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Drone Rules for Lake Clark National Park and Preserve

Alaska (AK) • United States
Alaska, USA
Lat: 60.6242 • Lng: -153.306
Ground Not allowed Last updated: May 28, 2026
Summary
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Drone operations are strictly prohibited at Lake Clark National Park & Preserve under NPS regulations, controlled by the National Park Service. No recreational or commercial flights are permitted without an explicit Special Use Permit from the park superintendent. One of the least-visited national parks in the U.S., La

Authorization Status

  • Recreational: ❌ 100% Banned
  • Commercial (Part 107): ❌ Not allowed without NPS Special Use Permit
  • Wilderness: ❌ Lake Clark Wilderness absolute motorized ban

Geographic Boundaries

Lake Clark National Park is located in the Alaska Range and Aleutian Range, Kenai Peninsula Borough and Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska.

  • Total area: ~2,619,733 acres
  • Coordinates: 60.4126° N, 153.5532° W
  • Includes Mount Redoubt (active volcano, 10,197 ft MSL), Mount Iliamna (active volcano, 10,016 ft MSL), Lake Clark, Tlikakila Wild & Scenic River, and brown bear viewing coast
  • No roads connect to outside; bush plane only
  • Nearest city: Anchorage, AK (~180 miles northeast)

Regulations

  • NPS Management Policies § 8.2.2 prohibits UAS in all NPS units
  • 36 CFR § 1.5 — Superintendent's closure authority
  • 36 CFR § 2.17(a)(3) — Prohibits air delivery/retrieval within park
  • Wilderness Act (16 U.S.C. § 1131) — absolute motorized ban
  • ANILCA (16 U.S.C. § 3101) — Alaska subsistence provisions
  • Active volcano TFR zones: 14 CFR § 91.137 — FAA issues TFRs around Mount Redoubt during eruption activity
  • FAA 14 CFR Part 107 governs commercial operations nationwide
  • Airspace: Class G; Anchorage Class C TMA ~180 miles east

Penalties

  • NPS fines up to $5,000 per violation
  • Wilderness Act: fines up to $5,000 + 6 months imprisonment
  • TFR violation: FAA civil penalties up to $27,500/day
  • Equipment confiscation by park rangers

Special Permissions

  • NPS Special Use Permit required
  • Active volcano TFR coordination with FAA mandatory
  • ANILCA subsistence research requires tribal coordination Submit requests to: Lake Clark NP Superintendent, 240 W 5th Ave, Suite 236, Anchorage, AK 99501
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