Yes the bears know they are the stars of the show, and they have no interest in messing with their audience. Food supplies are plentiful, and the viewing area is relatively flat which allows the bears to see people from a distance and minimizes any surprises. The grizzly bears of Chinitna Bay are "habituated" to people, meaning they are used to seeing people and know that people do not pose a threat and are not a food source.
Lake Clark National Park
Overview
This 4 million-acre gem is packed with the most sought-after attractions in Alaska: bears! plus other wildlife, glaciers, mountains, serene wilderness and history packed with stories of Alaska Native and homesteader struggles. On the western shores of Cook Inlet in Chinitna Bay, across from Kenai Peninsula, lies a remote yet accessible bear viewing destination called Great Alaska BearCamp. This award-winning camp is situated in prime bear viewing area at Lake Clark National Park, that's why Disney used BearCamp as their home base for filming their amazing movie "Bears."
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve is so remote that you can't drive there. The only way in or out is by boat or Alaska Bush Plane. The two most popular activities in Lake Clark National Park are bear viewing and sport fishing, and the Park is somewhat geographically divided along these lines too. The overall Park spans from Chinitna Bay on the shores of Cook Inlet to the Kvichak River on the Park's western side. Separating these two areas are the formidable mountains of the Alaska Range. If you want to visit the largest wild sockeye salmon run in the world you should visit the western Kvichak side. While the majestic Brown Bear lives throughout the Park, the shores of Cook Inlet offer some highly productive bear viewing that's accessible from Anchorage and Kenai. Chinitna Bay is a particularly good area to view Brown Bears within the Park.
History
Lake Clark National Park & Preserve was established in 1980 as part of the overall Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, because it was in the National Interest to protect the unique brown bear viewing habitat (so you could visit and bear witness to this spectacular ecosystem and its inhabitants). There were many homesteaders living inside the boundaries when the Park was created, and these homesteaders got to keep their land and special "inholdings" of private land within the Park.
Great Alaska Involvement
BearCamp is included in many of Great Alaska's trips, including fishing packages, non-fishing nature safaris, and independent lodge stays. Just across Cook Inlet from the Kenai Peninsula Great Alaska owns its BearCamp property in Chinitna Bay, Lake Clark National Park. The award-winning BearCamp is smack in the middle of prime brown/grizzly bear habitat, on an inholding homestead with Grandfathered rights adjacent to the Park itself. (Great Alaska's main lodge is also on an original homestead - because the best spots were homesteaded first, and in tourism it's all about location, location, location.)
In Closing
A trip to Great Alaska's award-winning BearCamp is a peak highlight of any Alaska vacation. Each trip comes with a spectacular Alaska Bush plane flight across Cook Inlet to our "glamping-style" rugged yet comfortable homestead camp on Chinitna Bay in Lake Clark National Park & Preserve. You get to spend quality time with brown bears in a stunning landscape of protected lands.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to live with the Bears?
What should I where to BearCamp
It's good to dress warm because you will be on the seacoast yet close to snow-capped mountain tops with hanging glaciers. Our guests prefer to dress in layers so they can easily add a layer if they get a bit chilled. The rain does not stop us from visiting the bears, so we suggest you bring sturdy two-piece rain gear. We have knee boots to get you through the muddy spots in the shore grass.
How long should I stay?
We recommend you stay as long as is reasonable for your style of travel. Most guests stay for 1-3 nights, depending on how much they want to see the bears. Those who have photographic goals tend to stay longer so they can catch the bears in different situations, weather and light. Our staff enjoy the bears so much they stay out there all season long.