Katmai National Park & Preserve guide · 1 min read
Bear Platforms of Brooks Falls and Riffles
Brooks Falls is one of the best places in Katmai National Park and Preserve to watch brown bears fish for salmon.
The falls form a temporary barrier to migrating salmon, which makes the fish easier for bears to catch. From the viewing platforms, visitors can look down on bears working the river below.
Each July, salmon return to the Brooks River in large numbers, and bears gather along this stretch to fish. Bear viewing at the falls is strongest during that run. Bears are also commonly met on the Brooks Falls Trail in July and September, so hikers should be ready to step off the path and let them pass.
The Brooks Falls Trail is 1.2 miles long and rated easy. It passes through boreal forest and ends at two raised platforms that look down on bears fishing in the Brooks River. The trail begins about 0.3 miles from the South Platform. Brooks Camp has five elevated viewing platforms in all, and the Falls and Riffles platforms are among them.
Every bear viewing platform at Brooks Camp is accessible, reached by elevated walkways with ramps. The platforms sit between a quarter mile and 1.2 miles from the Brooks Camp Visitor Center. The narrow paths can be rough and muddy, so visitors with limited mobility may still need help on the trails. Limited all-terrain wheelchairs can be borrowed from the visitor center, but personal assistance is not available in the Brooks Camp area.
