Katmai National Park: From 1918 Monument to 1980 Park & Preserve

Katmai's protection history spans two distinct designations separated by 62 years:

Katmai National Monument (1918)

• Established: September 24, 1918 by President Woodrow Wilson (Presidential Proclamation 1487)
• Purpose: Protect the **Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes**—the catastrophic aftermath of the **Novarupta eruption (June 1912)**, the 20th century's largest volcanic eruption (30 km³ ejecta)
• Size: ~1.1 million acres initially
• Focus: Geological preservation; limited wildlife protection

Katmai National Park and Preserve (1980)

• Established: December 2, 1980 by **Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA)**
• Transformation: Monument → Park & Preserve; expanded to **4.1 million acres** (park) + **348,000 acres** (preserve)
• Expanded purpose: Protect brown bear habitat, salmon runs, wild rivers, coastline, archaeological sites, wilderness character
• Key distinction: "Preserve" allows sport hunting/trapping; "Park" does not

What Makes Katmai Unique

• Brown bears: ~2,200 — highest density globally; Brooks Falls salmon feeding (world-famous)
• Volcanic landscape: Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, 15 active volcanoes, calderas
• Salmon: All five Pacific species; foundation of ecosystem
• Wilderness: 3.4M acres designated wilderness (no roads, motorized access)
• Archaeology: 9,000+ years of human use; Brooks River archaeological district

Access

No road access. Floatplane from King Salmon (AKN) — 30 min to Brooks Camp. Boat from Homer/Kodiak. Visitor services at Brooks Camp (June-Sept).