Can I fly a drone at Katmai National Park?
Famous for brown bears at Brooks Falls during the salmon run — and for the 1912 eruption that created the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. NPS drone ban applies.
Why drone pilots want to shoot here
Brooks Falls bears. Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes. Naknek Lake. Salmon-spawning rivers.
Where you CAN fly nearby
Adjacent USFS, BLM, and state-managed land that typically permits drone use with appropriate rules.
Adjacent Alaska state land
Limited but available outside the park.
FAQ — Katmai National Park
Can I fly drones at Brooks Falls?
No. Brooks Falls is inside Katmai NP. Drone ban applies.
What about the bears?
Brown bears at Brooks Falls are federally protected. Drone harassment of brown bears triggers additional federal penalties beyond the NPS ban.
Are there comparable bear-viewing alternatives?
McNeil River State Game Sanctuary (Alaska) has bear-viewing with stricter regulations. Drone use prohibited.
Other national parks
Park boundaries can be irregular. Verify the boundary of any alternative location before flying — adjacent USFS / BLM Wilderness areas have their own drone ban under different statute. Altoa is not the FAA or NPS.