8 Best Hotels in The Bush, Alaska

At the nexus of multiple lakes, rivers, and streams, this lodge makes a good base from which to fish—for rainbow or lake trout, arctic grayling, and, of course, salmon—and to visit the bear-viewing areas and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Its 16 detached, modern cabins accommodate four people and have heat, electricity, and private bathrooms. The cabins surround the main lodge, which has a spectacular view of aquamarine Naknek Lake and a circular stone fireplace. The dining room serves three meals a day to nonguests as well as guests, who can prepay for meals when setting up lodging or packaged trips.

This remote, waterfront lodge in Wood-Tikchik State Park caters to anyone seeking great fishing accompanied by comfortable housing and delicious gourmet-style meals. All-inclusive packages start at $12,000 and include guided fishing trips to some of the best fishing spots in the world. The lodge is owned by Bud Hodson, a guide in the region for decades, who also rents kayaks and rafts, and provides an air-taxi service into the park's more remote and remarkable places. Vacation packages are also available for families.

Like all lodging in Prudhoe Bay, the Aurora focuses on what oil workers need when rotating in and out of the area, so most of the rooms have one twin bed, while some have queens. All rooms are clean and practical, with meals included in the price. Smoking, alcohol, and pets are prohibited, but there's a smoking lounge on-site, along with a commissary, gym, library, and coffee shop.

This family-operated, all-inclusive lodge offers clean, comfortable cabins with twin beds and propane heating and lights, daily fishing and sightseeing by jet-boat, and home-cooked meals, sometimes served along the water. It sits on Bristol Bay's Peace River in the center of Wood-Tikchik Park near Kulik Spires. There's a maximum of 8 guests at the lodge each week, with daily fly-fishing excursions for rainbow trout, arctic char, arctic grayling, northern pike, and sockeye salmon.

This intimate in-park lodge centers on fish, wildlife, and the lake system of the western Katmai. Guests travel by boat to numerous rivers and streams riven with trout, char, pike, and salmon. Flights take guests to Brooks River to see bears at Brooks Falls. Grosvenor Lodge can accommodate six people in three heated cabins with electricity; a shared bathhouse is nearby. The main lodge has a kitchen, lounging area, and bar, as well as an excellent view of Grosvenor Lake. Multinight packages include airfare from Anchorage, meals, lodging, boat services, and guides.

This rustic but modern log-cabin lodge on Kukak Bay straddles the rugged outer coast of Katmai National Park, along the shores of the Alaska Peninsula. This coastal area is part of the Kodiak Island Borough and the Gulf of Alaska. Built on land owned by the Russian Orthodox Church, the lodge is one of few places to stay on this coast except for camping. Mountains, coastal flats, and the waters of Shelikof Strait surround the lodge, where guests stay in private bedrooms with baths. Meals are served in the dining room or on decks if the weather is good. Activities include bear viewing, birding, photography tours, and fishing for halibut and salmon. There's a three-night-minimum stay, and rates include a round-trip flight from Kodiak, meals, lodging, and guide services.

Along the Kulik River between Nonvianuk and Kulik lakes, this remote wilderness lodge sits in the northwest quadrant of the national park, near the boundary of the preserve. Guests reach the lodge by floatplane as a part of three- and four-day (or more) packages that include meals, boat, and guide service on the Kulik River, flights to Brooks Lodge for bear viewing, tours of the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, and other excursions. The lodge accommodates up to 28 people, and is popular with anglers as a base for fly-out fishing at hot spots in surrounding Katmai lakes and streams. Guests stay in cabins with electricity and private baths. In the evening, everyone gathers in the spruce lodge, which has a large stone fireplace, dining area, and bar.

On the shores of the Arctic Ocean, this tiered and multicolored hotel is minimalist but comes with the modern conveniences expected by most travelers. A life-size stuffed polar bear and the mounted head of another greet visitors in the lobby. The community television is a great spot to mix and mingle with locals and guests alike. Modern, spacious rooms have sitting areas and some have kitchenettes; ask for a room with an ocean view.