Recreational Activities
Below are a few of the activities you can participate in at Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.
- Bear Viewing
Several coastal locations in Lake Clark offer world class brown bear viewing. Click the link above to learn about bear viewing best practices and see where the bears will be and what they will be doing at different times of the year. You can also explore the three most popular bear viewing locations in the park at the following links: Silver Salmon Creek, Chinitna Bay, and Crescent Lake.
- Biking
Winter biking is a fantastic way to explore the park. Fat tire bikes work particularly well on the compacted snow covering the park's many lakes and rivers.
- Birdwatching
With 187 species documented in the park, Lake Clark is a fantastic place to visit for birdwatching.
- Camping and Backpacking
The park offers outstanding tundra hiking with both base-camping and point to point backpacking trip options.
- Canoeing and Kayaking
Kayaking and canoeing are wonderful ways for experienced paddlers to explore the lakes.
- Day Hiking
The park's only trail system, leaving from Port Alsworth on Lake Clark, offers outstanding day hiking options.
- Fishing
Fishermen ply the waters of Lake Clark, surrounding streams and lakes, and the coastal creeks annually. The park and surrounding area is known for its outstanding fishing.
- Hunting
Sport hunting and trapping are permitted in the national preserve. State of Alaska rules and regulations apply.
- Power Boating
Guided boat trips and boat rentals are possible on the 42-mile long Lake Clark, and a power boat is a fantastic way of exploring the country adjacent to the lake.
- River Rafting
Many Alaskans think of rivers as travel corridors weather they are frozen for easy winter travel or flowing in the summer. The park has three designated wild and scenic rivers and many more spectacular rafting opportunities.
- Visiting Dick Proenneke's Cabin
For many people, Proenneke is an icon of wilderness values. Enamored with the wilderness in Alaska, in the 1960s he constructed a cabin on Upper Twin Lake using hand tools he also built himself. His journals and self-made film clips served as the inspiration for the documentary One Man's Wilderness, and his cabin remains a huge draw for park visitors.
Voluntary Backcountry Registration
You do not need to pay fees, make reservations, or obtain permits from the National Park Service for any recreational activities in Lake Clark. However, all parties venturing into the backcountry are encouraged to complete this voluntary backcountry registration form, which can assist rangers with search and rescue operations in the event an over-due party is reported. Please note: The National Park Service does not track your progress through the park. We recommend you leave a copy of your itinerary with a friend or relative who can call the park if you do not return from your trip on time.
The form can be filed with the visitor center in Port Alsworth in-person or downloaded here and either emailed to us at lacl_vistor_information @ nps.gov or faxed to us at (907)781-2119.
