Where to do the best bear watching in Alaska?

Mel Erickson
3 min readMar 20, 2024

Alaska is among the most well-known places in the world, and it is popular for bear watching. Watching bears in Alaska is the most extraordinary thing you can ever do. In many places in Alaska, you can see bears, mostly in streams, rivers and waterfalls.

The Streams Falls in Katmai National Park, Lake Clark Public Park, Redoubt Cove, and McNeil Waterway are some of the best places in Alaska to spot bears. You can get a short float plane ride from Anchorage and reach there for eventful bear watching. Many air services in Alaska can help you get there for bear watching.

Tracking down Bears: Follow the Fish

The best bear viewing tours in Alaska depend upon the dates. Salmon runs are key even when a large population of bears gathers on river sides to catch salmon. If you are searching for bear watching of an untamed life, pick where the fish are running during your tour.

Chinitna Bay Bear Tours

Chinitna Bay is a decent place for amplified bear viewing during summer. From mid-May to mid-September, bears are dynamic, moving between the area’s rich food sources.

As the months shift, ocean-side grasses, salmon, and even shellfish uncovered on the Cook Inlet are top choices for bears. Fly in for the afternoon or remain in the evening. Bear-seeing is walking with the guide of ATVs and towed trailers to cover longer distances.

Katmai Bear Watching

Katmai and Streams Falls are the best places to visit in July for bear watching. If you’ve seen a video of a bear eating up a salmon on a waterfall, it was most possibly recorded at Streams Falls.

Bear watching in stream falls here involves strolling for generally level ways and platform views. The bear watch tours are independent, with park administration officers nearby to help and keep things moving along as expected.

Lake Clark Public Park is a great place to watch bears before summer. It is also the best spot to watch bears from the end of July through September. Here, you can have an amazing experience watching bears from an open boat.

McNeil River State

With the proper planning, the McNeil River State Game is an extraordinary place to watch bears. You can opt for guided and non-guided bear watch tours at McNeil River State from June to August.

Visiting McNeil River State is a stroke of luck, and a lottery system decides a few lucky guests who will visit the park. This has been done to restrict the excessive flow of tourists during the peak season to protect wildlife. You can submit your application by March 1, whereas the names in the draw were picked by March 31st.

If you are still unsure where to go to watch bears, you can always take the help of bear watch tours or ask professional bear guides. Many organizations in Alaska offer bear watch tours in different regions. Bears are everywhere in The Frozen North, so there’s an opportunity to recognize them on different kinds of excursions like flightseeing visits, ATV rides, or even day trips.

Visit Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center or Alaska Zoo for guaranteed bear watching

If you cannot reach these areas, don’t worry you can still see bears at Wildlife Conservation Center or Alaska Zoo. Both are home to dark and brown colored bears and the very popular polar bears.

The professional bear tour guides can share experiences about every species with extraordinary projects, talks, and feedings.

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Mel Erickson
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Captain Mel Erickson has been guiding people on Alaskan adventures since 1989.