Lake Clark – Man Vs. Nature

A hundred miles southwest of Anchorage lies a vast and untamed wilderness, a place of volcanoes, granite tipped mountains, roaring waterfalls and dense forests. Hugging the Alaskan coastline, Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is 4 million miles of man vs. nature.

The stunning focal point of the park is Lake Clark, a 42-mile sapphire blue lake hemmed in by snow-capped mountains.

This is an area where experienced back packers venture as most activities require careful planning and/or the resources of native Alaskan guides. There are only two maintained trails in the park, the Tanalian and Portage Creek Trail. The Tanalian begins in the heart of the park and will take you through a spruce, birch and dogwood lined trail to Lake Clark and past a glacier fed waterfall spilling over ancient lava rock. The Portage Creek Trail begins at Joe Thompson Public Use Cabin, which can be reached by boat, floatplane or water taxi. Both trails are moderate in difficulty. For advanced hikers there is the Tanalian Mountain Trail, which is a rigorous hike up the mountain with soaring views of Lake Clark.

All camping in Lake Clark Park is primitive and will test your self-reliance skills. There are many bear-viewing opportunities in the park and several licensed and commercial outfitters can specialize in day-long or overnight bear viewing trips.