Katmai National Park and Preserve

Find Me, Spot. Staying Found in The National Parks

Backcountry rangers in some Alaska national parks routinely signal their position with "Spot," a personal locater beacon that can be used to summon help or to simply let friends know you're OK. Recently, Spot helped rangers find two backcountry travelers in Sequoia National Park who found themselves in trouble.

What Exactly is a Bear Jam in Katmai National Park & Preserve? Let Ranger Michael Glore Explain

What, you might wonder, is a bear jam in Katmai National Park and Preserve? To understand this phenomenon, listen to this podcast in which Ranger Michael Glore differentiates between jamming bears and a crush of tourists anxious to see brown bears at Brooks Camp.

Wolves Join Grizzlies in Fishing at Katmai National Park and Preserve

If you've ever spent any time fishing, you know how hard it is to reach down and grab a fish with your bare hands. Well, the wolves at Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska are pretty gifted when it comes to fishing, as this National Park Service video reveals.

Brown Bears Fishing at Katmai National Park and Preserve

Would a Change in Gun Laws Be a Threat to National Park Bears?

Would a change in the national park system's gun laws pose a threat to wildlife? In Alaska, there are some concerns that brown bears at Katmai National Park and Preserve might appear too threatening to some gun owners.

Park History: How Volcanics Sculpted Parts of the National Park System

Talk volcanoes and national parks and folks usually think of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, and perhaps Lassen Volcanic National Park. In truth, though, there are at least 13 units of the national park system that have a volcanic past in some form or fashion.

Alaska Regional Director Responds To Outrage Over Katmai Preserve Bear Hunt

The Katmai bear video has been one of the most-viewed posts on National Parks Traveler, being watched more than 4,000 times in less than a week. It has generated anguish, anger and controversy. Against this backdrop, Alaska Regional Director Marcia Blaszak has taken a moment to explain the Park Service's viewpoint of how to manage the bear hunt in Katmai National Preserve.

Katmai Bear Hunt: Outfitter Says It's No Walk in the Woods

An outfitter whose clients at close range gunned down brown bears in Katmai National Preserve contends the hunt is not akin to "shooting fish in a barrel." And Jim Hamilton claims those who filmed portions of the hunt ruined the hunters' experience.

Is the Bear "Hunt" in Katmai National Preserve Sporting or Ethical?

There are places in the national park system where hunting is allowed. That's not the issue with this post. Rather, it's the ethical questions that swirl around the bear "hunt" that the National Park Service has allowed in the preserve portion of Katmai National Park and Preserve in Alaska. Video attached.