Katmai National Park and Preserve, located on the Alaska Peninsula across from Kodiak Island, ranks among the most rugged and remote landscapes in the United States. Named for Mount Katmai, the park was designated a national monument in 1918 because of its volcanic history.
Spanning more than 4 million acres, Katmai is vast, covering an area roughly the size of Wales. It is nearly double the size of Yellowstone National Park, with sweeping coastlines, expansive tundra, and towering volcanic peaks defining its landscape.
The park is best known for its wildlife, particularly its population of about 2,200 Alaskan brown bears. Each summer, visitors gather at Brooks Falls to watch the bears catch sockeye salmon as the fish leap upstream, a scene that has become one of Alaska’s most iconic wildlife spectacles. Katmai’s volcanic legacy is equally striking. The park contains 14 to 15 active volcanoes, including Novarupta, whose 1912 eruption was the largest of the 20th century. The blast created the ash-filled Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.
Despite its isolation, Katmai offers a broad range of activities, from bear viewing and hiking to kayaking and backcountry skiing. The park offers an incredible display of nature’s raw power and scale.
Sung For The Junior Times junior/1770881210/1613368124
1. Where is Katmai National Park located in Alaska?
2. What animals are best known in Katmai National Park?
3. How many active volcanoes does the park contain?
4. When was the park designated as a national monument?
1. Do you enjoy watching wild animals in nature?
2. Why is it important to protect large nature areas?
3. Who would you like to visit a park with?
4. Which outdoor activity sounds most exciting to try?
Katmai National Park and Preserve, located on the Alaska Peninsula across from Kodiak Island, ranks among the most rugged and remote landscapes in the United States. Named for Mount Katmai, the park was designated a national monument in 1918 because of its volcanic history.
