Lake Clark National Park is an American national park located about 100 miles southwest of Anchorage in southwest Alaska. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act designated the park as a national monument in 1978, and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act designated it as a national park and preserve in 1980. Many streams and lakes, including the park’s namesake Lake Clark, are important to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery. The park and preserve offer a wide range of recreational opportunities all year. Rainforests along Cook Inlet’s shoreline, alpine tundra, glaciers, glacial lakes, significant salmon-bearing rivers, and two volcanoes, Mount Redoubt and Mount Iliamna, are all protected inside the park. Mount Redoubt has erupted twice, in 1989 and 2009.
Because of the park’s diverse ecosystems, nearly every important Alaskan animal, both terrestrial and marine, may be found in and around it. Sockeye salmon, in particular, play a critical role in the environment and local economy. Brown bears in large numbers are drawn to the Kijik River and Silver Salmon Creek to dine on spawning salmon. In the park, bear watching is a popular pastime. The park has no roads and can only be reached by boat or small planes, usually floatplanes. There are no user fees or admission fees for non-commercial visitors.
Entrances and how to reach the Lake Clark National Park
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve are north of Katmai National Park, 65 miles northwest of Homer, and 120 miles southwest of Anchorage. Lake Clark, like many other regions in Alaska, is not connected to the rest of the state by road and is only accessible by small plane. Unless the region is closed or otherwise prohibited, fixed-wing aircraft are permitted to land on all suitable lakes, rivers, beaches, gravel bars, and open terrain in both the park and preserve.
The plane you utilize will be determined by what you want to do and where you want to go. The first step is normally to decide where you want to go within the park or preserve, and then to find a plane or air taxi that has the necessary equipment to transport you there. It is critical to select an itinerary for summer travel that includes either a plane with wheels or a plane with floats for water landings. Switching between the two types of landing gear can be time-consuming and expensive, so plan a route that is suitable to one or the other. Even though they appear to be close on the map, it would be unrealistic to visit both Crescent Lake and Silver Salmon on the same trip. You must land on a beach at Silver Salmon, and floats are required at Crescent. Between these two points, there is no place to change planes or landing gear.
Flying Safe
Lake Clark is a mountainous and isolated location. A successful journey requires planning ahead for flexibility and severe weather. Allow for a few additional days on both sides of your journey in case of weather delays. In Alaska, we refer to the ‘circle of safety,’ in which the passenger is an active participant in ensuring a safe flight. Passengers should take an active role in ensuring everyone’s safety by familiarizing themselves with the specifies of their journey. If you are a passenger, you should be willing to ask polite inquiries if you are concerned about something or have additional concerns. This concept can be daunting, but there is almost always a cause for your discomfort. It is critical to take action in response to these concerns. The pilot may have a simple solution that restores your sense of security. A simple query could be all that is required to refocus on safety and avoid a flight tragedy.
Air Taxis Operating on Wheels
Air Taxis on Wheels is a type of air taxi that operates on wheels.
If the weather is favorable, they may migrate to places like Port Alsworth, Chinitna Bay, Silver Salmon Creek, and other suitable beaches, runways, or frozen lakes. Other air taxis may decline to come to Port Alsworth because the two airstrips there are privately owned by Lake Clark Air and Lake and Peninsula Airlines, who demand a ramp fee for other flights.