Alaska is home to over 98 percent of our country’s brown bear population so it is no wonder that Alaska bear viewing is a popular visitor attraction. Bears are found in nearly every corner of Alaska. Adult black bears range in weight from 200 to 500 pounds while Alaska brown bears may grow as large as 1,500 pounds. Grizzlies and brown bears are part of the same Alaska bear family. The term brown bear is usually given to bears that reside in Alaska coastal areas, while grizzlies usually reside inland. Alaska brown bears tend to be larger than grizzlies due to a more abundant supply of protein to eat such as salmon. Viewing a bear in the wild’s of Alaska is a truly awesome experience, and often one of the highlights of a trip to Alaska.

There are a number of Alaska bear viewing opportunities available to visitors. Denali National Park is one of the most popular areas in Alaska to view bears in their natural habitat. Each year tens of thousands of Alaska visitors board buses to travel all or part of the 90 mile road that travels deep into Denali Park. While bear sightings in Denali are by no means a sure thing, most visitors do see bears in Denali, although sometimes at a distance.

For a more up close and personal Alaska bear viewing experience many visitors travel to southwest Alaska to locations such as McNeil River, Katmai National Park, Kodiak Island and Lake Clark National Park. In the summer months, typically from early June through late September brown bears gather near area streams to feed on Alaska salmon. The bear viewing trip we recommend travels by bush plane from Anchorage to Redoubt Bay Lodge near Lake Clark National Park where you travel by boat to view bears as they fish in nearby rivers. This trip offers a good opportunity to see a heavy concentration of bears, although you should expect a fair amount of company in terms of other bear watchers and fishermen of the human variety. For more information go to Redoubt Bay bear viewing.

For reservations or additional information on Alaska bear viewing please call 800-208-0200 or submit an online reservation request.

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