9 Best Things to Do in Lake Clark National Park (Summer in Alaska)

Lake Clark National Park is one of the most remote National Parks in the entire United States. With amazing views, stunning landscapes, and epic bear viewing opportunities - a visit to Lake Clark is well worth it if you're able to add it to your Alaska itinerary. And for many, it's even the sole reason of their visit to the 49th State. Below, I've listed 9 of the best things to do if you're able to make a stop here yourself.

*If you have any questions that aren't answered in this post, please leave them in the comments section where I do my best to answer all Alaska related questions directly!

Huge thanks to Andrew @beachboysandrew for sharing some of his photos from our visits to Lake Clark National Park!

My Essential Alaska Travel Resources :
There are a lot of travel companies out there, but some are better than others. These are my favorite websites and resources to help plan an incredible trip to the 49th State.

For flights, I recommend using WayAway or Hopper to compare the cheapest dates to travel to Alaska.

Car rentals, arguably the best way to see Alaska, are best through Discover Cars!

I always use AGODA for hotels. They have an easy-to-use platform where you can compare the best rates.

To keep cell phone service if you're traveling internationally, I always use Airalo’s easy to purchase eSIM’s (no installation required).

For fun things to do, I recommend Viator to find the best tours in the area, otherwise Klook also does the trick.

Just in case, Safetywing is the insurance I always use for travel insurance.

Lastly, my Alaska packing list for your travels to the Last Frontier.

Getting to Lake Clark and Where to Stay

In order to get to Lake Clark you'll need to take a chartered flight out to Lake Clark National Park, which you can typically do straight from Anchorage. Our package through The Farm Lodge included a round trip flight from Anchorage to Port Alsworth so we didn't need to do any extra planning for our 3 day trip - but if you end up needing to book your own flights I highly recommend using either Lake Clark Air or Rust's Flying Services.

If you're looking for a place to stay, then staying a few days in Port Alsworth is your best bet. There are a couple Airbnb's in the area, but I can only personally recommend The Farm Lodge - which is an all inclusive type resort that includes your lodging, all meals, round trip flights, and certain day trips and tours you can take to explore more areas of Lake Clark National Park.

My Favorite Tour near Port Alsworth :
- VIP Lake Clark Bear Viewing
- 3 Night Private Sailing Charter in Lake Clark

Best Things to Do in Lake Clark

1. Twin Lakes
One of the most beautiful places in Lake Clark National Park, chances are you'll have to take a day trip out here from Port Alsworth. Flights usually take about 30 minutes each way from Port Alsworth, and once you land you can head out for a hike to see panoramic views of the Twin Lakes. This is one of the most popular places in Lake Clark National Park to go backpacking in the summer, so it's also essential to keep any food you bring with you in bear proof canisters. (photos by Andrew @beachboysandrew)

2. Richard "Dick" Proenneke Cabin
One of the most popular spots in Lake Clark National Park is the Dick Proenneke Cabin. Richard, or Dick, Proenneke built the entire cabin himself, and lived there for 30 years without electricity or running water. You can also see his elevated food storage cache just a short ways away - elevated to keep the bears away. During the summer months (June to August) the cabin is open for visitors, although you're asked to be respectful, be gentle, and leave everything as you found it. (photos by Andrew @beachboysandrew)

3. Tanalian Falls
Arguably the most beautiful waterfalls I've been to in Alaska (for sure one of the largest and most powerful). The hike itself is just over 4 miles out and back and has a 777 foot elevation gain. We didn't see any bears, but I would make sure to bring your bear spray just in case. You can hike to the bottom and top of the falls, and it's a great spot to enjoy the views and try your hand at fishing for Arctic Grayling.

Although Tanalian Falls was my personal favorite hike near Port Alsworth, you can also try out some of the other, easier hikes in the area. Beaver Pond Loop Trail is only a 3.4 mile loop and is fairly flat (only a 554 foot elevation gain). It brings you to a beautiful pond with a mountain in the backdrop, and we had the entire hike to ourselves - this is also where we saw our bear tracks!

4. Go Fishing
Although Tanalian Falls is a good spot to try to catch Arctic Grayling, you can also head out on a private, full day or multi day guided fishing tour. Through a tour you'll be able to have the chance to reel in not just Arctic Grayling, but also Lake Trout, Arctic Char, Rainbow Trout, and/or Dolly Varden.

5. Lake Clark Visitor Center
Can you really say you visited a National Park if you didn't visit the park's Visitor Center? Luckily there's one located right in Port Alsworth, but they're only open in the summer months. Here, you can learn about local culture and wildlife, and ask the rangers anything you're curious about! You can also get a stamp for your National Park Passport!

6. Grizzly Bears
Whether you're visiting Lake Clark or Katmai National Parks, chances are you want to see the bears. Personally, I've only seen them at Katmai National Park since my husband and I weren't able to fly out during our time at Lake Clark - but either way this will be one thing you won't want to miss. Seeing the grizzlies up close is an experience you won't find anywhere else, and it's truly amazing. If you want to see them in Lake Clark, chances are you'll fly out to the coastline, and if you want to see them in Katmai, you'll see them along Brooks Falls.

7. Explore Port Alsworth
Port Alsworth is the largest city in Lake Clark National Park, and if you're able to visit for a few days you'll want to at least check it out. You can find public services like the local school and post office, walk across the two runways in town, swim in a glacial lake, and even try out the local food truck (that has some of the best milkshakes). This is also where you'll find a majority of the hikes I've mentioned in this blog post!

8. Go Kayaking
If you're basing your visit to Lake Clark in Port Alsworth, you can rent some of the kayaks from The Farm Lodge and head out right into the bay and out into Lake Clark itself. You'll see incredible views of Tanalian Mountain and be able to explore the beautiful blue waters from shore - just check the wind prediction before you go to make sure you don't get stuck on the wide open waters of Lake Clark. (photos by Andrew @beachboysandrew)

9. Summit Tanalian Mountain
This is the hardest hike to do in the area, but is well worth it. To be completely honest, although I didn't do the hike myself, our friend Andrew headed up here while we were visiting and ended up having stunning, panoramic views of Port Alsworth and Lake Clark below. (photos by Andrew @beachboysandrew)

Watch my Adventures in Lake Clark!

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Other Alaska blog posts you might be interested in : 
-> Ultimate 3 Day Lake Clark Itinerary
-> Flying to Katmai National Park

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