Katmai National Park & Preserve guide · 1 min read
9,000 Years of People at Brooks River
People have lived in the Katmai area for more than 9,000 years, and the Brooks River area holds significant evidence of that history.
Prehistoric sites along the river and in the nearby Amalik Bay area are recognized as a National Historic Landmark.
The land drew people with streams full of salmon, tundra where caribou migrated, and rich ocean shores. Some groups settled in the heart of the park near present-day Brooks River, while others lived on islands and along the shores of the Shelikof Strait, the water that separates the Alaska Peninsula from Kodiak Island. Those who stayed year round built partially underground homes, which kept out howling winds and bitter winter cold. Others arrived for the summer salmon runs, putting up summer shelters and moving away from the mountains when winter came.
Many people passed through the park on their way between the east side of the peninsula and Bristol Bay. The trail over Katmai Pass did more than offer a path. It connected communities, opened access to a wider range of food, and carried stories and traditions from one group to another.
Today the Brooks Camp Visitor Center, on the shore of Naknek Lake, is a practical first stop. Every visitor completes a bear orientation there with a ranger, learning how to live alongside brown bears. The center also has maps, brochures, and a small gift shop. Ranger-led programs at Brooks Camp add another way to learn about the area.
