Park and preserve lands and water are open to private fixed-wing aircraft.
NPS Photo / K. Lewandowski
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve lands and waters are open to fixed-wing aircraft.
Fuel is available in Port Alsworth from Lake Clark Air (wheels and floats) and Lake and Peninsula Airlines (wheels). Fuel with both float and wheel access is also available south of the park in Iliamna.
Airstrips in Port Alsworth are private and a ramp fee may be charged. Contact Lake Clark Air or Lake and Peninsula Airlines (Wilder/Natwick) regarding use of their airstrips and tie down options. Pilots should confirm up to date information with private businesses. The Wilder/Natwick runway (05R- 23L) is in the Alaska Supplement.
Live-feed aviation weather webcams operated by the Federal Aviation Administration are an important tool that can help pilots maintain a continuous weather watch. Cameras located in the Lake Clark area include: Nondalton, Lake Clark Pass East, Lake Clark Pass West, Lake Clark Pass RCO, Merrill Pass High, and Merrill Pass Low. To see current images, look for the name of the desired camera on the FAA webcam site list. For exact locations, please visit the FAA Aviation Weather Cameras map or download aPDF of webcam stations within the park
Weather stations are another tool that can help pilots obtain current weather conditions. They record and archive hourly weather observations including wind speed and direction, snow depth, and air temperature. Stations located within Lake Clark National Park and Preserve include: Chigmit Mountains, Port Alsworth, Hickerson Lake,Silver Salmon Lakes, Snipe Lake, and Stoney.
In addition to supporting real-time needs, the four weather stations operated by the National Park Service's Southwest Alaska Inventory and Monitoring Network (SWAN) are intended to also provide reliable climate data that can help researchers understand ecosystem changes, identify natural variability in weather, and identify long-term climate trends. Learn more about weather and climate science being conducted in the park on the SWAN website.
