Lake Clark National Park and Preserve is a United States National Park in southwestern Alaska. It was first proclaimed a national monument in 1978, then established as a national park and preserve in 1980 by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act. The park includes many streams and lakes vital to the Bristol Bay salmon fishery, including its namesake Lake Clark. A wide variety of recreational activities may be pursued in the park and preserve year-round. Located about 100 miles (160 km) southwest of Anchorage, the park includes a variety of features not found together in any of the other Alaska Parks: the junction of three mountain ranges, a coastline with rainforests along the Cook Inlet, a plateau with alpine tundra on the west, glaciers, glacial lakes, major salmon-bearing rivers, and two volcanoes, Mount Redoubt and Mount Iliamna. Redoubt is active, erupting in 1989 and 2009. The wide variety of ecosystems in the park mean that virtually all major Alaskan animals, terrestrial and marine, may be seen in and around the park. Salmon, particularity sockeye salmon, play a major role in the ecosystem and the local economy. The Kvichak River is the world's most productive watershed for sockeye salmon.

No roads lead to the park and it can only be reached by boat or small aircraft, typically floatplanes. The major settled area in the park is Port Alsworth on Lake Clark in the southwestern corner of the park. Five other settlements are within the park, populated mainly by Dena'ina natives. Prior to the park's establishment isolated cabins were scattered around the region, the most notable belonging to Richard Proenneke, whose films documenting his solitary life at Twin Lakes were made into Alone in the Wilderness in 2003.

Lake Clark was proclaimed a national monument by President Jimmy Carter using the Antiquities Act on December 1, 1978, Lake Clark's status was changed to national park and preserve in 1980 by Congress, and about two-thirds was designated wilderness. While both sport and subsistence hunting are permitted in the national preserve lands, only subsistence hunting by local residents is permitted within the national park.

If you would like to learn more about the Lake Clark and Twin Lakes area, you may find the following books and videos to be of interest:

LAKE CLARK-LAKE ILIAMNA COUNTRY, Vol. 13-#4, 1986.  Alaska Geographic, Alaska Northwest Publishing Company.

ONE MAN'S WILDERNESS:  AN ALASKAN ODYSSEY, 1999.  Sam Keith (from the journals of Richard Proenneke) Alaska Northwest Books.

MORE READINGS FROM ONE MAN'S WILDERNESS, The Journals of Richard L. Proenneke.  1974-1980.  John Branson Editor.  Alaska Natural History Association

THE EARLY YEARS The Journals Of Richard L. Proenneke 1967-1973.  John Branson Editor. www.alaskageographic.org

LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE Alaska Geographic Association www.alaskageographic.org

The following videos can be ordered from Bob Swerer Productions, 2440 S. College Ave. Fort Collins, CO 80525.  Toll Free 1-800-737-0239

ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS.  This video is a simple account of the day-to-day explorations and activities of Richard Proenneke who choose an idyllic site on Twin Lakes, cut trees and built a log cabin.

ALONE IN THE WILDERNESS Part II.  Dick Proenneke's simple, yet profound account of his 30 year adventure in the remote Alaska wilderness continues in this sequel to "Alone in the Wilderness".

ALASKA SILENCE & SOLITUDE.  Follow nature film makers Bob Swerer Sr. and Bob Swerer Jr. as they venture into the remote wilderness of Alaska to experience and film the abundant wildlife in the Twin Lakes region.  Along with spectacular Alaskan scenery you will encounter bull moose, caribou, dall sheep and grizzly bear.  You will also meet a man by the name of Dick Proenneke, who has by himself lived in this "one man wilderness" for over thirty years.  For those who dream of a true wilderness experience in the wilds of Alaska.

Windsong Wilderness Retreat Cabin On Twin Lakes
In Lake Clark National Park