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Lake Clark National Park and Preserve was established in 1980. It protects approximately 4 million acres of undisturbed public land representing a microcosm of Alaska ecological resources. Less than 5,000 people enjoyed the park in 2004.

The Natives may have inhabited the area for the last 7,000 years. Kijik village and Tanalian Point enrich the areas history. The Lake Clark area first attracted outsiders interested in mining and then homesteaders. Located at the mouth of the Tanalian River, Tanalian Point was Lake Clark’s first Euro American settlement. Settled by prospectors in the late 1890′s, Tanalian Point was the forerunner of Port Alsworth. The site offered ready access to nearby copper prospects and the best wood fuel and timber for cabins. Dena’ina Athapaskans lived at Tanalian Point after prospectors established it as a community. Kijik was the closest Native village, located seven miles north across Lake Clark. Originally from the Old Village at Telaquana, the Trefon Balluta family was living at Kijik in 1900 and at Tanalian Point by 1912. Kijik village was abandoned by 1909. Tanalian Point thus became more important for both Euro Americans and Natives. It developed into a staging area for the Telaquana Trail and mining activities on Kontrashibuna Lake and Portage Creek. Big game hunters arrived by 1921 seeking local guides.

In May 1942, Leon “Babe” Alsworth and his wife Mary moved to the north side of Lake Clark, from Koggiung on the Bristol Bay. With aircraft safety in mind, they relocated their homestead to Hardenberg Bay, about 3/4 of a mile from Tanalian Point, in 1944. Prior to this event, Mary Ann Trefon’s spring fishing camp and a prospector’s cabin associated with the Kasna Creek copper claims were the only structures on the bay. By 1950 time and change had eclipsed Tanalian Point. The old prospectors had passed on. The Trefon Balluta family had moved to the Dena’ina village of Nondalton, twenty-two miles to the southwest. Babe Alsworth began using his 4,000 foot runway. Tanalian Point ceased to exist as a community and Port Alsworth emerged. The first post office was established in Mary Alsworth’s home in 1950.

The park area is a land of volcanoes and earthquakes. The Aleutian Island subduction zone lies about 30 miles beneath the surface of the Kenai Peninsula, but abruptly dives to depths greater than 65 miles beneath the western edge of Cook Inlet, and to a depth greater than 100 miles beneath Redoubt and Iliamna volcanoes at the eastern end of the park. Here, the Pacific Ocean plate is being pushed beneath the North American Plate. The subduction along the Aleutian trench has been going on for the last three million years at a rate of 2.6 inches per year, and earthquakes and volcanoes are prevalent. Thirteen earthquakes of magnitude 5-6 on the Richter scale have occurred in the area since 1972, mostly at depths of 55-110 miles beneath Chinitna Bay and Tuxedni Bay. Strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can be expected to continue in the eastern part of the park as the Pacific plate continues to dive beneath the North American plate. Alaska’s volcanic belt is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and contains 70 potentially active volcanoes. It extends from Mount Spurr near Lake Clark to Buldir Island in the western Aleutians.

Within the Lake Clark region itself there are four active (and three of the tallest) volcanoes. Mount Spurr, at 11,070 feet, lies just north of the park. Mount Redoubt, at 10,197 feet, and Mount Iliamna, at 10,016 feet, are both located in the park. To the south of the park lies Saint Augustine Island. Mount Spurr erupted on July 9, 1953. That spectacular explosion sent a cloud of ash up 70,000 feet in just 40 minutes. Ash dropped on Anchorage, only 80 miles east, with a total accumulation of 1/8 to 1/4 inch. The most recent eruptions took place on June 17, August 18, and September 16-17, 1992, with ash plumes reaching up to 30,000 feet, darkening the skies, and dusting Anchorage with ash once again. Gases are frequently seen venting near the summit of Mount Iliamna, but there are no documented reports of recent eruptions. Redoubt Volcano, just north of Iliamna, awakened December 14, 1989, dumping varying amounts of ash primarily north and west of the volcano and lightly dusting Anchorage and Kenai. Periodic eruptions continued throughout the week before Christmas, disrupting holiday air traffic. Eruptions continued until April 21, 1990. Until 1989, Redoubt had not erupted since 1966. St. Augustine last erupted in 1986. Its eruption, too, sent ash several miles high and disrupted air traffic in south-central Alaska for several days.

Along with Lake Clark’s volcanoes stand a frenzy of peaks called the Chigmit Mountains. They were formed as a result of massive intrusions of granite coupled with the uplift of existing rock layers. The intruded rocks are moderately to highly deformed volcanic and sedimentary rocks. Today, you see a spectacular maze of jagged peaks and spires, and broad, U-shaped valleys carved out by glacial action. About 12,000 years ago, great ice sheets and glaciers retreated as the world’s climate experienced a warming trend. The awesome and spectacular landscapes we see throughout the park and preserve today are remnants of this period. In the western foothills, glaciers once pushed out onto the interior plains. Retreating at a later time, the glaciers filled their former beds with melt water and created the remarkable jewel-like lakes that rank down the western side of the park and preserve. Like rivers, glaciers move down slope under the influence of gravity and flow along the path of least resistance. Although glaciers in the park are now retreating, their ice movement is still down the mountain. A glacier is said to be retreating if the rate at which it melts is greater than the rate at which it moves down slope.

At Lake Clark, glaciers are the dominant architects at work. Tremendously heavy and sharp glaciers tear, shear, and rip rock material away from the mountain and valley sides, transport the debris, and eventually dump it into piles called terminal moraines. Lateral moraines are piled up on each side of a glacier and are composed of plucked rock material from the valley walls, and rock that avalanche onto the ice surface. When two valley glaciers join, two lateral moraines merge to create a medial moraine in the middle of the combined glacier. At the foot of a glacier, a person can count the number of medial moraines and determine how many glacial valleys feed the main glacier.

Entirely trailless; wilderness adventures abound with the park and preserve’s western parts generally offering the easiest hiking. The drier, brush-less tundra plateaus enable hikers to go where ever they chose. Farther south, there is more timber and brush along the drainages, hence more bushwhacking and tougher going if one leaves the ridges. This area is still good hiking and is less frequented by the public. Access into various portions of Lake Clark National Park can be expensive because of the air taxi costs. The area south and east of Lake Clark itself is accessible from the community of Port Alsworth for the price of a seat fare (approximately $300 round trip from Anchorage). It offers 4,000 foot summits with great views, open tundra, and high alpine cirques. Hikers could spend several days traveling through these mountains. To the south is the Tazimina Lakes region, an excellent area to fish for rainbow trout.

Using a canoe or kayak to travel through Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a peaceful and rewarding experience. There are numerous lakes to explore in this way. Contact the air taxi you plan to travel with to discuss with them the kind of boat you may want to bring and if they can fly it there. Rafting rivers in the Lake Clark area is also a great way to experience wilderness. There are numerous float trip possibilities. Three National Wild Rivers flow through here. Mulchatna National Wild River begins in Turquoise Lake at the base of Telaquana Mountain and flows through the rolling Bonanza Hills in a challenging, shallow, rocky channel, more suitable for small rafts and kayaks than canoes. Expect a stretch of fast WW II-III above Bonanza Creek; a portage is possible. West of the Bonanza Hills the valley broadens; here the river trip is a gentle float through forests of spruce, birch and aspen. Farther downstream after picking up the waters of the Chilikadrotna River, the floodplain widens to wetlands and joins the lowlands of the Nushagak River. The best time of year to go is June – September with trip lengths of 100 to 230 miles. Chilikadrotna National Wild River flows down the west side of the Alaska Range out of Twin Lakes, through gentle upland forests of spruce, birch, and aspen. The Chilikadrotna is a swift, twisting, narrow river, most suitable for rafts or kayaks; canoeist attempting it should be very experienced. There are limited whitewater opportunities: sweepers and strainers are the biggest hazard. Good fishing and a fast pace are pluses for this river. Trip lengths are 70 to 200 miles when combined with Mulchatna on its lower end. Tlikakila National Wild River is located about 110 air miles west of Anchorage and is found entirely within park boundaries. Flowing through Lake Clark Pass, this small but fast glacier-fed river follows the deep narrow valley of a major earth fault, surrounded by rugged snow-capped peaks, glaciers, waterfalls, and sheer rock cliffs. From its headwaters at Summit Lake, the river drops through a densely forested valley with thick underbrush. Just below the confluence with the North Fork, a short section of WW III-IV rapids can be portaged on the left bank. At high water, other WW III-IV rapids appear in the next 3 miles after this confluence. Small plane traffic will be present daily along the Tlikakila (Lake Clark Pass is the airway/route of getting to Anchorage from SW Alaska). Anticipate moderate to heavy traffic especially during weekends and the fall. The best time of year for this river is July – September and the average trip length is 70 miles.

The wide variety of habitats found in the park allow for an abundance of bird species that in turn allow ample bird watching opportunities. Over 125 species of birds are found in the Lake Clark region, and bird lists are available at the visitor center. The once endangered Peregrine falcon nests along the Tuxedni Bay coastline. The foothill/lakes region to the west of the Chigmit Range, and the Chulitna Flats adjacent to Lake Clark are important feeding and nesting grounds which host a varied array of migratory and native birds. Red-throated Loon, Arctic Loon, Horned Grebe, Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel, Tundra Swan, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, American Wigeon, and Greater Scaup are just a few to be named. There are many, many more.

There is abundant wildlife to be seen in the park. Black bears are present throughout the park and preserve except at higher elevations. Brown (grizzly) bears are common in all habitats, but Chinitna Bay, along the coast, supports the most sizable concentration. Caribou remain primarily in the hills around Turquoise, Twin and Snipe lakes and westward to the Bonanza hills. The population of the herd is estimated to be over 200,000 animals, and is increasing in size. Moose, the largest members of the Deer family, are found below timberline throughout the park. Dall Sheep are the northernmost species of wild sheep in North America. These white sheep number about 600 animals and range at higher elevations all along the western flank of the Chigmit Mountains. Coyotes are found in grassy as well as brushy or boulder-strewn areas of the park. Wolves are mainly in the park’s mountainous areas, generally below 5,000 feet in coniferous forests, and in open tundra. Both red fox and lynx are found throughout the park at almost any elevation, primarily in coniferous-hardwood forests and open tundra. Other fur-bearers found in Lake Clark National Park and Preserve includes marten, river otter, wolverine, weasels, mink, hares and beaver. Chinitna Bay and Tuxedni Bay support a variety of marine mammals. Some of these mammals include sea lions, beluga whales, harbor seals and porpoises. Other whales may also be seen occasionally in the area. Most of the coast freezes in the winter, and therefore does not support a year-round marine mammal population.

One of the primary reasons Lake Clark National Park and Preserve was established was to protect a portion of the Bristol Bay watershed for the perpetuation of the sockeye salmon fishery. The watershed, the world’s most productive spawning and rearing habitat for sockeye salmon, contributes about 50% of sockeye salmon caught in Bristol Bay. This represents 33% of the entire U.S. catch, and 16% of the total world catch. Spectacular lakes and wild rivers fill the valleys, flowing southwestward to Bristol Bay. Fish include five species of salmon, rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, lake trout, northern pike, and arctic grayling. Crystal clear and glacial fed mountain lakes nestled among the jagged spires of the Alaska Range contain a combination of arctic grayling, Dolly Varden, several species of salmon, lake trout, and northern pike. The northern area of the park includes such major resources as Two Lakes, Twin Lakes, Telaquana, and Turquoise Lake. Lake Clark itself is fished for grayling, lake trout, Dolly Varden, northern pike, and red salmon. Other lakes that provide opportunities for recreational fishing include Kontrashibuna, Crescent, Portage, Lachbuna, Kijik, Fishtrap, and Tazimina Lakes, in addition to many smaller lakes. Two of the three wild and scenic rivers, the Mulchatna and the Chilikadrotna, provide exceptional floating experiences and the opportunity for fishing red and king salmon, grayling, Dolly Varden, and rainbow trout. The Tlikakila River, although an excellent float trip, is too glacial to support a sizeable population of game fish. The lower Chulitna River, with its non-glacial waters flowing through tundra and marshes in the southern preserve, has northern pike. Other rivers which will provide good fishing opportunities in and around the park include the Tanalian, Kijik, Tazimina, Necons, Stony, and Telaquana Rivers and Currant Creek. Several streams flow southeast into Cook Inlet, providing habitat for spawning red and silver salmon. These include the Crescent and Johnson Rivers in addition to Shelter and Silver Salmon Creeks. Adjacent saltwater provides good opportunity to fish for halibut.

An air quality monitoring station operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service is located at Silver Salmon cove. The station measures fine particles.

There are 30 species of non-native vascular plants within Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. Most of the plants are not considered to be highly invasive and problematic. There is an effort to eradicate the common dandelion from Upper Twin Lakes. There are no known species of non-native animals that are free roaming within the unit.

During late May and early June you may find that some of the upper elevation lakes are still frozen. June and early July are usually the best months for hiking. During these months be prepared for cool temperatures, averaging between 50° and 65° F with considerable precipitation. It’s especially cool in the evenings and in mountainous terrain. August and September are typically wet, cool and windy. Frost and snow can occur in September and October, and in mid-summer evening frost should be expected. Strong winds can occur at any time. Winter temperatures can sink to -40º F. North of the Artic Circle the sun does not set from mid-May until mid-August.

Spending time in this pristine country requires preparation. Wilderness adventure demands self-sufficiency and advanced backcountry skills. Leave your itinerary with the field headquarters at Port Alsworth before departing into the backcountry and also to a friend or family member. Be sure to notify your friend or family when you return. Weather can change quickly and remain bad for several days. Be prepared for the possibility of inclement weather delaying scheduled pick-up, again by perhaps several days. Always filter or boil your water. Have adequate layered clothing for the time of year you travel. Other useful equipment on your backpacking checklist should be of good quality and include, topographical maps, compass, GPS, first-aide kit, tent with rainfly, sleeping bag and mat, campstove, matches, good hiking boots, flashlight with extra batteries and bulb (in winter), rain and cool weather gear, multipurpose tool or knife, extra food, and extra cooking fuel, water filter or tablets, insect repellant, gun and/or pepper spray for bears, sunglasses, sunscreen, and signal mirror.

When backpacking and/or hiking, be aware that willows, alders and birch brush found along the water courses and on many of the lower mountain slopes generally mean slower and tougher travel. Some areas are virtually impassable because of the vegetation. Hikers should also be prepared for wet feet from occasional soggy tundra or river fords. Keep in mind that all streams and rivers must be forded, and during high water levels, this may prove to be impossible. Make wise choices when crossing.

Inflatable canoes and kayaks are good choices for gear-limiting small aircraft. The rivers in Lake Clark are more suitable for use with a kayak than a canoe. Wind and weather can work the lake’s surface into a stormy sea, unsuitable for small boats. If limited by time constraints, travel on Lake Clark by power boat is an option for getting around. A calm lake can quickly become rough. Keep an eye on the weather. Small waves in the morning and early afternoon can become large waves and white caps in just an hour or two. Hypothermia always needs to be considered in this country. The frigid water and windy, wet weather are unforgiving. Be prepared, think ahead and be aware of the signs and symptoms of hypothermia. (Chills, sluggishness, disorientation, difficulty thinking and with coordination)

Current Weather

Inquire about recent bear activity in the area. Keep in mind that each bear is an individual, each encounter is unique and you are not fluent in their language. Stay extra alert near food sources such as animal carcasses, berry patches, and spawning fish and be aware of your surroundings. Look for bear-activity signs: tracks, scat, diggings, torn-up logs, and turned-over rocks. It is legal to shoot a bear in defense of life or property in Alaska only if you have made efforts to avoid problems in the first place. Note: In the event a bear is killed for self-protection, you are responsible for ending your planned itinerary and transporting the skull and properly skinned hide to the State of Alaska. Further information on these regulations is available from the Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game. Use common sense.

Moose can also be dangerous. Avoid direct contact, especially those with young. See the Wildlife Precautions page.

There are no fees.

There is not an established campground in the park. It’s up to you to decide where to pitch your tent. Choices can be limited by private property around Lake Clark itself, so be sure of land status before setting up camp. If you are coming into Port Alsworth and want to camp in that area, you can hike three miles to Kontrashibuna Lake via the Tanalian Falls trail. With such freedom to travel and camp where one pleases, it’s important that you camp lightly on the land and leave no trace.

Firewood must be dead or down. Do not remove tundra for tent pads. Do not remove natural objects like antlers/horns, skulls, historical objects, plants or rocks. Hunt only in the Preserve and don’t kill undersize animals or fail to salvage the meat. Use bear resistant containers and pack out all trash. Dispose of all human waste properly.

Katmai National Park & Preserve, Kenai Fjords National Park, Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve, Denali National Park & Preserve, Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska Peninsula National Wildlife Refuge, Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, Chugach National Forest and Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge are all worth checking out for further outdoor adventures.

There is no highway access to the park and preserve. Access to the Lake Clark region is by small aircraft. Float planes may land on the many lakes throughout the area. Wheeled planes land on open beaches, gravel bars, or private airstrips in or near the park. A one to two-hour flight from Anchorage, Kenai or Homer will provide access to most points within the park and preserve. Scheduled commercial flights between Anchorage and Iliamna, 30 miles outside the boundary, provide another means of access.

There are no roads in the park. A two and one half mile trail to Tanalian Falls and Kontrashibuna Lake is accessible from the town of Port Alsworth. The 50 mile Telaquana Trail depicted on maps is an undeveloped historic route from Lake Clark to Telaquana Lake. Accommodations are available in Port Alsworth, but should be reserved well ahead of time. The period of highest visitation is June through September. This area is wilderness and preparation is important for your safety and enjoyment.

Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Administrative Headquarters,
4230 University Drive, Suite 311, Anchorage, AK 99508

Field Headquarters, 1 Park Place, Port Alsworth, AK 99653
Headquarters (907) 271-3751
Visitor Information (907) 781-2218
By Fax (907) 781-2119

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