Katmai National Park and Preserve

Brown bears fattening on Brooks River salmon, September July is when bears famously fish the lip of Brooks Falls, but September is the other great month at Brooks Camp, when the bears are visibly heavier and most are seen at the mouth of the river rather than the falls. Getting there is the hurdle: a commercial flight from Anchorage to King Salmon, then a floatplane or boat with an authorized operator. The Falls Platform holds 40 people, and when it fills, rangers keep a waiting list and limit stays to half an hour; the lower river platforms have no such cap and suit September better. The visitor center and lodge close in mid-September and services dwindle by month's end, so the first half of the month is the practical sweet spot.