Length: 2.4 mi (3.8 km) (out and back from the ranger station to the viewing platform)
Elevation Gain: Minimal
Route Type: Out and Back
Difficulty: Easy
Brooks Falls, located in Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska, is famous for its natural beauty and is a prime location for viewing brown bears fishing for salmon. Every summer, large numbers of salmon swim upstream through the Brooks River. This attracts dozens of bears that love to catch them in the rushing waters. The falls provide an iconic backdrop for wildlife photography, especially in July and September, when the salmon run peaks. Photographers can observe the bears safely from viewing platforms, making it one of the best bear-watching destinations in the world. Be sure to check the park website for current conditions and closures.
Accessing Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park & Preserve
Starting Location: Brooks Falls Ranger Station, King Salmon, AK 99613
GPS (DD): 58.556546, -155.778397
Brooks Falls is most easily accessed via float plane from either Anchorage or Homer, which is where we flew from. It was about an hour flight from Homer and extremely scenic. There are several companies flying to Brooks Falls. We made reservations with Beluga Air out of Homer. Flying to Brooks Falls is not inexpensive. I believe it was approximately $900/person when we went.
When you arrive at Brooks Falls, your pilot will escort you to the national park ranger station, where you are required to listen to a brief safety talk from the park ranger. The main take-away from the talk – if you encounter a bear on the trail, step off the trail but in any event DO NOT RUN.
The trails to the viewing platform are well marked. It is entirely possible that you may encounter bears on the trail as they use the same one going to the falls as you are. (We did not encounter any bears on the trail when we visited.)
Lodging and Hiking Tips for Brooks Falls
The trail to Brooks Falls is flat, fairly wide and while not paved is fairly even. Hiking boots are not required for this hike, although it could be wet due to rain, so I would always have rain gear with me. One of the requirements of hiking on the trail is that you cannot have food of any kind on you. There are storage lockers at the ranger station where any food you brought can be stored.
There are several options to visit Brooks Falls. One is to visit the falls on a day trip from Homer or Anchorage. It is approximately a half day trip, which entails approximately 1 hour flights to and from the falls, an hour at the falls and sufficient time to hike to and from the falls. The other option would be to stay at nearby Brooks Falls Lodge.
Best Time of Year to Visit Brooks Falls
The best time of year to visit Brooks Falls is July or September during the peak Salmon runs. At this time of year you are almost surely going to see bears at the falls, although how many can vary by the hour and the day. When we visited in July, there were probably 8-10 bears around the falls fishing. The weather can vary, so be prepared for cloudy or rainy conditions.
Photographing the Bears at Brooks Falls
The main viewing platform at Brooks Falls allows for 40 people at a time to view from it. At this platform you are slightly above the falls and about 20 yards away from the closest side of the falls. Since you are so close, you do not necessarily need a huge telephoto lens to get decent images of the bears. I shot with a Canon R5 and had a 100-400 lens, which was plenty of reach. You are permitted an hour at the viewing platform, which gives you plenty of time to get a lot of photos of bears, since they are right in front of you trying to catch salmon and eating salmon. If you are bringing a larger telephoto lens, a monopod would be helpful. You want to pay attention to your shutter speed so as to freeze the action of the bears and fish in action.
Favorite Moments at Brooks Falls
My favorite part of Brooks Falls was observing the different methods the bears went about catching salmon. Each bear employs their own strategy. Some sit on top of the falls and attempt to catch them out of the air as they jump to try and clear the falls, some sit at the bottom of the falls and try to catch them as they fall back into the river and some dive for them under water. The big males obviously get to choose where they fish from.
Closing Remarks
Visiting Brooks Falls is truly a once in a lifetime experience. There are very few places in the world where you can safely observe bears like this so close, in the wild. To be able to observe their skill in catching salmon and then the way they go about eating them was interesting and eye-opening. The added bonus is riding in an authentic Dehavilland Beaver bush plane over to Katmai. If you are passionate about wildlife photography, it doesn’t get much better than Brooks Falls. While there is much more to Katmai National Park than Brooks Falls, we were unfortunately only able to visit Brooks Falls on our visit to Alaska.
Find Your Favorite Location
No matter where you go in Katmai National Park and Preserve, be sure to take your time and find your favorite location along the way. Bears and salmon aren’t the only wildlife this park has to offer so keep a sharp eye! Don’t forget to add detailed macro shots, change your perspective, and most importantly have fun.
Before making your trip, consider checking the official Katmai National Park and Preserve website or contacting the park’s visitor center for the most up-to-date information on trail conditions, accessibility, and any recent changes. As with any visit to a national park, it’s important to follow park regulations, practice “Leave No Trace” principles, and prioritize safety while exploring this beautiful area. I hope you enjoy your time visiting Brooks Falls!
Happy Travels!
Greg Thomas, Featured National Park Photographer
Want to learn more about Katmai National Park and Preserve? Check out these maps, guides & books:
- Katmai National Park and Preserve Map (National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map)
- Katmai National Park (Paperback)
- The Bears of Katmai: Alaska’s Famous Brown Bears
- The Bears of Brooks Falls: Wildlife and Survival on Alaska’s Brooks River
Please note, by making purchases through our affiliate links, you are supporting our mission to celebrate and showcase our National Parks and the photographers who frequent them. As an Amazon Associate, National Park Photographer earns from qualifying purchases at not cost to you. We appreciate your support.
