Brooks Lodge
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Naknek Lake, Katmai National Park and Preserve, AK
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Room & Suite (25)
Dining (12)
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#2 of 7 Specialty lodging in Katmai National Park and Preserve
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In the Heart of the Magnificent Katmai Wilderness Brooks Lodge overlooks the world famous Brooks River in the heart of Katmai National Park. The lodge, originally conceived as a fishing camp, has been in operation since 1950. The facilities have seen continuous upgrading and have gained a world-wide reputation, attracting visitors from all continents. Bear viewing at Brooks Falls is only a short walk away. Guest accommodations consist of sixteen modern rooms all with modern private facilities. Rooms accommodate two to four persons. The beautiful main lodge building boasts a spectacular view of aquamarine Naknek Lake. Its large circular fireplace is popular for evening relaxing and reminiscing about the day's adventures. Hearty Alaska fare is served three times a day buffet style in the dining area of the lodge. Cocktails are available for purchase at the lodge bar each afternoon and evening. The world famous bear viewing at Brooks Falls is only a short walk from Katmailand's Brooks Lodge. As many as fifty bears live along the mile and a half long Brooks River during the salmon season. Many visitors see bears within minutes of arrival. All visitors are instructed by the National Park Service on how to conduct themselves in "Bear Country". Superb sportfishing is available adjacent to the lodge on the Brooks River and on the Brooks and Naknek Lakes. The Brooks River is fly fishing only. The Brooks Lodge fishing packages are for independent minded fly fishermen who want to experience the great sportfishing of the Katmai area without the expense of a fully guided sportfishing lodge. Including fly outs in your stay will provide the means to fish other hot spots and allow you to take advantage of the variety of species of fish available in southwest Alaska. At Brooks Lodge you are just 22 miles from the volcanic "Valley of 10,000 Smokes". The Valley is the sight of one of the most violent eruptions in modern history. Novarupta Volcano exploded in 1912 with blasts of hot winds and gas which spewed hot glowing pumice and ash, destroying all living things and burying more than 40 square miles of lush green valley under ash deposits to depths of 700 feet. Daily tours of "Valley of 10,000 Smokes" depart from Brooks Lodge daily. Comfortable accommodations in the heart of the magnificent Katmai wilderness make this a truly perfect vacation spot.
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Property amenities
Bar / lounge
Restaurant
Breakfast buffet
Non-smoking hotel
Room types
Non-smoking rooms
Location
Full view
40Car recommended
Grade: 40 out of 100
0Restaurantswithin 5 miles
2Attractionswithin 5 miles
205Reviews23Q+A59Room tips
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Phenomenal experience to see the bears! Brooks lodge is the quintessential wildlife photographer and salmon fisherman’s dream. During covid-19, the experience is better than ever. To limit the number of visitors only 10 of the 16 cabins were available in August. No camping was allowed. Limited number of day trippers. Therefore, time on the Falls and Riffles platforms was unlimited. No waiting lists and no crowds. Bear school orientation was done outdoors. Visitor center is limited to 2 adults of the same household at a time. Dining room is no longer buffet style but socially distanced assigned dining at one of three time slots. Order your entree choice the day before. Breakfast is $17, lunch is $14 (sandwich) or $20 (hot lunch), dinner is $40. Lunch options are soup and salad, turkey sandwich, caprese sandwich,or ham sandwich. Dinner options usually include salmon, a pasta, and something like a pork chop. Food was good but not amazing. Cabins hold 4 people each with 2 sets of bunk beds plus a bathroom. Rooms are very rustic, basic, and small so don’t expect much. Bring your own shampoo, conditioner, and lotion. You do not have to wear a mask outdoors but do wear a mask on the float plane and indoors except when eating/ drinking. There were 2 cases of covid-19 at brooks lodge in July. Plenty of bears this year. Peak bear season is July during the sockeye salmon run.…
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Traveled with friends
1 Helpful vote
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We stayed in a cabin at Brooks Lodge for 3 days on our way to visiting all the National Parks (one to go). In terms of seeing bears up close, it exceed all our expectations! The wildlife management personnel did an excellent job of explaining and balancing the visitor experience with minimizing impact and interference in the bears daily activity (which was sometimes difficult). The bus tour we also took, Valley of 10,000 Smokes, was also a perfect addition to this trip.
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Date of stay: September 2019
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1 Helpful vote
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After the sea plane flight to the Lodge, and after Bear 101class, we began our adventure with the bears as part of a small tour group. Nothing matters other than the opportunity to view these wonderful animals up close in their natural habitat. The lodge was comfortable, the buffet meals were far better than expected, the cabins are fine for what they are. It's all about the location. Plus the staff is excellent. We had an emergency at home and everyone went out if their way to be helpful. Thank you Jason, the General Manager!
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Date of stay: September 2019
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2 Helpful votes
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Staying at Brooks Lodge really was a dream come true. Our cabin was cozy and clean and the lodge was great. It was really wonderful to have a chance to talk to people from all over the world who were there to either see bears or fish, but all appreciating the outdoors and this special place. The food was excellent in the generous buffet, and the staff all were very nice, even at the end of the season. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and we are extremely grateful to have had the chance to stay at this magical and special place.
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Date of stay: September 2019
1 Helpful vote
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My wife and I recently returned from a fantastic stay at Brooks Lodge in Katmai National Park. Brooks lodge was the final location of our sixteen day Alaskan vacation and we definitely saved the best to the last. We arrived via a sea plane from King Salmon airport and were ushered in to our 20 minute bear school class. Pay attention in class, as there is a very good possibility that you will encounter bears on the trail. During our two day stay, I had four encounters with bears on the trail/road leading to the viewing platform, lake, or lodge. Fortunately, all of the bears must have successfully completed bear school also, since other than an elevated heart rate all encounters were non-eventful. We shared our four bunk bed cabin (2 upper, 2 lower) with another couple. The cabin was small, contains a sink, toilet, and shower, offers very little privacy, and has very little storage. That said, for an opportunity to stay on the grounds, I would gladly accept the limitations of the accommodation again. The lodge contains a small round fireplace which serves as a great meeting place in the evening, a dining room that serves buffet style meals during fixed time periods of the day and a small bar. I thought the food was very good. The elevated bridge begins adjacent to the lodge. We had some excellent bear viewing (both extremely close and at a distance from the viewing platforms on the bridge). The bridge contains a double gate system on both ends to prevent bears from entering. Helpful rangers are frequently stationed on the bridge. The Riffles and Brooks Falls viewing platforms can be reached by following a 1.2 mile road/trail. Between two and nine beers were located at the falls on each of our visits. The walk is relatively flat and very easy. My wife took a DSL camera with a 17 to 50 lens and a 100 to 400 lens. She also used a Nikon Bridge camera as sometimes the bears were simply too close for a large lens or the animals moved too quickly to changes lenses. We had a difficult debate on whether we should travel to Alaska/Brooks Lodge in July or September. In the end we decided that the smaller crowds of September matched our style better. We also felt the caribou and moose in Denali would have larger and more impressive antlers in September and that the bears of Katmai would be larger and fatter. We really enjoyed our time at Brooks Falls in the early morning and evenings before the day trippers arrived and after they had left for the day. Brooks Lodge is a very special place.…
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Date of stay: September 2019
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4 Helpful votes
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ALSO KNOWN AS
brooks hotel katmai national park and preserve
LOCATION
United StatesAlaskaKatmai National Park and Preserve
NUMBER OF ROOMS
16
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Brooks Lodge
Which popular attractions are close to Brooks Lodge?
Nearby attractions include Brooks Falls (0.00 miles) and Brooks River (0.5 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Brooks Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include an on-site restaurant, a lounge, and breakfast buffet.
What food & drink options are available at Brooks Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.