Alaska.com: Alaska's Travel Website

Kodiak. Katmai. Denali. The Arctic coast of Alaska.

The mere mention of these rugged landscapes brings to mind North America's fiercest, hardiest animals -- polar bears, black bears and brown bears (sometimes known as grizzly bears).

In a world where bears are usually the endangered species, Alaska is a place where people have to watch their step. Bears can be found (when they want to be) in nearly every corner of the state.

But tourists don't need to be afraid -- just careful and willing to go where the bears are most likely to be seen.

Buses carry visitors deep into Denali to view the bears. Flightseeing operations often locate bears for their passengers, and air taxis carry visitors to Katmai to watch the park's fabled brown bears catch salmon in the Brooks River.

Where Alaska's bears are

• The world's largest brown bears grow big on the salmon runs of Kodiak Island.

• Tourists and scientists come from around the world to watch the browns of Katmai National Park in roadless western Alaska.

• Denali National Park's blond grizzly bears -- the smaller, inland version of the brown bear -- trundle across the tundra of the spectacular Alaska park.

• Polar bears dominate Alaska's Arctic Coast in winter. People venture out cautiously and ringed seals fear for their lives.

• Black bears live almost everwhere in Alaska. They're frequently found on the edge of civilization and in the summer along salmon streams. Three such bear streams in Southeast Alaska are Pack Creek, on Admiralty Island; Anan Creek, south of Wrangell; and Fish Creek, near Hyder.