Alaska National Parks

09/30/2025

Last day to vote! Let the fattest bear win.

It all comes down to this: a monumental matchup of mass in the Brooks River belly brawl!

Bear 32 “Chunk” is the boulder-bodied bruiser, built like a freight train with fur. He’s got the girth, the growl, and the glory of past seasons behind him.
Bear 856 is a heavyweight and a strategic salmon-slayer with the scars and swagger of a true river ruler. He doesn’t just eat: he commands.

This is no ordinary chonk-off. It’s a battle of legends, a duel of density, a showdown of supreme stuffing. Neither of these bruins have been a Fat Bear Champion, but only one can win today.
Who will waddle away with the title of Fat Bear Week Champion 2025? Vote now at fatbearweek.org and let the fattest bear win!

09/22/2025

Fat bears in the classroom? That’s right, teachers — we’ve got you covered!

Katmai National Park & Preserve has you covered with free classroom resources that bring science, wildlife, and all that jiggles to life. Your students can follow along as these hefty heroes compete for victory.

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09/19/2025

Something big is coming your way! Fat Bear Week returns to Katmai National Park & Preserve from September 23-30, 2025. Get ready as these thick titans battle it out for this year’s Fat Bear crown.

Who will reign supreme?

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08/04/2025

The Great America Outdoors Act (GAOA) is celebrating 5 years! Thanks to funding from the GAOA, Klondike Gold Rush NHP has an on-going project at the Sheep Camp Ranger Station on the Chilkoot National Historic Trail. During the 2024 field season, NPS Historic Preservation Training Center Team put up new siding on the ranger station, made repairs to the roof, and restored all of the windows and doors.

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Image 1: Sheep Camp Ranger Station, a weathered wooden cabin with vertical planking, 2 windows, a covered porch and 2 solar panels on the roof as it appeared before the project started.
Image 2: A National Historic Preservation Training Center team member works on window replacement at the Sheep Camp Ranger Station in 2024.
Image 3: Sheep Camp Ranger Station, a wooden cabin with brand new wooden vertical planking, 2 new windows, a restored covered porch and 2 solar panels on the roof after the siding was completed in 2024.
Image 4: Front view of the Sheep Camp Ranger Station in use by backpackers with boots and gear on the porch.

06/18/2025

With wildfire activity picking up in some parts of the state, and smoke from Canadian wildfires visible in certain areas, you might be wondering about the air quality in the next national park you’re planning to visit here in Alaska! Get the most up to date air quality advisories and other helpful wildfire smoke information from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Air Quality: https://dec.alaska.gov/Applications/Air/airtoolsweb/Advisories/ Know before you go, and stay safe while enjoying your public lands!

(Photo by BLM Alaska Fire Service: Aerial view of the Kathul Fire in Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve, taken May 25, 2025).

06/13/2025

Excellent interagency collaboration is taking place now at Denali National Park and Preserve, where several of our partner agencies are lending a hand to reduce flammable vegetation, or “fuels” around park infrastructure to lower wildfire risk to people, property, and firefighters.

06/03/2025

From June 3 to 7, 1942, Japanese forces attacked Alaska’s Aleutian Islands, bombing Dutch Harbor on the island of Unalaska and invading the islands of Attu and Kiska. The Unangax̂ (Aleut) residents of Attu were taken to Japan for the duration of the war. Of the 40 captives, 16 (40%) died from disease and starvation.

Attu was never permanently resettled after the war; however, the National Park Service co-sponsored a 2017 trip to Attu, the westernmost of the Aleutian Islands, for the descendants of Attuans who were taken prisoner in June 1942.

Learn all about Attuans' WWII journey and their descendants' trip back to the island: https://www.nps.gov/aleu/learn/historyculture/attuans-wwii-experience.htm

Photo courtesy of Aleutian Pribilof Islands Association

05/05/2025

This week (May 3-9) is Alaska Wildfire Prevention and Preparedness Week! We can all play a part in preventing wildfires – use Smokey Bear's tips below, and if you’re heading out to recreate in your favorite park, learn about wildland fire safety for park visitors: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fire/wildland-fire-safety-for-park-visitors.htm.

03/11/2025

A below normal snowpack and warm temperatures may lead to an above-normal potential for significant wildfires from April into May in parts of Alaska including Southcentral, as well as Southwest and the Panhandle.

Our partners at the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection (DOF) have declared an early start (March 17) to fire season in areas within the DOF Coastal Region and Southeast Alaska, with burn permits required on state, municipal, and private lands.

Human-caused wildfires account for approximately 85% of wildfires in the U.S. We can all do our part by checking on local fire restrictions before recreating on public lands, practicing campfire safety, and more! https://www.nps.gov/subjects/fire/wildfire-prevention-and-preparedness.htm

02/24/2025

This Black History Month, we recognize the essential contributions of Black troops in Alaska during World War II. As thousands of soldiers arrived in the territory, many were assigned to segregated units like the 372nd, 373rd, and 383rd Port Battalions and the 93rd Engineers. Despite facing racial segregation, these brave men worked diligently in harsh conditions, building critical infrastructure in places like Cold Bay and Umnak in the Aleutians, playing a vital role in the war effort.

In the Aleutians, a unique dynamic emerged as Black and white soldiers occasionally collaborated on projects, challenging the rigid segregation of the time. Notably, figures like Dashiell Hammett integrated his signal corps, including Black soldiers, reflecting a gradual shift in race relations. While the military remained largely segregated, the experiences of Black troops in Alaska laid the groundwork for future changes, culminating in President Truman's executive order to desegregate the armed forces just three years later. Their legacy reminds us of the resilience and contributions of Black servicemen in shaping America's history!

Learn more about the stories of diverse groups affected by WWII in the Aleutians: https://www.nps.gov/aleu/learn/historyculture/people.htm

National Archives and Records Administration Photo, Record Group 11 (pictured: black troops nine days afer the invasion of Attu Island on Massacre Bay, Attu, Aleutian Islands)

02/17/2025

This Black History Month, we celebrate Captain Michael Healy, a remarkable figure in Alaska’s maritime history. As a mixed-race man of African and Irish descent, Healy played a crucial role in the U.S. Revenue Cutter Service, the precursor to the U.S. Coast Guard. He navigated the treacherous waters of the North Pacific and became known as “Hell Roaring Mike” for his fierce leadership and unmatched skills at sea.

One of Healy's significant contributions was introducing reindeer herding to the Seward Peninsula region of Alaska. Throughout his travels at sea, Healy noticed that Indigenous people of Russia herded caribou instead of hunting them in the wild, providing reliable access to their hides and meat. Though Alaska Natives had long hunted caribou in the wild, herding provided an alternative and reliable means of subsistence.

Healy's efforts not only supported Indigenous ways of life but also fostered connections between cultures. Captain Healy's legacy reminds us of the important contributions of Black people in shaping Alaskan history. Learn more about Healy and other notable African Americans in Alaskan history:https://www.nps.gov/articles/upload/Black-History-in-the-Last-Frontier_Reader_Compressed.pdf

U.S. Coast Guard Photo / Unknown Photographer (c. 1895)

02/10/2025

This Black History Month, we recognize the vital contributions of Black women during the Alaska Gold Rush! As thousands of men flocked north for fortune, some women, like Mary B. Mason, staked claims and mined for gold. Mason traveled from Seattle to the Yukon, briefly claiming land at Hunter Creek and returning with over $5,000 in gold dust. Lucile Hunter also demonstrated remarkable resilience by working a claim near Dawson while raising her child as a single mother.

Other Black women found success by opening businesses that supported miners and newcomers to the region. Bessie Couture established the first known Black-owned business in Alaska, the Black and White Restaurant in Skagway, while Mrs. G. B. Verden operated a hotel near Nome, providing much-needed accommodations. Madame Jones opened the first beauty salon in Fairbanks, showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit of these women. Their resilience and innovation left an indelible mark on Alaska’s history and paved the way for future generations.

Learn more about Bessie Couture's entrepreneurship: https://www.nps.gov/people/klgo-bessie-couture.htm

Photo courtesy of Bessie Couture Collection, Anchorage Museum, B1987.2.44c and B1987.2.44e