Visitors can rent kayaks and canoes at the Windigo Camp Store or the Rock Harbor Marina and Lodge and paddle in Washington Creek for a prime opportunity to spot moose, beavers and otters. Elsewhere, the Greenstone Ridge Trail, which stretches more than 40 miles from one side of the park to the other, or the Minong Ridge Trail, are two of the most popular (and challenging) hiking trails on the island.

Getty Images Katmai National Park & Preserve is one of the best places to see brown bears in the wild (Credit: Getty Images)Getty ImagesKatmai National Park & Preserve is one of the best places to see brown bears in the wild (Credit: Getty Images)Katmai National Park & Preserve, Alaska

Encompassing some four million acres, Katmai National Park & Preserve is an expansive wilderness of rivers, streams and the scarred Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, where the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th Century occurred. While the park is larger than Connecticut and home to narrow gorges, extinct fumaroles and mountain-fringed lakes, the main draw is the roughly 2,200 brown bears that live here. In fact, the multiple viewing platforms at Brooks Camp are one of the best places to see brown bears in the wild – especially during the summer salmon run.

Fun Fact:

Ever heard of Fat Bear Week? The annual competition, orgnanised by Katmai’s park rangers, lets fans around the world vote for their favourite chunky bears. This past year’s winner weighed in at more than 500kg. Find out more here.

Since visitors can only arrive by seaplane or boat, getting here requires some planning – but those who have made the journey say it’s worth it. “Seeing [Katmai] in person – after arriving by plane to a place with no roads in or out – adds a depth that television can’t capture, says Jones.

For those wanting to linger, visitors can fish, take a “flightseeing” tour or stay at lodges at Brooks Camp. Whether bedding down in a cabin or campground, travellers can hike historic routes such as Katmai Pass or climb Observation Mountain for sweeping views across the Katmai River valley and gorge below.

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