Page 728 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - USA

726  ALASK A & HA W AI ‘ I

The northern end of Kodiak Island, covered with thick spruce forests
0 Kodiak Island Shelikof Street past the harbor as Seattle, and the ash that
to the canneries. erupted stayed in the
* 14,000. ~ 4 downtown.
n 100 Marine Way, (800) 789-4782, atmosphere for an entire year.
(907) 486-4782. ∑ kodiak.org E Baranov Museum The 6,250-sq-mile (16,187-
101 Marine Way. Tel (907) 486-5920. sq-km) Katmai National Park
The second-largest island in Open Jun–Aug: 10am–4pm Mon–Sat; encompasses the area where
the United States, Kodiak Sep–May: 10am–3pm Tue–Sat. & the volcano was most active.
extends for 100 miles (160 km) ∑ baranovmuseum.org A remnant is the Valley of
across the Gulf of Alaska. Most 10,000 Smokes, where gases
of the island is an inaccessible and ash continue to spew
stretch of wilderness protected across a lunar-like landscape.
by the 2,969-sq-mile (7,690- q Alaska Peninsula Adjacent to Katmai, photo-
sq-km) Kodiak National ~ n King Salmon Airport, (907) graphers from around the
Wildlife Refuge. Kodiak 246-4250. world gather at the McNeil
Island is famous as the River State Game Sanctuary
habitat of about 2,500 Dominated by the Alaska to photograph brown bears
Kodiak bears – the world’s Range, this remote part of catching salmon as they
largest brown bear – the state attracts visitors struggle up to McNeil River
some of which stand for its intriguing wilder- Falls. Access to the falls is by
10 ft (3 m) tall and ness and wildlife-viewing air taxi from King Salmon or
weigh up to 1,500 lb opportunities. In 1912, the Homer (see p725).
(675 kg). The visitor center second-largest blast in
provides details on recorded history occurred O Katmai National Park
charter flights to the when the peninsula’s (907) 246-3305. ∑ nps.gov/katm
best viewing spots. Samovar, Baranov Mount Novarupta O McNeil River State
Most of the island’s Museum erupted, covering a Game Sanctuary
residents live in the 400-sq-mile (1,036-sq- Open Best viewing: Jul–mid-Aug.
town of Kodiak, home of the km) area with ash and pumice & Permit required: from Department
country’s largest Coast Guard up to a height of 700 ft (210 m). of Fish & Game, (907) 267-2182.
station and its third-largest The blast was heard as far away ∑ adfg.alaska.gov
fishing fleet. North America’s
oldest Russian building, a
storehouse dating to 1808,
is now the excellent Baranov
Museum. A repository of
Kodiak’s history, the museum’s
highlights include a superb
samovar (urn) collection,
Aleut kayaks, and pho tographs
of the town after it was hit
by a tsunami (massive tidal
wave), triggered by the 1964
Good Friday earthquake
(see p719). To explore the
local fishing industry, follow A brown bear at Katmai National Park, Alaska Peninsula
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp744–5 and pp746–7

726-727_EW_USA.indd 726 11/2/16 2:50 PM
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
(Source v2.7)
Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm