Lake Clark National Park Map

The following content on Kobuk Valley National Park is licenced from National Geographic's Guide to National Parks of the United States (9th Edition).

THE LAND OF THE DENA’INA ATHABASCAN PEOPLE for 14,000 years continues to be imbued with their culture, where nature has a voice and everything has a spirit that should be treated with respect. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve offers visitors a diversity of experiences and landscapes that cause even state residents to swoon. Be prepared to revel in the reflections of volcanoes and remain ever ready for bear-viewing opportunities, all the while dreaming of ways to stay for a while.
Established December 2, 1980
4,030,006 Acres

Lake Clark National Park Map showing the trails and other details of the Lake Clark National Park.



 

Though it’s just 100 miles southwest of Anchorage, the roadless Lake Clark remains one of America’s least visited national parks. But it’s worth taking a floatplane—the taxis of Alaska—to get there, even if just for a day trip. The park does justice to a wealth of grand outdoor options, offering wildlife viewing and fishing as well as cultural history and landscapes so majestic—dense forest, far-sweeping tundra, lakes tinted turquoise by glacial silt—it’s nearly impossible to capture their grandeur with a camera (though, of course, you should definitely try).

The park protects a giant swath of wilderness in south-central Alaska, just north of Katmai National Park and across Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula. Boats can enter the park via Cook Inlet, but most people arrive by floatplane. Visitors commonly arrange to be dropped off and picked up at the same spot or, in the case of river trips, a predetermined place downstream.

The heart of the park, Lake Clark stretches some 40 miles. Three rivers (of many), the Mulchatna, Tlikakila, and Chilikadrotna, have Wild and/or Scenic designations. The mountains of Lake Clark dominate the views.

The lake’s geography includes the tundra of the TurquoiseTelaquana Plateau, forested areas along the coastline, and the striking Chigmit Mountains, which rise along the park’s center, bridging the Aleutian Range to the south and, to the north, the Alaska Range.

The Chigmit Mountains are home to two active volcanoes, Mount Iliamna and Mount Redoubt. In 2009, Mount Redoubt proved that southern Alaska is one of the world’s most tectonically active places.

The park’s diversity of wildlife also astounds. There are 37 species of mammals, including massive brown bears that come to feed on sedge in the salt marshes, dig razor clams, and feast on migrating salmon all along the Cook Inlet coastline. Wolves, lynx, eagles, and Dall sheep are plentiful. Add to that 187 species of birds—and fish, plenty of fish.

How to Visit

Lake Clark doesn’t have very much in the way of developed areas and park-operated services. There are no boardwalks or shuttle-bus services in the park. If you decide to venture into the park solo, keep in mind that this is Alaska—and that help is not always just a cell phone call away.

The park lacks an extensive trail system, which somehow adds a wild aspect to the park’s fine opportunities for great-outdoors experiences: paddling, hiking, camping, and climbing. If you aren’t keen on off-trail navigation by yourself, you can take advantage of one of many guide services in the area.

There are some maintained trails accessible from Port Alsworth, including the new Portage Creek Trail and the Tanalian Falls Trail.

Hiking is best around the lakes— and from lake to lake. Fishing is usually first class. If you have the time, sign up for a guided kayak.

Information

How to get there

There are no roads to Lake Clark National Park. Book a flight from Port Alsworth, Anchorage, or Kenai, or charter a floatplane. It’s also possible to get to the park’s eastern boundary by crossing Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula by boat.

When to go

Open year-round, the park’s peak season runs June through mid-Sept. June and July are the warmest months, with temperatures between 50°F and 70°F. That’s mosquito time too. Wildflowers are best in late June. Aug. and Sept. are the wettest months. Autumn colors peak at higher elevations in early and mid-Sept. After that, be prepared for anything from sunshine to snow.

Visitor Center

Outside the park, the Port Alsworth Visitor Center (907-781-2117) is open June–early Sept. For general information, consult the park’s website, which they consider a virtual visitor center.

Headquarters

1240 W. Fifth Street Anchorage, AL 99501 nps.gov/lacl 907-644-3626

Field Headquarters Port Alsworth, AK 96653 907-781-2218

Camping

Lake Clark is basically a giant, mostly trail-free, camping site. There’s one primitive campground on Upper Twin Lakes, and two public-use cabins, Priest Rock Cabin and Joe Thompson Cabin (reserve via recreation.gov). Preparation is key: The weather can change quickly, and it may be difficult for a floatplane to retrieve you. It’s not unusual for a trip to run a few days longer than planned.

Lodging

There are several lodges on private lands within the park’s boundaries. For ideas check out: nps.gov/lacl/planyourvisit/eating-sleeping.htm.

US National Parks Map

About the Guide

Bask in the spectacular beauty, thrilling terrain, and quiet peacefulness of the country’s finest state parks, hand- picked by park directors and National Geographic editors. This fully updated fifth edition includes 750 additional off- the-beaten track destinations. Beautifully written descriptions tell the stories of the parks, from their wildlife, natural features, and history to their most popular current activities such as hiking, biking, horseback riding, water sports, and rock climbing. Vivid images inspire your next getaway, while detailed information–including 32 detailed maps highlighting sites, trails, campgrounds, and more– helps you plan your next excursion. From free to low-cost, from Florida to Alaska, from the six-acre lao Valley to the 204,000-acre Baxter, use this essential guide to plan a day visit or a weekend escape.

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