5Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska
Rumor has it that many people come here for the big fish and brown bears. Nestled upon the Alaska Peninsula, most travelers arrive here via a floatplane. This park made the list mainly because of the wildlife here.
Each July and August, literally thousands of brown bears gather here to catch and gorge on the sumptuous sockeye salmon in Brooks River. You can see them from a surprisingly close distance and still remain safe. This is obviously also a real bucket list destination for fishermen.
The lakes here are home to five species of tasty Pacific salmon, as well as Arctic char, and rainbow trout. Go kayaking or rafting around the chain of rivers and lakes named the Savonoski Loop. Take a hike around the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes too.
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