Rust's Flying Service

Rust's Flying Service has been launching floatplanes from Lake Hood — the world's largest seaplane base — since 1963, making it one of Alaska's most established air tour operators. Based at 4525 Enstrom Circle on the south shore of Lake Hood adjacent to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, Rust's specializes in the trip that defines the Alaska wildlife bucket list: a day flight to Katmai National Park to watch brown bears fishing for sockeye salmon at Brooks Falls.

The Katmai bear viewing day trip departs Anchorage by floatplane, crossing the Alaska Range and descending to Brooks Camp on Naknek Lake. From there, guests walk the short boardwalk trail to Brooks Falls — one of the most photographed wildlife scenes in North America — where bears congregate in summer and fall to intercept migrating salmon. Prime viewing runs from late June through early October, with July typically producing the densest bear activity as sockeye runs peak. The flight itself is spectacular, crossing rugged volcanic terrain visible from no road in Alaska.

Beyond Katmai, Rust's offers a full menu of floatplane services: scenic flightseeing over the Alaska Range and glaciers, custom charters for hunting and fishing camps, and point-to-point air taxi service to remote lakes and lodges throughout Southcentral and Southwest Alaska. The Lake Hood base puts departures minutes from Anchorage hotels, making same-day bear viewing itineraries from the city genuinely feasible.

Tours operate weather-dependent from June through September. All flights depart from the Lake Hood floatplane dock at the Enstrom Circle address. Reservations are strongly recommended — Katmai day trips book weeks in advance during peak summer. Booking is available at flyrusts.com or by phone. The Rust's team handles all necessary park permits and provides briefings on bear safety and Brooks Camp etiquette before departure.

For visitors with limited time who want the signature Alaska wildlife experience without a multi-day expedition, Rust's Flying Service represents the most direct route from Anchorage to one of the continent's great wildlife spectacles.