alaska bear viewing
 

Hello everyone! We are planning a trip to Alaska for July 2022 (our first visit) and would like suggestions/opinions on bear viewing. We have looked at Katmai and Redoubt Bay out of Anchorage. Thoughts on these two or others. Thanks in advance!

It was several years ago, but we did a trip to Hallo Bay (coastal Katmai) from Homer on a float plane that was spectacular. If I remember it was Emerald Air, a husband and wife were pilot and guide. We spent about five or six hours with the bears and saw all the behaviors (including fishing) and a pair of cubs. I believe we saw some of the bears from the Disney movie which had been filmed the summer before.

We went in early July, when the bears were still on the coast. I liked the small size of the group (5) and avoiding the circus of Brooks Falls. I looked at several options and don't recall how I settled on this one (it was probably recommended in a Fodors book:)). But I will say that it was a really fantastic day in a beautiful location.

Note, flights out of Anchorage often take longer to get to the bear viewing than those from Homer or elsewhere on the Kenai Peninsula.

Best of luck.

Brooks Lodge was a fantastic trip when we did it but much ahs changed (ownership. etc.) since then. But I would look into it. They had close to record bear quantities this year. Also I would look into Lake Clark NP. But I am pretty sure it's very seasonally dependent for the bear viewing.

We flew from Homer to Katmai NP in a seaplane. A mother bear with cubs was on the beach near where we landed. We saw many bears that day including those catching salmon at the waterfalls. It is one of our top travel memories, worth every penny.

It Will be the best experience to explore this summer The Golden North Salmon bake in the mountains of Juneau in the summer. Everyone knows it and the bus will come to get you….any hotel.

Otherwise the bush flights, the fishing, the hiking as I lived in Juneau for 5 years but there’s so m u c h more!!

We did this Anan Creek viewing several years ago while on a cruise. Absolutely the best excursion we have ever done.

Bear Viewing Tours in Ketchikan | Island Wings Air Service

A few years ago after getting fitted out with hip waders, we flew out of Homer on a float plane that crossed the cook inlet, passed by a smoking dormant(?) volcano, and landed on a very small lake in Katmai peninsula. We hiked about a mile on level ground and sat high up on a river bank and watched dozens of Grizzly bears catching and eating salmon. Several cubs. A sight to behold. We packed a lunch and ate with the bears. None gave us much attention, they were too busy gorging themselves. The guides had strict rules and we followed them to the letter. The hardest thing to do was getting back into the float plane on the little lake. Homer is a great little place to spend a couple of days. Lots of dining options on "The Spit." Air service from Anchorage is not too expensive. Otherwise, a long but scenic drive.