Do you know what one of my favorite things is about living in Alaska? The exploring. That’s right. Even though I live here, I love to explore this great state every chance I get. It is quite massive and even though I’ve lived here a few years, I have not seen nearly all of it. This state is full of amazing scenery, stunning wildlife, and almost never-ending outdoor recreational activities. That’s why when I had the chance to visit Bear Trail Lodge in King Salmon, Alaska, I jumped at the chance. I mean, c’mon. Who is going to say no to guided fishing tours with the top female guide in Alaska, 5-star dining in a luxury lodge, and world-class wildlife viewing in Bristol Bay and Katmai National Park?
Disclosure: I was compensated with a stay at the Bear Trail Lodge in exchange for an honest review. This post not only shares my review, but also has Affiliate Links that I earn commissions from. This is how I make a living and keep this little blog running. Thank you for supporting me! I appreciate it. Much love, Kristi.
I am a review reader myself and read many travel reviews of Bear Trail Lodge before I went on my late season trip to King Salmon. I saw testimonials such as fishing trip-of-a-lifetime and memories to last forever and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. How can you not want to visit a place with these types of reviews?
Special Note: I did not review Bear Trail Lodge during peak season, but rather decided to visit during the shoulder season. Many Alaskans aren’t able to travel during the summer, instead we visit different parts of the state during the shoulder seasons. These are typically April to May and then September to October. Rates and excursion availability will be different during this off-season travel.
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Where is King Salmon, Alaska?
King Salmon has Bristol Bay on one side and Katmai National Park on the other. Pretty epic, I know.
About Bear Trail Lodge
Bear Trail Lodge is a luxury vacation destination in Alaska in the heart of Katmai National Park. Here you will find the main lodge, along with eight guest cabins all connected by a wooden boardwalk. Just a short walk on the boardwalk brings you to a deck that is elevated 70 feet above the river! If you guessed there was a hot tub awaiting you on that deck to soak in the midnight sun, you’d be right! Grab an Alaskan craft beer or a glass of wine from inside the lodge’s bar and relax in the tub after a hard day of fishing.
The main lodge is where guests gather together to be social, to hang out and read, or to take in the expansive views from the floor-to-ceiling windows. It features a stunning sunroom with views of the Naknek River and the surrounding mountains, a huge dining room, and a comfortable living room with a large roaring fireplace. There are books you can read, games you can play, and large oversized chairs to sink into.
Take a flight from Bear Trail Lodge to the infamous falls in Katmai National Park and see brown bears up and close and personal while they fish for salmon. Katmai is home to thousands of brown bear and is one of the most important salmon habitats in Alaska.
Accommodations at Bear Trail Lodge
Cabins
The lodge features eight different guest cabins that provide accommodations for a total of 26 guests. Each cabin is relatively secluded for privacy and includes the following features:
- Ultra comfortable beds
- Sofa and chairs
- Private, full-size restroom
- Heater
- Full electricity
- Beautiful river view
- Outdoor seating area with chairs
- Long-term guests may have a wet bar in their cabin.
Yurt
There is also a yurt available to rent at Bear Trail Lodge. This particular yurt features four bedrooms and a common area as well as two full-sized restrooms. This yurt is quite unique and often has a long waiting list. Each room is partitioned off for privacy as well. It is the perfect place to rent for a girls’ getaway weekend or a guys’ gone fishing trip.
Read TripAdvisor Reviews before you go.
Fishing at Bear Trail Lodge
I can confidently say that the fishing at Bear Trail Lodge is among some of the best fishing in Alaska, perhaps the world. You will be presented with opportunities abound to fish for Alaska Rainbow Trout, as well as different varieties of salmon found in Alaska waters.
If you have any physical limitations, be sure to let the guides know. They are more than helpful and will do their best to find the perfect spot for you to fish comfortably, making your experience the absolute best! The fishing guides at Bear Trail Lodge are knowledgeable and incredibly helpful. Most have been fishing Alaska rivers most of their lives.
Side Note
As a woman, I love seeing other women live their best lives. The owner of Bear Trail Lodge is Nanci Morris Lyon, one of the best female fishermen in the world. When you talk about the best fly fishermen out there, it is hard not to have Nanci on that list. Nanci and her husband Heath are the family behind one of the best lodges in King Salmon. Their mutual love of Alaska, sustainable fishing, and giving back to the community is evident in everything that they do. Nanci is the lead instructor and an original Founder of the Bristol Bay Fly Fishing and Guide Academy.
My Personal Experience with Bear Trail Lodge
Getting to King Salmon, Alaska
There are no direct roads to King Salmon from Anchorage. You can only get to King Salmon via plane or boat, and there are no commercial cruises that port there. When flying up from the Lower 48, you will want to fly into Anchorage and then fly with either PenAir or Ravn to King Salmon. I have never seen such a small airport in my life!
I was greeted with a warm smile from the Bear Trail Lodge Guide who was there to pick me up and helped me with my bags. The guide drove me back to the lodge sharing a little bit of the area’s history on the way.
Arriving at Bear Trail Lodge
I arrived a little before lunch and there was hot coffee, homemade pastries, and fresh fruit available while I checked in. After settling into my cabin, I went on a walk around the property – it was so beautiful bathed in fall colors of bright yellow and burnt orange! I was in fall heaven!
I could have booked a fishing excursion for that afternoon, but I was there for another reason. I chose this remote luxury lodge to write my book. I spent the afternoon sitting on my deck in my hoodie, watching the numerous Bald Eagles fly by as I wrote story after story. It was magical!
Dining at Bear Trail Lodge
In the evenings they have a happy hour with delicious appetizers laid out. In the lodge bar you could choose from Alaska craft beer on tap, or a variety of different red or white wines. Dinner was served in the custom-built dining room. The resident chef made the most amazing dishes and was open to cooking around food allergies – everything was so SO good! What I loved most though was that the guides sat down to eat with the guests. I learned about who had a great day fishing and who got skunked by the fish!
Meals Are Included!
The lodge chef prepares three hearty meals each day, served home-style and are all-you-can-eat. You will not go hungry during your stay at this luxury lodge, that is for sure!
- Breakfast: Hot and cold cereals, muffins and breads, fresh fruits, eggs multiple ways, French toast, pancakes, crispy bacon, sausage, reindeer sausage, variety of juices, plus hot tea and coffee.
- Lunch: Soups and sandwiches packed for you to have while out fishing or exploring Alaska. During the summer, arrange a shore lunch with your guide that includes a fresh-caught salmon filleted and cooked to perfection to be enjoyed along the river banks.
- Dinner: The time to sit back and enjoy the company of new and old friends as guests exchange stories of their adventures from the day. Dinner is comprised of a three-course gourmet meal with healthy salad, a delicious entree, and freshly prepared desserts.
Menus often include Alaskan-style appetizers, NY strips, prime rib, crab legs, fresh salmon, halibut, shrimp, chicken, and pork. Complimentary beer and bottled wine are also served.
Appetizers are served at 6:30 pm every day. Dinner begins at 7 pm.
Fly Fishing with Bear Trail Lodge
I love fishing in Alaska! One thing I had yet to do was learn how to fly fish. After a week of writing, I was ready to get out on the water. I was lucky enough to have Bear Trail Lodge co-owner, Heath Lyon, as my fishing guide for the day. I was nervous, what if I didn’t catch anything? What if I was too cold? What if I fell in? I came up with a thousand scenarios that thankfully never came true.
The Gear
Heath made sure I had the right gear before we left the lodge. I also brought heat warmers just in case I was too cold. One of the guides who knows more facts than an encyclopedia, Reuben, lent me use his native otter skin hat. No way my head would be cold with it on! Bear Trail Lodge has everything you need from fly fishing rods, to waders, to waterproof boots. Bring your own waterproof jacket and base layer. Don’t
The Experience
Depending on where you are fishing that day, you might either fly out on a private plane or drive out in the lodge’s shuttle bus to the dock. During the summer, most fishing trips start right at the lodge’s dock on the Naknek River. When fishing in the shoulder season, we fished the rivers in Katmai National Park.
Once on the boat, it took us about 20 minutes to get to our first fishing spot. Heath was patient as he taught me the beauty of the techniques of fly fishing. They was nothing beautiful in my attempts at whipping the rod overhead! It took me awhile, but after an hour or so I had it down. I caught the smallest Rainbow Trout that there ever was! Of course, I made sure to get a pic of the little guy to prove that I at least caught one! 😉
Midway through the day I had caught three fish and I was getting hungry! Heith broke out the lunches for everyone and handed me my special lunch that was soy and gluten-free. It was so good! After lunch I wanted to fish as much as possible to land The Big One.
When you are just starting out fly fishing, you stay in the boat with the guide in the water holding the boat in place. I never knew that! The guys with some experience were in the water as well. I knew I wasn’t there yet and was ok with that. When I had a fish on the line, Heath would instruct me how to real it in then would cut it off for me. I kissed every single fish I caught and thanked them for the fight before I released them back into the icy, cold waters. At the end of the day, our boat caught 13 fish, 9 of which were mine! I caught one of the biggest fish of the day at 26 inches and was so proud!
Back at dinner that night I was sharing fishing stories with the other guests. There were two gentlemen that had been fishing all week. The look on their faces when they heard how well I did out on my first day was priceless! I guess I caught more fish in one day than they had the whole week! Lady luck for sure!
If you are debating about whether to stay at Bear Trail Lodge, let me put your worries to rest. It is an amazing place to be whether you are out on the water every day or secluded in your cabin writing the next great novel. The staff are warm and inviting, and truly love what they do. Nanci is so dang inspiring and has succeeded in a business that doesn’t see a lot of women in it. The lodge is utterly beautiful and comfortable, the perfect place to spend a few days to reconnect and recharge. I am forever grateful to Kristin Helvey with Helvey Communications for suggesting I visit her hometown and see another side to this most amazing Alaska life I love.
Book a Stay with Bear Trail Lodge
Book: Call Nanci with Bear Trail Lodge or email her as shoulder season getaways are priced differently than their summer fishing packages. Visit their website to learn more about this family-owned and operated lodge in King Salmon, Alaska.
Rates: Depends on package
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