Bear Viewing

Question 0

Will I see black bears at the Lodge? 

  • It is not uncommon to see black bears along the beaches in Halibut Cove during a Boat Tour, or while hiking in the Kachemak Bay State Park. We even occasionally have them stop by and peek in the windows! 

Will I see brown bears at the Lodge?

  • No. We do not have brown bears in Halibut Cove. While there have been reports of brown bears in the Kachemak Bay State Park, a sighting is extremely rare. 
  • For guests that would like to see brown bears, we would be happy to arrange a Bear Viewing Trip for you. 

What is the best time to see brown bears in Alaska?

  • This entirely depends on what you want to see. In the early summer, bears just coming out from hibernation are gathering along the coastal sedge flats and in the meadows to beach comb and graze on succulent spring grasses. It is mating season, so you may see large males pursuing the females. June is the time new spring cubs are being introduced into the general population of bears, and young sub-adults are playfully celebrating the return of summer. There is a lot of bear interaction and socialization.
  • In mid summer, fishing is what is on the bears minds. They become very focused on the sole task of catching and eating as much fish as possible. Many of the streams and rivers along the Alaska Range fill with salmon returning to the very streams they were spawned in, and the bears are waiting with hefty appetites after a long winters sleep. Each has their favorite fishing spot and unique fishing style. 
  • By late summer, the bears are at their very prettiest, fat and sleek for a long winter of hibernation. The tundra is turning from green to varied shades of autumn.​​

What is Fat Bear Week? 

  • Every year in October, the Katmai National Park & Preserve hosts Fat Bear Week, where rangers create a tournament style bracket pitting individual bears agains each other, based on the weight they gained to prepare for hibernation. The public then votes to see who will advance each round. Voting takes place over several days on FatBearWeek.org, and people may vote using any criteria they see fit. In the end, one bear will be crowned the champion. Throughout the season, you can also tune in to the Bear Cams, which offer unprecedented access to the lives of the bears of Brooks River.