Affordable Bear Viewing Trips In Alaska

Did you know that there are many Alaska bear tours for you to experience? These include options that range from observing bears in their natural habitat to guided wildlife excursions to adventurous hiking trips through the rugged terrain of the national park. Read on to find the best places to take part in affordable bear viewing in Alaska!

Alaska Bear Tours #1

The Pack Creek viewing area is just a 30-minute floatplane ride from Juneau and is located on Admiralty Island. The island boasts one of the largest populations of brown bears in North America. The bears come to the creek to feast on sedges, shellfish, and salmon, which come to spawn in late June and early July. The creek provides a bountiful supply of nutrients for the bears during the prime fishing season, allowing them to fatten up before winter hibernation.

Alaska Bear Tours #2

Drive 30 miles southeast of Wrangell and you will find Anan Creek, where one of the largest pink salmon runs in the state takes place during the early summer months. This location features some of the most easily accessed bear-viewing opportunities for tourists, providing a thrilling wildlife experience for visitors. Black bears are most commonly seen at Anan Creek, but you can occasionally spot a brown bear in the area as well, especially during the salmon spawning season.  Cabins are available for rent, too.

Alaska Bear Tours #3

The easiest place to see bears is at Steep Creek, which is a 10-minute drive from Juneau and located next to the Mendenhall Glacier. The site is free and easily accessible, with a designated viewing area marked off for tourists. Once you arrive at Steep Creek, you can observe the bears fishing for salmon in their natural habitat, providing a unique and unforgettable wildlife experience. Because the area is so near to residential neighborhoods, the bears are well-conditioned to humans and often wander close to the viewing area - giving photographers the chance to capture a one-in-a-million shot!

Alaska Bear Tours #4

One of the most remote spots to take Alaska Bear Tours is Fish Creek. Fish Creek is located outside the town of Hyder, which has a population of 87 people. This isolated town is only accessible by road from British Columbia. Although the location is remote, it is the perfect spot to watch both black and brown bears, who frequent the creek from mid-July to early September. The bears can be seen fishing for salmon or playing in the water, providing a unique and unforgettable wildlife experience for visitors. If you travel to Fish Creek, bring your rain gear and be prepared to see beavers, bald eagles, and wolves, too!

Alaska Bear Tours #5

Katmai National Park and Preserve is home to roughly 2,200 brown bears and is the most popular destination for Alaska Bear Tours and affordable bear viewing in Alaska. The best place to view bears in Katmai is at Brooks Falls, where a low waterfall creates a veritable buffet of salmon for the bears and offers visitors a wonderful opportunity to watch the bears. The bears at Brooks Falls are known for their impressive fishing skills, often showcasing their agility and strength as they catch the salmon mid-air.

Katmai Bear Viewing

Katmai is one of the premier brown bear viewing areas in the world. With an estimated 2,200 brown bears living in this park, more bears than people are thought to live on the Alaska Peninsula!

As many bear populations around the world decline, Katmai provides some of the few remaining unaltered habitats for these amazing creatures. That means the Katmai bear viewing is spectacular for visitors. To see these magnificent creatures, you need to know that they congregate in food-rich areas. One of these areas is at Brooks Falls, where bears gather to feed on sockeye salmon. The four wildlife viewing platforms along the river offer safe and spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities for visitors, while minimizing the potential impact on the bears.

There are other Katmai bear viewing destinations, too! Many backcountry locations within the park offer affordable bear viewing opportunities during bear season. In fact, the Pacific Coast of Katmai National Park and Preserve harbors some of the highest densities of bears anywhere on the planet. However, thick vegetation and rugged terrain can make seeing the bears difficult, so not many Alaska Bear Tours will take visitors into the coastal areas.

If you don't spot a bear along a river, you can be sure to see them in places where they feed on sedges, clams, and salmon. In the spring and early summer, bears migrate to open meadows to feed on sedges and dig for clams on nearby mudflats. Later in the summer and early fall, bears are more easily and consistently seen along salmon streams. That means you are sure to see bears if you plan an Alaska bear tour any time during the spring or summer months.

Safety Guidelines for Alaska Bear Tours

Alaska is one of the few places where all three species of North American Bears live. That means you have a good chance of seeing a bear in Alaska! But even if you don't see a bear, you can be sure that one is nearby. Brown bears, also known as grizzly bears, are found nearly everywhere in Alaska. Black bears tend to be found in Alaska's forested areas. And polar bears live on the sea ice and tundra of Northern and Western Alaska.

Bears tend to avoid or ignore people, but they can be dangerous. Respecting bears and learning proper behavior can help you avoid a dangerous situation, and help you know how to react if you do encounter a bear on your trip.

Avoid Problems

Keep a clean camp when you are out bear-watching, and follow bear safety advice when traveling in bear country on Alaska bear tours.

Give Bears Space

Never approach a bear - instead, give it personal space. Be careful to give female bears a wide berth, so that they do not respond aggressively while protecting their young. And, if you are photographing a bear, use your zoom lens! Don't get too close, or you may end up in a dangerous situation.

Don't Surprise a Bear

Always let bears know you are in the vicinity. Avoid thick brush if you can, hike in groups, and make noise by singing or talking loudly.

Don't Feed The Bears

Don't let bears learn that human food and/or garbage is an easy meal. Keep a clean camp by washing your dishes and cooking away from your tent. Store all food away from your campsite, and hang food out of reach, in trees.

Stay Calm

Always stay calm during a bear encounter. Have your bear deterrent ready, stand your ground, group up with others, and don't run!

Remember, there are many opportunities for affordable bear viewing in Alaska. Whether you plan a trip by yourself or decide to take advantage of one of the Alaska bear tours (like a Katmai bear viewing trip) that are organized by a guide, the opportunities to view these amazing creatures are endless. Seeing bears in their natural habitat is a truly unforgettable experience that allows you to appreciate their majesty and beauty up close. Start planning your trip now!