Have you met the state bird of Alaska? Say hello to the Willow Ptarmigan! (the P is silent) NPS photo/L. Law

Spring is in the air! 🌱 Willows are in full bloom, pollinators are in the air, & buds are growing on branches. Summer will be here in full force, but we wanted to take a moment to pause and celebrate the small moments that nature provides. 🐝 📷: Courtesy of J. Jurado

Rest is not idleness, & to lie sometimes on the grass under the trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” – John Lubbock This weekend, be like the red fox, sleep & recharge. NPS Photo

#OTD Lasting three days, the largest volcanic eruption of the twentieth century exploded June 6, 1912, from a new volcano, Novarupta. In the process, it created Katmai caldera and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. NPS photo/ C. Jacoby Graphic courtesy J. Fierstein

Bear season is coming, are you ready? Planning a trip to Brooks Falls? Here are some things to know before you go: nps.gov/katm/planyourv… NPS photo

Did you know you can plan a paddle trip from Brooks Camp? The Savonoski Loop is an 80-mile paddle through the scenic backcountry of Katmai National Park. Learn more here: nps.gov/katm/planyourv… NPS photo/map

“...This is the solstice, the still point of the sun, its cusp and midnight, the year’s threshold and unlocking, where the past lets go of and becomes the future; the place of caught breath, the door of a vanished house left ajar...” ― Margaret Atwood NPS Photo/J. Hyma

Two wildfires are burning within Katmai at American Creek and Naknek Lake. Regular monitoring reveals that neither fire poses an immediate threat to life or property. Smoke may be visible from portions of the park and nearby communities, depending on changing wind conditions.

Happy Wilderness Wednesday! Checking in from Hallo Bay. Hallo Bay is one of Katmai’s most popular bear watching destinations, and for good reason. In Hallo Bay, you can watch bears feed on sedges, clams, and salmon against the backdrop towering volcanoes. NPS photos

A coastal brown bear diet varies from the interior grizzly bear. Coastal brown bears are known to eat salmon, grasses, berries, cow parsnip, moose, roots, and.......*checks📓 notes*, ah yes, WHALES 🐋 NPS photos/L. Law

Ahh, the calm, warm waters of the Carib... Oh wait. Is that a snow capped mountain? Yep, this is Alaska in the summer, not the warm turquoise of the tropics. These waters are fed by snow and glacial melt and are frigid throughout the summer months Photo Courtesy of M. Boles

The flag at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center needed a little TLC for a few days, but our rangers got it raised again just in time for the 4th 🇺🇸 Have a safe and happy holiday! 📸NPS Photo/K. Moore

Regular monitoring of two park wildfires reveals that neither is growing significantly or posing an immediate threat to life or property. American Creek fire is 4,650 acres burning south of Nonvianuk Lake. Naknek Lake fire is 26 acres & nine miles west of Dumpling Mountain.

Species Spotlight: Three-toed Woodpecker This small woodpecker can be found in the boreal forests of Katmai. They specialize in eating bark beetle, specifically the Spruce bark beetle, a pest that is abundant in the forest surrounding Brooks Camp. Photo courtesy of M. Freels

Katmai is celebrating a winning design by Cianne Adams, a 13-year-old student from Newhalen, Alaska, that is featured on Brooks Camp bear pins this summer. “I wanted to add not only the bears but also other famous animals that reside in Katmai,” said Cianne.

We know you love it, Fat Bear Week 2024 will be October 2-8! We work with @explore.org and @katmaiconservancy to broadcast to you the bodacious beautiful bears every year. Fat Bear Week and Fat Bear Junior are the only Katmai Fat Bear events hosted by the Park and our partners

"Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you allllll?" - Great Horned owls Each species of owl has their own unique calls. Birders will often use human words to help remember the cadence of certain bird calls. What do birds say in your area? NPS Photo/ C. Cravatta

Raise your hand if you ever had to dissect one of these in science class ✋ Photo Courtesy of M. Boles

This little guy didn't get the memo that foxes are supposed to be sly not curious. Maybe wild animals don't conform to human impressions though 🦊 Red foxes range all over the continental US and north into Canada and Alaska. Do you see red foxes in your area? NPS Photo/L. Law

See how these cubs cuddle together? Very demure. Very cutesy. NPS Photo/ F. Jimenez