All parks › Katmai National Park & Preserve
Katmai National Park & Preserve: fees, hours, camping and when to visit
Katmai National Park & Preserve is a unit of the National Park System in Alaska[5]. NPS lists it as a fee-free park with no entrance fee, and it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week[1][6].
Entrance fees and passes
The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for Katmai National Park & Preserve[1]. Some tours, campgrounds or permits inside a park can still have their own fees.
When to visit and hours
NPS says the Katmai region sits between the north Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea, so expect all types of weather[7]. On average, spring, summer and fall are wet and cool, and winters are drier and colder[7]. In 2025 the busiest month was July with 13,500 recreation visits[2]. June had 4,688 visits and August had 10,533[2]. May had 313 visits, October had 184 and December had 13, while January through April and November had none[2]. NPS lists three visitor centers: King Salmon, Brooks Camp and Robert F. Griggs[8].
Show visits by month
| Month, 2025 | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 0 |
| February | 0 |
| March | 0 |
| April | 0 |
| May | 313 |
| June | 4,688 |
| July | 13,500 |
| August | 10,533 |
| September | 5,248 |
| October | 184 |
| November | 0 |
| December | 13 |
Camping
NPS and Recreation.gov list one campground in the park, Brooks Camp Campground, with 32 sites[4]. NPS lists nightly individual-site fees from $10 to $18[4]. NPS also lists backcountry camping and canoe or kayak camping among the park activities[9].
- Brooks Camp Campground, 32 sites[4]
Pets and dogs
Under the national NPS pet rule, pets must be kept in a crate or cage or on a leash of six feet or less wherever they are allowed[10]. The rule bars pets from public buildings, public transportation and designated swimming beaches, and service animals are excepted[10]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 2 of its 9 listed things to do, Boating in Katmai National Park and Preserve and Watch the Katmai Bearcam[11]. A park may also close additional areas to pets[10].
Before you go
- NPS lists no entrance fee, but fees and hours change, so confirm on the official park page before a trip[1].
- NPS notes that 4 of its 9 listed things to do require a reservation[11].
- Pack for all types of weather[7].
- Camping fees at Brooks Camp Campground are listed by NPS at $10 to $18 per night for individual sites[4].
Questions people ask
- Is there an entrance fee at Katmai National Park?
- NPS lists Katmai as a fee-free park with no entrance fee[1]. Confirm on the official park page before you go.
- What is the best time to visit Katmai?
- In 2025 the busiest month was July with 13,500 recreation visits, and visits were recorded from May through October and in December[2]. NPS says spring, summer and fall are wet and cool on average[7].
- Are dogs allowed in Katmai National Park?
- Where pets are allowed they must be on a leash no longer than six feet or crated or caged[10]. NPS marks pets as permitted on 2 of its 9 listed things to do[11].
Facts and sources
- NPS lists Katmai National Park & Preserve as a fee-free park: there is no entrance fee. National Park Service
- NPS recreation visits by month, 2025 (chart on this page). NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- NPS recreation visits per year: 2021: 24,764, 2022: 33,908, 2023: 33,763, 2024: 36,230, 2025: 34,479. NPS Visitor Use Statistics
- Campgrounds in Katmai National Park & Preserve (list on this page). National Park Service
- Katmai National Park & Preserve is a unit of the U.S. National Park System (designation: National Park & Preserve) in Alaska. National Park Service
- Operating hours, Katmai National Park and Preserve: Katmai is open 24 hours per day, seven days per week. National Park Service
- NPS weather and seasons overview for Katmai National Park & Preserve. National Park Service
- Visitor centers listed by NPS: 3 (King Salmon Visitor Center, Brooks Camp Visitor Center, Robert F. Griggs Visitor Center). National Park Service
- Activities NPS lists for Katmai National Park & Preserve: Boating, Camping, Backcountry Camping, Canoe or Kayak Camping, Fishing, Fly Fishing, Food, Dining, Picnicking, Flying, Guided Tours, Hiking, Backcountry Hiking, Hunting and Gathering, Hunting,... National Park Service
- National Park Service rule 36 CFR 2.15: where pets are allowed they must be crated, caged or on a leash no longer than six feet at all times, and pets are not allowed in public buildings, on public transportation or on designated swimming beaches (service... eCFR, 36 CFR 2.15
- NPS lists 9 things to do at Katmai National Park & Preserve: Float the Savonoski Loop, Become A Katmai Jr. Ranger, Become a Not-So-Junior Ranger at Katmai, Explore Katmai by Air, Boating in Katmai National Park and Preserve, Watch Bears at Brooks Camp,... National Park Service