Planning Your Visit
Management
Management
Created in 1916, the National Park Service manages over 385 different units and each unit preserves a unique story related to natural and cultural resources that have shaped our country. The mission is to preserve unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The National Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.
Things To Know Before You Come
No visitor to Aniakchak should attempt to plan and carry out a trip based solely on the information in this website. For a safe and successful Aniakchak adventure, however, all visitors must be prepared for extreme weather and the likelihood of encounters with brown bears.
With the exception of some guide services, visitor interaction with commerical services at Aniakchak ends once they're dropped-off by your air taxi.
Then, you're on your own!
Plan Your Visit
Aniakchak is truly a wild and unpredictable place. For the prepared visitor however, these very characteristics can make for the adventure of a lifetime.
Visitors are encouraged to (and should expect to) invest a significant amount of time and energy in planning their visit. For more information, contact Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve headquarters in King Salmon, AK. The King Salmon Visitor Center, in partnership with the Alaska Natural History Association, offers maps, books, and other useful trip planning literature.
Operating Hours & Seasons
Operating Hours & Seasons
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is a truly primitive landscape with no federally-maintained public facilities. The National Park Service imposes no operating hours or seasonal restrictions. Access to and movement within Aniakchak, however, may be limited or restricted at any time depending upon prevailing weather conditions and/or volcanic activity.
Please also be aware that in-holdings of private property exist within the monument and preserve. At no time is it permissible to enter private lands without prior consent from the landowner. Please respect the rights of property owners and avoid illegal trespassing.
Weather
Weather
Summer temperatures in this part of Alaska average in the high 40s to low 50s degrees Fahrenheit, with most days overcast and wet. Coastal areas are often shrouded in fog and rain. Winds are frequent and even in summer these conditions can lead to hypothermia, the dangerous lowering of the body's core temperature. As symptoms progress it becomes increasingly difficult to respond to them. Be aware of this danger and know how to avoid and treat hypothermia. Wearing layers of clothing makes it easier to regulate your body temperature.
Current Weather
King Salmon, AK (99613)
Port Heiden, AK (99549)
Fees & Reservations
Fees & Reservations
There are no applicable fees or reservations associated with public use of Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve.
Environmental Factors
Few people go to remote Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve. Its acres are among the least visited in the National Park System. Notoriously bad weather combines with costly and unpredictable access to discourage most would be visitors.Although the unit is hard to get to it offers spectacular scenic vistas and examples of geologic and hydrologic activity.
Directions
Directions
Located on the Alaska Peninsula, 450 miles southwest of Anchorage, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is inaccessible by road. Notoriously bad weather makes access to Aniakchak unpredictable. Drop-offs and/or pick-ups may be significantly delayed.
By Air
Aniakchak National Monument may be directly accessed via air taxi flights chartered from King Salmon, AK and other nearby small towns and villages. Air charters can land you at Meshik Lake, Surprise Lake in the caldera, or Aniakchak, Amber, or Kujulik bays on the Pacific Ocean. Regularly scheduled commercial flights to King Salmon (AKN), which serves as NPS administrative headquarters and the starting point for many Aniakchak adventures, are available from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) via PenAir and Alaska Airlines.
By Boat
Power boats can reach the Preserve portions of Aniakchak from villages along the Pacific Ocean coastline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get to Aniakchak?
Aniakchak is inaccessible by road and must be either flown or boated to. Aniakchak may be directly accessed via air taxi flights chartered from King Salmon, AK and other nearby small towns and villages. Air charters can land you at Meshik Lake, Surprise Lake in the caldera, or Aniakchak, Amber, or Kujulik bays on the Pacific Ocean. Regularly scheduled commercial flights to King Salmon (AKN), which serves as NPS administrative headquarters and the starting point for many Aniakchak adventures, are available from Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC) via PenAir and Alaska Airlines.
Power boats can reach the Preserve portions of Aniakchak from villages along the Pacific Ocean coastline.
Can I drive to Aniakchak? Is Aniakchak ever closed to visitor use? Are there any visitor facilities at Aniakchak? Can I bring my gun to Aniakchak? Is there private property within the National Monument and/or Preserve? Are campfires allowed? How do I store my food? Do I need a permit to travel, camp, and/or spend the night at Aniakchak?
No. Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve is inaccessible by road.
The National Park Service imposes no operating hours or seasonal restrictions. Access to and movement within Aniakchak, however, may be limited or restricted at any time depending upon prevailing weather conditions and/or volcanic activity.
Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is a truly primitive landscape with no federally-maintained public facilities.
Firearms are permitted within the Preserve portion of Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve. Hunting is allowed in accordance with Alaska State Fish and Game (ADF&G) regulations. Any wildlife killed in defense of life or property must be reported to ADF&G within 15 days. The meat of a game animal that you have legally taken becomes your property, but you may not kill another wild animal to protect the meat unless the meat is critical for your livelihood or survival.
Can I keep any fish I catch at Aniakchak?
Retention restrictions, catch limits, and closures may apply; all fishing is subject to Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) regulations.
Yes. Access to private lands is prohibited without prior consent of the landowner. Please respect the rights of property owners and avoid illegal trespassing.
Can I camp anywhere in Aniakchak?
No. Private lands do exist within the National Monument & Preserve. Access to private lands is prohibited without prior consent of the landowner.
Yes. Dead and downed wood only may be used for campfires; live trees may not be cut for any purpose. Due to the presence of archeological sites throuhout Aniakchak, please refrain from any ground-disturbing activity when constructing campfires. Campers are encouraged to follow Leave No Trace Principles to reduce their impact on the Aniakchak environment.
Food must be stored in a manner to prevent bears from obtaining it. Fresh caught fish and other odorous substances, such as toothpaste and garbage, must also be stored appropriately. The approved method for food storage at Aniakchak requires a bear-resistant food container (BRFC). Contact the park for a list of manufacturers of BRFCs. The King Salmon Visitor Center has a limited supply of BRFCs which may be checked out for non-commercial trips on a first come, first served basis. Ice chests, coolers or dry bags do not provide adequate protection from bears. Fish entrails should be discarded in a swift-moving river current.
Permits are not required for public access to or overnight stays within Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve. However, campers are encouraged to make known their itinerary information.
Retention restrictions, catch limits, and closures may apply; all fishing is subject to Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) regulations.
Contact Us
Write to
Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve
#1 King Salmon Mall
P.O. Box 245
King Salmon, AK 99613
Phone
Visitor Information
(907) 246-3305
Fax
(907) 246-2116
Aniakchak In Depth
News from the Parks
Colorado Section of Vast Bike Network is 1,000 Miles
January 5, 2009 - 12:43pm
More than 1,000 miles of the 50,000-mile bikeway being spliced together throughout North American lies in Colorado. The Colorado portion is part of the Great Parks section, which includes 2,518 miles from Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, to Mesa Verde National Park outside of Durango.
January 5, 2009 - 12:43pm
More than 1,000 miles of the 50,000-mile bikeway being spliced together throughout North American lies in Colorado. The Colorado portion is part of the Great Parks section, which includes 2,518 miles from Jasper National Park in Alberta, Canada, to Mesa Verde National Park outside of Durango.
Ranchers Oppose Yellowstone Bison Relocation
January 5, 2009 - 12:32pm
Ranchers are voicing concern about plans to relocate some Yellowstone Park bison to Indian reservations in Montana and Wyoming. The ranchers are worried about the animals' history of carrying brucellosis, a disease that causes domestic cows to miscarry.
January 5, 2009 - 12:32pm
Ranchers are voicing concern about plans to relocate some Yellowstone Park bison to Indian reservations in Montana and Wyoming. The ranchers are worried about the animals' history of carrying brucellosis, a disease that causes domestic cows to miscarry.
A Trip to Yosemite National Park via YARTS is a Must for Valley Residents
January 5, 2009 - 12:31pm
The YARTS bus sped up Highway 140 from Merced into the foothills. It passed Mariposa and stopped at the entrance to Yosemite National Park. A sign read, “Chains required.” The driver parked, and deftly fitted the chains over the tires. A horde of enthused travelers lined up outside the bus, but there were no more seats. Instead of turning them away, the kindly driver allowed them to board the bus and stand in the aisle for the remaining 13 miles of the trip.
January 5, 2009 - 12:31pm
The YARTS bus sped up Highway 140 from Merced into the foothills. It passed Mariposa and stopped at the entrance to Yosemite National Park. A sign read, “Chains required.” The driver parked, and deftly fitted the chains over the tires. A horde of enthused travelers lined up outside the bus, but there were no more seats. Instead of turning them away, the kindly driver allowed them to board the bus and stand in the aisle for the remaining 13 miles of the trip.
Nene Killed on the Road in Haleakala National Park
January 5, 2009 - 12:21pm
An adult nene was killed on the road at Haleakala National Park on Dec. 28. Motorists traveling to the park are asked to drive slowly and cautiously. Visitors reported the dead nene to Visitor Use Assistant Tony Manion at 7:30 a.m. Park Ranger Chad Riggin retrieved the dead nene from the road near mile marker 16.
January 5, 2009 - 12:21pm
An adult nene was killed on the road at Haleakala National Park on Dec. 28. Motorists traveling to the park are asked to drive slowly and cautiously. Visitors reported the dead nene to Visitor Use Assistant Tony Manion at 7:30 a.m. Park Ranger Chad Riggin retrieved the dead nene from the road near mile marker 16.
Life's a Beach: U.S. Virgin Islands are Calling You
January 5, 2009 - 12:19pm
Don't just sit there. Pick a destination and plan a vacation, maybe to someplace a little exotic, where national parks come with tropical beaches, and boats rather than big RVs are a common mode of transportation. You can enjoy all that without fretting over currency exchange rates or making sure that your passport is up to date if you head to a little paradise called the U.S. Virgin Islands.
January 5, 2009 - 12:19pm
Don't just sit there. Pick a destination and plan a vacation, maybe to someplace a little exotic, where national parks come with tropical beaches, and boats rather than big RVs are a common mode of transportation. You can enjoy all that without fretting over currency exchange rates or making sure that your passport is up to date if you head to a little paradise called the U.S. Virgin Islands.
