Lake Clark National Park Bear Viewing (Chinitna Bay)
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve
Fly from Homer by seaplane or beach bush plane over Cook Inlet and land on the coast of Lake Clark National Park, where you can watch brown bears up close.
Lake Clark National Park sits on the west shore of Cook Inlet and has no road access. From Homer, a flight to its coast, around Chinitna Bay and Silver Salmon Creek, takes only about an hour, making it the most popular bear-viewing day trip from Homer. The small plane lands on a beach or tidal flat. A guide leads you on foot to within a few dozen meters of brown bears, where you can watch mother bears with cubs, digging for clams, or fishing at the mouth of a creek. Along the way you can also see volcanoes such as Iliamna and Redoubt from the air. A day trip usually costs US$800 to 1,000 per person, including the flight and guide, and you need to book months in advance. Weather often causes delays, so it is best to leave a spare day in your itinerary. The map coordinates point to Chinitna Bay.
Opening hours
Depends on flights (daily in summer)
Nearby sights
- Anchor Point
- Seldovia
- Ninilchik Village & Holy Transfiguration Church
- Baycrest Overlook
- Pratt Museum
- Bishop's Beach
- Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center
- Carl E. Wynn Nature Center