The Crystal Creek Lodge Blog is a place of possibilities, where you can learn deeper insights into how to explore the tens of millions of acres of wild Alaska surrounding us. Whether you’re after fishing, wildlife, the perspective of history or simply feeling the awe of being in wide-open spaces, it’s all here. Enjoy the journey.
Aniakchak National Monument sees under 300 tourists every year. Each year, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve consistently ranks as the least visited of all National Park Service lands. Located halfway down the remote and rugged Alaska Peninsula, it is a truly primitive area. The volcanic geology and natural history of Aniakchak tell a tale of…
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Naknek River, Alaska If you were wondering what fishing would be like in late September and October at Crystal Creek Lodge, check out this photo gallery of the big Naknek River rainbows that we see each fall (click on the image to enlarge). This late fall time is ideal for landing one of these giant…
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The Valley of 10,000 Smokes In the year 1912 on June 6th, the Katmai Eruption (also known as the Novarupta Volcano eruption) occurred. It sent nearly 30 cubic kilometers of ash and debris into the atmosphere. The Katmai eruption was the largest of the 20th century. This cataclysmic event created a barren and Martian-like landscape in…
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We need your help! At Crystal Creek Lodge, we are in the middle of a fantastic fishing season. We are seeing a terrific run of sockeye salmon throughout the region, which is the life blood of the Bristol Bay ecosystem and economy. For the past 30 years, our guests have enjoyed the world-class salmon resource in Bristol…
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Our Backyard Wilderness at Crystal Creek Lodge Crystal Creek Lodge, located on the Naknek River in King Salmon, Alaska, was chosen with great intention. Notably, the lodge is only 5 miles downriver from the world-renowned Katmai National Park. While Katmai is famous worldwide for its brown bears, fishing, and wilderness, we also have another significant…
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A herd of Pacific Walrus has relocated themselves to the nearby Bristol Bay coast at Cape Grieg, about 60 miles south of Crystal Creek Lodge. We went for a quick scouting trip yesterday and saw 1500-2000 animals either beached or in the water. Shown is the herd after a rain squall came through and the…
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Miss Rosanna Trestman of Connecticut returned to Crystal Creek Lodge in search of a King Salmon to exceed her personal record of 42 inches, set in 2014, but, alas, she didn’t beat her record, yet she still caught some nice Kings and Sockeye Salmon. Here is Rosanna with her best King of the week, held…
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The bar at Crystal Creek Lodge has been rechristened as “The Beaver Bar”, a tribute to the hard-working DeHavilland Beaver aircraft that have served us and the north country since 1947. Have a sneak preview of the modifications at the album on our Facebook page, or, better yet, be our guest and enjoy a cold…
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As we are busy preparing the lodge for opening, a series of earthquakes has been shaking the Alaska Peninsula. We were woke last night to the lodge rolling and shaking to an earthquake of 6.7 magnitude, centered about 100 miles south of the lodge near the Yantarni Salmon Camp. The Peninsula is essentially a gigantic…
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The weather has been spectacular during the final week of our season. Realizing we had a rare opportunity at hand, we invited several guests to visit Aniakchak National Monument to witness the fall colors and light. A truly inspirational day. Check out our Fishing page and our Adventure page to learn more about opportunities to…
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