Do I need a reservation for Katmai?

No. Katmai National Park and Preserve does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. Katmai National Park and Preserve charges no entrance fee.

Is there an entrance fee at Katmai?

No. Katmai does not charge an entrance fee. Other requirements on this page may still apply.

Katmai reservations & entry requirements, 2026

The 2026 season at Katmai

This is what applies across the published season. Use the date checker below for a specific day.

No reservation is required to enter Katmai National Park and Preserve in 2026. Some activities need their own permit.

This park does not charge an entrance fee.

Park entrance
Not required
Katmai National Park and Preserve does not charge an entrance fee.
- Katmai charges no entrance fee and no entrance pass is required. The costs of a Katmai trip are air taxi / float plane fares, the Brooks Camp Campground fee, Brooks Lodge rates, and the $6 Recreation.gov booking fee for a Brooks River Corridor permit — none of which is a park entrance fee.
Timed entry
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- No park entry permit, timed entry or entry reservation. A Brooks River Corridor permit IS required for activities in that specific corridor from June 15 to October 31. A campground reservation IS required to camp within 1.5 miles of Brooks Camp. All Brooks Camp visitors must attend a bear safety orientation on arrival. Entire park and preserve
Vehicle, road, or corridor
Not required
Nothing here is required in 2026.
- Brooks Camp services run June 1 - September 17; Brooks Falls area closure June 15 - August 15. The Brooks Falls closure is often extended through September 30 — check for annual regulation updates at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center. Marked detours around the closure are flagged with orange tape. Separate backcountry seasonal closures: Hallo Bay core meadows closed to camping April 1 - October 31; camping banned within half a mile of the Moraine Creek / Funnel Creek confluence July 1 - August 31.
Shuttle
Not applicable
Katmai National Park and Preserve has no shuttle system.
Your campground or lodging
Required on some dates
Brooks Camp Campground reservation applies during part of 2026.
- Brooks Camp Campground reservation
  Dates
  May 1, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026
  Hours
  All day
  Fee
  $18
  Opens
  Jan 7, 2026 · 8 a.m. Alaska Time
  Applies to Brooks Camp Campground, inside the Brooks Camp Developed Area (a 1.5-mile radius around Brooks Camp). Wilderness camping outside that radius is free and needs no permit.
  - $18 per person per night June 1 - September 17; $10 per person per night May 1-31 and September 18 - October 31. Fees are per person, not per group. Access and Senior pass holders get 50% off, card holder only.
  - Wilderness camping is allowed everywhere in Katmai outside the 1.5-mile Brooks Camp radius, with no fees or permits required.
  - Campers are limited to 7 nights in July and 14 nights per calendar year; group size limited to 6.
  - The campground reservation does not cover the Brooks River Corridor permit, and every camper still checks in and attends the bear safety orientation at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center on arrival.
- Brooks Lodge: Lodging is not required to visit Brooks Camp; day trips and campground stays are the alternatives.
Book on recreation.gov(opens in a new tab)
Selected activity
Required on some dates
2 separate requirements apply during 2026.
- Mandatory bear safety orientation on arrival
  Dates
  Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
  Hours
  All day
  Fee
  None
  Opens
  No advance booking
  Applies to Brooks Camp Visitor Center — required of every visitor to Brooks Camp, day-trippers included
  - Free.
  - Applies only to Brooks Camp, not to the rest of the park or preserve.
  - Neither a campground reservation nor a Brooks Lodge booking substitutes for the orientation; campers also check in at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center on arrival.
- Brooks River Corridor permit
  Dates
  Jun 15, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026
  Hours
  All day
  Fee
  $6
  Opens
  On sale now
  Applies to The Brooks River itself and 50 yards from the water's edge on either bank, from the Lake Brooks inlet downstream to the elevated bridge and boardwalk. Does NOT include graveled roads, trails, boardwalks, or the wildlife viewing platforms.
  - $6 Recreation.gov booking fee. Each permit is valid for 7 days with a maximum group size of 6 individuals.
  - Redfish fishery subsistence activities are excepted.
  - No permit is needed for travel to or from villages or homesites.
  - No permit is needed to use the gravel roads, trails, boardwalks or the bear viewing platforms — which is what most visitors do.
  - A Brooks Camp Campground reservation or a Brooks Lodge booking does not include this corridor permit.
- Brooks Falls viewing platform: Neither the Riffles nor the three Lower River platforms have a time limit or capacity.

Fees and passes

Katmai does not charge an entrance fee.

Katmai charges no entrance fee and no entrance pass is required. The costs of a Katmai trip are air taxi / float plane fares, the Brooks Camp Campground fee, Brooks Lodge rates, and the $6 Recreation.gov booking fee for a Brooks River Corridor permit — none of which is a park entrance fee.

An America the Beautiful pass is accepted here. It covers the entrance fee only. It does not cover a timed-entry permit, a vehicle reservation, a parking tag, a shuttle ticket, or an activity permit.

There is no entrance fee for a pass to cover — no pass of any kind is needed to enter Katmai. An America the Beautiful Access or Senior Pass DOES earn a 50% discount on Brooks Camp Campground reservations, but only for the card holder, because that campground charges per person rather than per group. A pass does not cover the Brooks River Corridor permit booking fee, Brooks Lodge, or any air taxi.

Fee-free days

Feb 16, 2026
May 25, 2026
Jun 14, 2026
Jul 3, 2026
Jul 4, 2026
Jul 5, 2026
Aug 25, 2026
Sep 17, 2026
Oct 27, 2026
Nov 11, 2026

From 2026 a fee-free day waives the entrance fee for U.S. residents. Other visitors still pay it. A fee-free day never waives a reservation, a permit, or a booking fee unless the park says so.

Rules that apply to one area only

These do not apply to the whole park. Where you go changes the answer.

Brooks Camp Visitor Center — required of every visitor to Brooks Camp, day-trippers includedMandatory bear safety orientation on arrival at Brooks Camp (free, no advance booking) · Jan 1, 2026 – Dec 31, 2026
The Brooks River itself and 50 yards from the water's edge on either bank, from the Lake Brooks inlet downstream to the elevated bridge and boardwalk. Does NOT include graveled roads, trails, boardwalks, or the wildlife viewing platforms.Brooks River Corridor permit (June 15 - October 31, $6 booking fee on Recreation.gov) · Jun 15, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026
Brooks Camp Campground, inside the Brooks Camp Developed Area (a 1.5-mile radius around Brooks Camp). Wilderness camping outside that radius is free and needs no permit.Brooks Camp Campground reservation (required to camp within 1.5 miles of Brooks Camp) · May 1, 2026 – Oct 31, 2026

What a campground or lodging booking does and does not cover

Mandatory bear safety orientation on arrival at Brooks Camp (free, no advance booking)Not covered by an in-park booking. Neither a campground reservation nor a Brooks Lodge booking substitutes for the orientation; campers also check in at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center on arrival.
Brooks River Corridor permit (June 15 - October 31, $6 booking fee on Recreation.gov)Not covered by an in-park booking. A Brooks Camp Campground reservation or a Brooks Lodge booking does not include this corridor permit.
Brooks Camp Campground reservation (required to camp within 1.5 miles of Brooks Camp)Not covered by an in-park booking. The campground reservation does not cover the Brooks River Corridor permit, and every camper still checks in and attends the bear safety orientation at the Brooks Camp Visitor Center on arrival.

Quick answers

Do I need a reservation for Katmai?: No. Katmai National Park and Preserve does not require a timed-entry or vehicle reservation to enter in 2026. Katmai National Park and Preserve charges no entrance fee.
Is there an entrance fee at Katmai?: No. Katmai does not charge an entrance fee. Other requirements on this page may still apply.

Official links, coverage, and sources

When reservations are released

Brooks River Corridor permitPermits are available on Recreation.gov. The NPS page does not publish a release date, a release clock time, or a quota.
Brooks Camp Campground reservationReleased on January 7, 2026. Release time: 8 a.m. Alaska Time. Released in three blocks for 2026: January 7, 2026 for nights May 1 - June 30; February 7 for July 1 - August 31; March 7 for September 1 - October 31. All released at 8 a.m. AKST (12 p.m. EST).

Official booking and park information

Book Brooks River Corridor permitrecreation.gov(opens in a new tab)$6 permit fee
Book Brooks Camp Campground reservationrecreation.gov(opens in a new tab)$18 booking fee
Official park alerts and conditionsnps.gov(opens in a new tab)Alerts override anything on this page.
Official fees and passesnps.gov(opens in a new tab)

What this does not cover

Road, weather, and fire closures that change day to day. Check the park’s alerts page.
Backcountry and wilderness permits beyond the headline permits listed above.
Commercial use authorizations, filming permits, and group-size rules.
Availability. We tell you what is required, not whether anything is left.
Individual campsite and lodge availability, which is handled by the booking system.

Effective dates and sources

Fees and passesNational Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Park entranceFree — No entrance pass required. An entrance pass is not required to access Katmai National Park & Preserve.
Fees & Passes - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No park entrance feeAn entrance pass is not required to access Katmai National Park & Preserve. Other National Park Service sites may require an entrance pass or fee. Depending on your trip plans, an interagency pass may save you money.
Permits and Reservations - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to No park entry permit**For information on Campground Permits please visit Camping at Brooks Camp** There are no permits required for recreation in Katmai. The following information is for Special Use Permits.
Bear Safety at Brooks Camp - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Mandatory bear safety orientation on arrivalWhen arriving at Brooks Camp, you must attend a brief bear safety orientation at the visitor center. The information on this page supplements the orientation, but does not replace it.
Brooks Camp - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Brooks River Corridor permitA permit is needed for any activities within in the Brooks River Corridor... Permits are needed from June 15 until October 31 when the salmon are spawning. Each permit is valid for 7 days with a maximum group size of 6 individuals. Permits are available on www.recreation.gov for a $6 booking fee.
Campgrounds - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Brooks Camp Campground reservationOn January 7, 2026 reservations for the nights of May 1-June 30 will be available. On February 7 reservations for July 1-August 31 will be available. On March 7 reservations for September 1-October 31 will be available. Reservations are released at 8 a.m. AKST (12 p.m. EST) on their release date.
Brooks Camp - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Brooks LodgeAdditional services and amenities including meals and lodging are available at Brooks Lodge through September 17. Only very limited visitor services may continue through September 30.
Bear Safety at Brooks Camp - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Brooks Falls viewing platformFor space considerations, the Falls Platform has a maximum capacity of 40 people. After one hour, you may be asked to yield your spot on the Falls Platform to allow others access to Brooks Falls. This rule applies only when the platform is full and when others are waiting
Bear Watching - Katmai National Park & Preserve (U.S. National Park Service)National Park Service · reviewed 2026-07-26 · applies to Brooks Camp services run June 1From June 15 through August 15, no person may enter the area within 50 yards of the river within 100 yards of Brooks Falls. Use the designated detours around the closure. ... Please note that this closure is often extended through September 30.

Something wrong here?

Park rules change, sometimes at short notice. If a line on this page does not match what the park publishes, tell us and we will fix it and re-check the source.

corrections@nationalparkentry.com· Last factual change 2026-08-05 · Sources last reviewed 2026-07-26

Nearest other national parks

Chosen by distance from Katmai, not by editorial preference.

Katmai National Park and Preserve entry requirements