Katmai National Park and Preserve

Major conservation and recreation area covering 16,552 sq km/6,391 sq mi in southwestern Alaska, and comprising a large part of the Alaska Peninsula. The area contains many lakes, rivers that are home to the red salmon, varied wildlife (including the Alaska brown bear), and several volcanoes. The park is the site of the volcanic ‘Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes’.

In 1912, two volcanoes that now lie within Katmai National Park – Mount Katmai (2,047 m/6,715 ft) and Novarupta (1,481 m/4,860 ft) – erupted violently; it is thought that lava from Katmai helped trigger the explosion that rocked Novarupta, spreading steam and ash over a large area, and giving rise to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. This extends for 52 km/32 mi and covers 181 sq km/70 sq mi, and got its name from the countless ‘fumaroles’ that emerged through the ash, only a few of which are still active today. Recent volcanic activity hereabouts has occurred at the Trident Volcano (1968) and at Mount Augustine (1,227 m/4,025 ft) on Augustine Island in Cook Inlet, immediately to the northeast (1987). Naknek Lake and the Alganak Wild and Scenic River are also within the park.