Lake Clark National Park: My Day With Alaska’s Bears
A remote bush plane flight, Alaska’s wildest landscapes, and an unforgettable day spent up-close with grizzly bears—this is Lake Clark National Park as I experienced it. Here’s what it’s really like to step into true bear country, and why this hidden corner of Alaska changed how I see the wild.
After years of chasing wildlife in national parks, I thought I knew what “seeing a bear” meant. There was the quick sighting from the bus in Denali, a split-second glimpse in Yellowstone. But nothing prepared me for Lake Clark.
I was in Alaska for the first time—on a trip that felt like a highlight reel on fast-forward: Denali, glaciers, midnight sun. But the day I flew from Homer to Lake Clark National Park, everything slowed down. Suddenly, it was just me, a handful of strangers, and a guide—climbing into a small plane, skimming across the water, and landing on a remote beach that looked like the edge of the world.
Lake Clark isn’t like the parks you reach by road. To get here, you board a bush plane in Homer and fly over endless green and blue until the pilot sets you down where the land meets the water. No roads, no crowds—just the wind, the wild, and the promise of bears.
And there were bears—big ones, close ones, so close you could hear their breath and see the sand fly when they dug for clams. It was humbling, thrilling, and just a little bit terrifying in the best possible way.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to really be in bear country—not just from behind a car window or across a valley—this is it. You kneel in the tundra, watch the cubs play, try to remember to breathe, and hope your camera battery lasts.
What I Wish I Knew:
Go in summer for the best bear viewing. (to be fair, i read this online, but going in mid-july confirmed it!)
Dress in layers—it’s colder (and windier) than you think on the coast and in the plane flying there
Bring your best camera lens and a dry bag
Tours book fast—reserve early, especially if coming from Homer
Getting There:
Drive from Anchorage to Homer (I stopped for a night in Whittier so i could kayak)
Take a bush plane from Homer, Alaska (about an hour flight).
Most tours are day trips, but there are lodges if you want to stay overnight.
Would I Go Back? Absolutely. It changed the way I think about wild places—and about myself. I left with a camera roll full of bears, a head full of stories, and a new obsession that eventually took me all the way to Vancouver Island for more bear adventures. But nothing beats your first day in true bear country.
Photos:
Quick Recap:
Best for: Wildlife lovers, photographers, adventurers
Not for: People who want souvenir shops and easy access
Unmissable: The moment a grizzly digs for clams 20 feet away