Katmai National Park & Preserve Fees & Reservations

Entrance to Katmai National Park & Preserve is absolutely free, you don’t have to pay anything to enter the park, but there are fees for other activities which you may enjoy during your visit.

Camping at Katmai National Park & Preserve

Many visitors to Katmai National Park & Preserve plan to stay for a while and camp at Brooks Camp Campground . . . you really can’t blame them. Brooks Camp Campground is the only developed camping ground within the park, located on the beautiful shores of Naknek Lake, only a quarter of a mile or so from the Brooks Camp Visitor Center.

Campground facilities at Brooks Camp Campground are available from June 1 to September 17 only. Facilities at the campground include;

Food cache – a central storage facility for everything which may attract bears including food, trash and toothpaste. The food cache has a separate receptacle for the trash.
Fuel storage locker – a flammable locker for the storage of stove fuels, flares etc.
Gear cache – close to the food cache for the storage of anything “interesting” which the campers may not need at their campsite. Bears are inquisitive creatures you know.
Potable water – during the summer only water is available from a spigot which is on the wall of the food cache, for filling up water bottles and washing dishes.
Vault toilets – there are two vault toilets at Brooks Camp Campground
Cooking shelters – there are three shared cooking shelters at the campground, each with a picnic table. You are not permitted to cook or prepare food away from the food cache and cooking shelters.
Electric fence – this is not a bear barrier, but bears do tend to give it a wide berth after an electric shock. The electric fence acts as a deterrent only.
Fire rings – there are three fire rings at Brooks Camp Campground located at the cooking shelters for campers who appreciate the warmth of a crackling campfire. You are legally permitted to collect only wood which is dead and down to burn in the fire ring, you may not cut down or break off any branches to burn.
Showers – are available at Brooks Lodge for a nominal fee.

If you want to camp at Brooks Camp Campground at any other time of the year, you must remember to bring all of your own equipment with you including a bear resistant container for your food storage and a water filter. You’re also recommended to bring an electric fence with you.

Brooks Camp Campground can accommodate a maximum of 60 persons, all sharing the area within the perimeter of the all important electric fence. There are no designated sites within the campground. The campground is very often full to capacity from the end of June and through July – the prime time for bear viewing at Brooks River – you can reserve a place at the campground and it’s advisable to make any reservations as early as possible.

Fees for camping at Brooks Camp Campground are $12 per camper per night, (payable 1 June to September 17), and you may only stay at the campground for a maximum of 14 nights in any one year, 7 nights during the most popular month of July.

Backcountry Camping at Katmai National Park & Preserve

If you try to make a reservation at the campground but find that it’s full, it’s not the end of the world, you also have the option of backcountry camping in Katmai National Park & Preserve. You are requested to camp at least a mile and a half from Brooks River Falls in all directions. You must have a bear resistant food container, but these are available free of charge from the Brooks River Visitor Center.