Brooks River

Brooks River Review

The Katmai area is one of Alaska's premier sportfishing regions. You can fish for rainbow trout and salmon at the Brooks River, though seasonal closures have been put in place to prevent conflicts with bears, and only fly-fishing is permitted; check locally for the latest information. For those who would like to venture farther into the park, seek out the two other backcountry lodges, Grosvenor and Kulik, or contact fishing-guide services based in King Salmon. A short walk up the Brooks River brings you to Brooks Falls. Viewing platforms here overlook a 6-foot-high cascade where salmon leap to try and make it upstream, past the bears, to spawn. One platform is right at the falls; the other is a short way below it (an access trail and boardwalk are separated from the river to avoid confrontations with bears).