Big River Lake / Wolverine Creek Bear Viewing Tours

Big River Lake and Wolverine Creek are among the most renowned and popular bear viewing destinations in South Central Alaska. Nestled at the base of the Alaska Range and at the entrance to Lake Clark Pass, Big River Lake is framed by breathtaking snow-capped vistas and glacier-carved valleys that transition into lush boreal forests and glacial-fed streams brimming with salmon.

Just 10 miles from the salt waters of Cook Inlet, Big River Lake benefits from prolific salmon runs that originate in Wolverine Creek—the southern fork of Big River—and numerous smaller tributaries throughout the watershed. These abundant salmon runs attract large numbers of resident brown and black bears. In particular, Wolverine Creek is celebrated for hosting one of the largest sockeye salmon returns on the entire west side of Cook Inlet. As Wolverine Creek flows into Big River Lake, it creates a clear pool known as Redoubt Bay by pushing back the turbid glacial waters. This crystal-clear area reveals thousands of schooling sockeye, waiting for rainwater to raise the shallow, rocky creek so they can begin their spawning run.

Every day, bears converge on this vibrant congregation of salmon, diving off nearby rock formations and into the pristine water to capture their prey. The salmon, forced to navigate the rugged, rocky waters of Wolverine Creek, become especially vulnerable; it is only their overwhelming numbers that allow them to return in mass year after year. While the confluence of Wolverine Creek and Big River Lake provides some of the best bear viewing opportunities, we also explore the entire lakeshore and the south fork of Big River in search of not only bears, but also eagles, moose, and the myriad of wildlife that call this wilderness mecca home.