Brooks Camp

The natural bottleneck for salmon migrations rendered it a desirable site for ancient Alaskans, who inhabited the region around 4500 BP.

[1] The original name for the lake was Ketivik, or Qit'rwik, which means "beavers broke their houses a long time ago," or alternatively, "sheltered place behind a point."

A National Geographic Society-backed expedition chanced upon a valley blanketed in billowing ash, an indelible scene that extended as far as the eye could see.

Although the steam has dissipated since then, tourists continue to venture into this extraordinary, moon-like terrain where astronauts once prepared for lunar missions.

Brooks Camp has achieved global recognition due to live webcams capturing activities in the park since 2012, along with Fat Bear Week.

Because of the elevated seasonal concentrations of brown bears at Brooks Camp, adherence to specific rules and regulations is mandatory for visitors.

Ray Petersen explained how he chose the location of his Angler's Paradise Lodges (Brooks, Kulik, Battle and Grosvenor), "We put the camps on the best rivers for rainbow trout.

In addition to supplying amenities such as running water, shower facilities, and an expansive root cellar, the camp offered meals prepared in a kitchen measuring 32 by 16 feet.

A previous Katmai park ranger observed that webcams featuring bears attracted numerous online comments.

Katmai National Park marker for the history of Brooks Camp
Fishing bear at Brooks Falls
Bears on the bridge over the Brooks River
Gene Shoemaker training astronauts at Brooks Camp [ 10 ]