Lake Clark National Park Adventure Tours

The birthplace of Alaska Alpine Adventures, and our favorite national park.

Since 1998, Lake Clark National Park has been the home of Alaska Alpine Adventures. It is where we guided our first trip, where Dan Oberlatz pioneered the Turquoise Glacier High Route in 2006, and where some of our summertime operations are still based today. Recognized by National Geographic as one of the Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth, we have spent nearly three decades guiding backpacking, hiking, and kayaking expeditions across Lake Clark’s four million acres – from the icefields of the Alaska Range to the salmon-rich shores of its turquoise lakes.

About Lake Clark National Park

At just over four million acres, Lake Clark National Park is roughly twice the size of Yellowstone and larger than the state of Connecticut. It sits where the Alaska Range collides with the Aleutian Range, encompassing 80 miles of rugged Pacific coastline, two active volcanoes, countless rivers and lakes, and an uncounted number of unnamed peaks. The park was established in 1980 to protect its scenery, abundant wildlife, and traditional Dena’ina Athabascan lifestyles. Our founder, Dan Oberlatz, has been exploring Lake Clark since 1992 and calls it the finest, yet most under-appreciated wilderness area in the entire national park system. In August 2008, adventure photographer Corey Rich joined Dan and Men’s Journal writer Daniel Duane on a multi-day expedition through the park. The resulting feature described the region as “one of the wildest places on the planet.” Wildlife encounters along our routes include brown and black bears, caribou, moose, Dall sheep, golden eagles, bald eagles, and salmon during the summer runs. The park is reached by small aircraft – a wheel-plane flight from Anchorage to Port Alsworth, then floatplane into the backcountry. Our primary air taxi partner for Lake Clark is Lake Clark Air and the Lake Clark Resort.

Our Guided Lake Clark National Park Trips

We offer eight scheduled itineraries in Lake Clark each summer, spanning backpacking, hiking, kayaking, and multisport trips. All are fully outfitted, capped at 8 guests, and include scenic air transport – a wheel-plane flight from Anchorage to Port Alsworth, then floatplane into the backcountry. For dedicated backpacking, the Turquoise Glacier High Route is a 10-day Level 3 traverse along the same line Dan pioneered in 2006. The Turquoise to Twin Traverse offers a more accessible 7-day Level 2 alternative through the park’s most iconic alpine country, and Our Backpacking the Revelation Mountains takes experienced backpackers into the park’s remote northwest reach. For trips that combine hiking with paddling, the Twin Lakes Paddle is an award-winning 7-day Level 2 itinerary that uses kayaks to access day-hiking terrain around Twin Lakes. The Turquoise Kayak and Hike applies the same approach around Turquoise Lake. Our Lake Clark Unexplored is a 4-day Level 2 short-format basecamp hiking trip that works well for first-time Alaska visitors and families. Bear viewing trips run from Lake Clark with floatplane flights to Katmai’s interior: Our Basecamp Bears is a 5-day Level 2 hiking and bear-viewing itinerary, and Our Backpacking Katmai is a 7-day Level 2 wilderness trip with bear encounters and caribou sightings along salmon-rich rivers. See the full trip listings below for details, pricing, and dates. Want help choosing? Visit our Alaska Trip Consulting page or call us directly.

How to Get to Lake Clark & When to Visit

Lake Clark National Park has no roads. Access is by aircraft only – a 60-minute wheel-plane flight from Anchorage to Port Alsworth, followed by floatplane into backcountry lakes. Our expeditions include these scenic flights in the trip cost. Our primary partner for Lake Clark flights is Lake Clark Air and the Lake Clark Resort, which operates daily scenic flights to Port Alsworth and into backcountry lakes throughout the region. Most Lake Clark and Katmai trips include a night at the Lake Clark Resort, with accommodations and meals provided. The Lake Clark season runs from late May through mid-September. June and July offer the longest daylight (often 20+ hours), the most consistent weather, and strong wildflower displays. August brings the salmon runs, peak brown bear activity in the park’s interior, and the first hint of fall color on the high tundra. Early September delivers fall colors at their peak with cooler nights and a quieter park. Weather varies widely across the park. Coastal areas along Cook Inlet tend to be wetter and more variable; the inland tundra and high routes see drier, brighter conditions on average. We provide a detailed gear list and a one-on-one pre-trip preparation call for every guest.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get to Lake Clark National Park?

Lake Clark is accessible only by small aircraft. From Merrill Field in Anchorage, flights take roughly 60 minutes to reach Port Alsworth with additional floatplane flights into backcountry lakes within the park. Alaska Alpine Adventures includes scenic air transport in the cost of every Lake Clark trip. Our primary air taxi partner for Lake Clark is Lake Clark Air and the Lake Clark Resort.

When is the best time to visit Lake Clark National Park?

The Lake Clark season runs from late May through mid-September. June and July offer the longest daylight and most consistent weather. August brings the salmon runs and peak brown bear activity. Early September is best for fall colors and cooler high-country conditions.

What kinds of trips does Alaska Alpine Adventures offer in Lake Clark?

We run eight scheduled itineraries in Lake Clark each summer: three dedicated backpacking expeditions (Turquoise Glacier High Route, Turquoise to Twin Traverse, Backpacking the Revelation Mountains), two multisport hiking-and-kayaking trips (Twin Lakes Paddle, Turquoise Kayak and Hike), one 4-day Basecamp Hiking trip at Turquoise Lake (Lake Clark Unexplored), and two bear-viewing trips operated jointly with Katmai (Basecamp Bears, Backpacking Katmai).

How much do guided Lake Clark National Park trips cost?

Lake Clark trips currently range from approximately $3,995 to $5,995 per person, depending on duration and intensity level. All pricing is per-person and fully inclusive of round-trip air transport from Anchorage, professional guiding, all camping and group gear (tents and trekking poles included – many competing outfitters do not provide these), meals during the trip, and (on most Lake Clark and Katmai itineraries) a night at the Lake Clark Resort with accommodations and meals provided.

Do I need prior backcountry experience for a Lake Clark trip?

For most Level 2 trips, prior experience is helpful but not required. Our guides handle pace, navigation, and decision-making, and pre-trip support includes detailed gear lists and one-on-one preparation call as needed. Level 3 trips (Turquoise Glacier High Route, Revelation Mountains) require strong aerobic fitness and comfort with off-trail terrain.

Ready to book a Lake Clark National Park trip? Browse our current Lake Clark expeditions below. Want help choosing? Call us at 907-351-4193 or use our Alaska Trip Consulting service – our team has guided these routes for nearly 30 years and can help you find the right fit for your group.

Key Highlights

Activity:: Hiking Backpacking Climbing Skiing Packaneering Kayaking Rafting
Wildlife:: Brown Bears Caribou Golden Eagles Salmon Moose Bald Eagles Black Bears Dall Sheep
Terrain:: Mountains Rivers Waterfalls Glaciers Glacial Valley Volcanoes Lakes Tundra
Transportation:: Aircraft