Aniakchak National Preserve

Central to Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is the 30-square-mile volcanic Aniakchak Caldera. It was created when the volcano's center collapsed sometime after the last glaciation. Later volcanic activity built a cone, Vent Mountain, inside the caldera. Aniakchak last erupted in 1931. The caldera's Surprise Lake, heated by hot springs, cascades through a 1,500-foot rift in the crater vial to become the Aniakchak River. Volcanic lava lion. cinder cones, and explosion pits can be seen here in one of Alaska's most remote national park areas. Wildlife includes occasional caribou, grizzly bears, eagles, and sockeye salmon.

Getting There: Scheduled air service puts you within charter flight distance via King Salmon or Port Heidon but floatplanes can land on Surprise Lake Peninsula. Weather can be severe any time of year. Approximate Size: 600,000 acres. For Information contact: Superintendent, Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve, PO. Box 7, King Salmon, AK 99613-0007; 907-246-3305; www.nps.gov/ania