Any suggestions on a good bear viewing trip (location and outfit)in the late-June time frame? We'll be fishing near Cooper Landing for a week then have another week to play with (4th week of June) in the general area before heading farther north.We are staying at the Kenai Princess RV Park for the fishing week but then are flexible after that. So, fly outs anywhere from Homer to Anchorage would work.We had planned to take one of the day trips to Brooks Falls, but some have suggested we may not see a lot of bears on the river there in June..sounds like prime time there is more in July..

I have no specific suggestions (you'll see below that I've never gone on a commercial bear viewing trip), but have some general $0.02.1) Of course, it depends on the area, but late June is sort of a bad time for bear viewing: after they've emerged from hibernation, but before many of the fish runs that attract the great #'s of bears.2) One will see many more bears (subject to #1) by a 4-hour flight over bear country than even on a good day at a surface-based location....I can attest to this from personal experience having landed at creeks to look at bears, but also from haveing flown over several locations in the May timeframe when it's easy to see bears emerging from dens when contrasted against the snow3) All those bears that one sees while flying will be brown shapes with some degree of definition.So, the Hobson's choice is to go flying and maybe see dozens of bears from a couple hundred feet up or go to Brooks lodge (or similar) and maybe only see a few bears that can readily be seen to be bears.

Just drive to Florida they are EVERYWHERE for the viewing and for being attacked. :(

Watch Alaska State Troupers. They show about bear watching and fishing.Might give you some idea what goes on up there.

Consider a train to Denali (from Anch or Fairbanks) then a Tundra tour there - it's all day - don't take the shorter one. Bears galore - grizzlies almost guaranteed.

PA12DRVR wrote:I have no specific suggestions (you'll see below that I've never gone on a commercial bear viewing trip), but have some general $0.02.1) Of course, it depends on the area, but late June is sort of a bad time for bear viewing: after they've emerged from hibernation, but before many of the fish runs that attract the great #'s of bears.2) One will see many more bears (subject to #1) by a 4-hour flight over bear country than even on a good day at a surface-based location....I can attest to this from personal experience having landed at creeks to look at bears, but also from haveing flown over several locations in the May timeframe when it's easy to see bears emerging from dens when contrasted against the snow3) All those bears that one sees while flying will be brown shapes with some degree of definition.So, the Hobson's choice is to go flying and maybe see dozens of bears from a couple hundred feet up or go to Brooks lodge (or similar) and maybe only see a few bears that can readily be seen to be bears.Thanks! Appreciate the first-hand experience!

Alaska Bear Viewing Trips | Good Sam Community

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rockhillmanor
Explorer II
Dec 05, 2013
Just drive to Florida they are EVERYWHERE for the viewing and for being attacked. :(
PA12DRVR
Explorer
Dec 05, 2013
I have no specific suggestions (you'll see below that I've never gone on a commercial bear viewing trip), but have some general $0.02.

1) Of course, it depends on the area, but late June is sort of a bad time for bear viewing: after they've emerged from hibernation, but before many of the fish runs that attract the great #'s of bears.

2) One will see many more bears (subject to #1) by a 4-hour flight over bear country than even on a good day at a surface-based location....I can attest to this from personal experience having landed at creeks to look at bears, but also from haveing flown over several locations in the May timeframe when it's easy to see bears emerging from dens when contrasted against the snow

3) All those bears that one sees while flying will be brown shapes with some degree of definition.

So, the Hobson's choice is to go flying and maybe see dozens of bears from a couple hundred feet up or go to Brooks lodge (or similar) and maybe only see a few bears that can readily be seen to be bears.

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Alaska Bear Viewing Trips

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