McNeil River State Game Sanctuary Alaska, June 2025
McNeil River is my favourite place to view brown bears, and I was lucky in 2025 to win a permit for the third time in the Alaska State lottery system. My previous visits were in 2014 and 2016 and I've applied multiple times since then. Access is by float plane, and the number of visitors is restricted to 10 at a time. Besides the beautiful landscape, the reason McNeil is special is the consistency of human behaviour that has been established by the guides over generations of bears. This means that they have a neutral response to people, as long as we don't deviate from their expectations. My visit was in Block B, right at the start of the guided season. At this time, fewer bears are observed than at the peak in July, when there are famous congregations at McNeil falls. In June though, the viewing is more relaxed, and covers a wider area. In many ways, I prefer this time of year, but regardless, it's a truly magical wilderness.
Click on a photo for a slide show view:
