Bear Viewing
Want to see a brown bear? Homer's the first step.

These magnificent creatures top many visitors' wildlife-viewing wish lists, and it's no wonder. If a perfect photographic experience is what you have in mind or a uniquely Alaskan adventure, a bear-viewing excursion may be your trip of a lifetime.

A popular jumping off point to bear country, Homer has acquired a reputation as the "bear-viewing capital of Alaska."

Only an hour's plane ride separates Homer from the crown jewel of Alaska's wilderness -- Katmai National Park and Preserve, located on the northern edge of the Alaska Peninsula. Designated as a National Park and Preserve on Dec. 2, 1980, Katmai consists of more than 4.7 million acres of prime brown bear habitat.

An estimated 4,000 bears currently live within the park and preserve, making it an area with the highest concentration of brown bears in the world.

Brooks Falls is considered the most popular destination for bear-watching groups in July, but it is not the only time to look for bears in the area. Bears return to the Brooks River in the summer and fall when the salmon are spawning. Nearly 25,000 people visit Katmai National Park each year and there has been more than a 100 percent increase in use and visitation to the Katmai Coast over the last 15 years.

Several charter-boat companies on the Homer Spit, floatplane services on Beluga Lake and small planes from Homer Airport transport people to prime bear-viewing areas.

From the end of May through the end of September, bear viewing can be excellent and experienced bear-viewing operators know where the bears are at any given time of the season.

Guides have learned how humans should act around bears by observing how bears act around each other. Historical approaches to bear behavior are changing as more people become bear-educated.

Most guides have spent years around the bears and have come to understand their behavior and appropriate responses from humans.

Some are able to identify specific bears that they have observed for nearly 20 years.

Guides will usually explain bear safety to visitors before departing and will continually educate them about bear behavior while in the field.

Most bear-viewing trips leave early in the morning and take all day. They cost upward of $500 per person. For longer trips, talk to your guide about arrangements.

Bear watching is a safe, appropriate activity for just about anyone, all age groups. Not every trip is for everyone, but a trip to fill each need can be found.