing on the shore of the lake near your lodge if you are staying at Lake Clark overnight, some lodges also arrange fly-out fishing trips to other parts of the national park.
Flightseeing tours
Flightseeing tours are a fantastic way to enjoy the national park. You will of course be able to get a taste for it when you fly to the park – when I visited, it was a clear day and the views from the plane were breathtaking.
Flightseeing tours give you the chance to further admire the beauty of the landscape from the sky, however you should be aware that oftentimes the weather may affect your experience – from modified itineraries to flights being cancelled last minute because of strong winds and rain.
Visit Twin Lakes and Proenneke Cabin
Among the most scenic spots in the national park there are the Twin Lakes, which can be visited on a combination of plane and boat tours starting from Lake Clark Resort.
Once you get to Upper Twin Lake, you can push a bit further to visit Proenneke Cabin. This was built by Richard Proenneke in May 1968: he lived there for 30 years, and documented his stay so inside there is a small but interesting exhibit.
Hiking
There are many hiking trails within the park. For example, if you are already visiting the Twin Lakes and Proenneke Cabin, you can follow the easy trail that goes all the way to Teetering Rock. It’s a 1.8 mile (roughly 2.9 km) out-and-back hike that goes through the forest and along Hopes Creek until you reach a viewpoint for views of Upper Twin Lake.
Other hiking trails are found in the area of Port Alsworth, a small settlement located on Lake Clark, where you’ll also find the visitor center, and in Summit Lake – in this case you’ll need to get a floatplane to reach the trailhead, and you’ll have to join a guided tour.
If you love hiking, you should read my post The Best Hikes In Alaska. It contains a selection of the best hiking trails, and a number of tips to make the most of your time hiking in Alaska.
How long should you stay in Lake Clark National Park?
Most people (including myself) visit Lake Clark for a chance to see bears. The good news is that for that you only really need a day tour. There are day tours from Anchorage or Homer. This is also the cheapest option.
Of course, what you get to see on a day trip is really a minimal portion of the park, so if you have the time and money (more about costs in a bit) to stay longer, you should. It’s a great opportunity to be immersed in the pristine nature of Alaska, in a very peaceful environment which will take you away from the stress of daily life.
Where to stay in Lake Clark National Park
There are a few privately managed campgrounds, lodges and cabins in Lake Clark National Park. Lodges and campgrounds normally offer full-packages which include flights from Anchorage or Homer (and a variety of other places), all meals and a selection of activities too.
Here is where you can base yourself to explore the national park.
Port Alsworth
Port Alsworth, which is the only (tiny) settlement on Lake Clark, has the widest selection of accommodation options. This is where you’ll find the Lake Clark Resort, also known as the Farm Lodge, and a few other cabins, lodges and even a bed and breakfast.
Crescent Lake
The only option to stay in Crescent Lake is the Redoubt Mountain Lodge, which offers rustic cabins with private bathrooms as well as all meals, and several included and optional activities.
Silver Salmon Creek
If you wish to stay in Silver Salmon Creek, you will be able to opt between the Alaska Homestead Lodge and the Silver Salmon Creek Lodge.
Chinitna Bay
In Chinitna Bay, you can stay at either the Bear Mountain Lodge, or at the Natural Habitat Adventures’ Alaska Bear Camp.
Other places to stay include the Windsong Wilderness Retreat in Upper Twin Lake and Porter’s Wild Alaska in Tuxedni Bay.
How much does visiting Lake Clark National Park cost?
Visiting Lake Clark National Park isn’t cheap.
The cheapest way to visit is to join a full-day bear viewing boat tour departing from Anchor Point and that goes to Chinitna Bay and Silver Salmon Creek. It costs around $750 USD per person and does not include lunch.
A full-day bear viewing tour to Crescent Lake from Anchorage costs around $1,100 USD, and includes transportation by floatplane from Anchorage, a guided bear viewing boat tour and lunch.
Prices inevitably go up if you wish to stay overnight at one of the lodges and if you add other activities like a flightseeing tour.
For example, you are looking to spend around $600 per person per night to stay at the Farm Lodge in Port Alsworth – that includes all meals, but no activities other than unguided hiking.
Redoubt Mountain Lodge in Crescent Lake has a minimum stay of two days and two nights, and costs more than $4,100 USD per person (so around $2,050 per day per person)- although it includes everything, from flights to all meals and activities including bear viewing tours.
Final Considerations
Visiting Lake Clark National Park was easily the highlight of my second trip to Alaska. I know it is very expensive to get there, but I’d recommend skipping other places and activities for this one as it is just so remote, pristine and special.
Seeing bears living in their natural environment, admiring mountain peaks and volcanoes, placid lakes and wild creeks, and the remoteness of the park which allows you to disconnect from your regular hectic life are all excellent enough reasons to go.
I hope this post has provided enough insights to inspire you to go and help you plan your visit, but if you need any further information let me know in the comments!
Legal Disclaimer: I was a guest of Travel Alaska during my trip to Lake Clark, and wish to thank them for the fantastic experiences. Regardless of that, the views expressed in this post remain my own.
Pin It For Later!
