{"meta":{"featureType":"lake","datasetVersion":"0.2.0-sharded","attribution":"Names and coordinates from USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), public domain. Sample records for development. Production builds should validate against USGS and applicable licenses.","shard":{"strategy":"gnisIdFloor1000","chunkSize":1000,"chunkFiles":5}},"items":[{"id":"gnis-1403483","slug":"brooks-lake","name":"Brooks Lake","summary":"Katmai area lake known for bear viewing at Brooks Falls nearby (agency rules and seasonality).","lat":58.555,"lon":-155.778,"elevationFt":300,"region":"Southwest","gnisId":"1403483","jurisdiction":"Within Katmai National Park & Preserve; land and wildlife rules are set by the National Park Service.","body":["Brooks Lake sits in the heart of the Katmai coast, surrounded by the kind of open country that makes Southwest Alaska feel enormous on a map and in person. Most visitors encounter this area through Brooks Camp and the nearby Brooks River corridor, where brown bears concentrate during salmon runs and viewing is managed for both safety and habitat protection.","This page is a routing stub: use official NPS materials for trip planning, closures, and food-storage rules. Treat wildlife distance and group behavior requirements as non-negotiable—conditions and logistics change by season and weather."],"practical":"Access is typically by air or water to park-managed points of entry; day-use and overnight logistics vary. Check the park’s current operations calendar before you commit to dates. Never substitute a general-audience summary for on-site staff direction or posted closures.","relatedPlaces":[{"label":"Brooks Falls (NPS)","url":"https://www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/brooks-camp.htm","external":true},{"label":"Katmai — plan your visit","url":"https://www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/index.htm","external":true}],"links":[{"label":"NPS — Katmai National Park & Preserve","url":"https://www.nps.gov/katm/"},{"label":"NPS — Brooks Camp overview","url":"https://www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/brooks-camp.htm"},{"label":"NPS — Bear safety (Alaska parks)","url":"https://www.nps.gov/articles/bears-alaska.htm"}],"sources":[{"organization":"National Park Service","title":"Katmai National Park & Preserve — plan your visit","url":"https://www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/index.htm","accessed":"2026-04-03"},{"organization":"National Park Service","title":"Brooks Camp","url":"https://www.nps.gov/katm/planyourvisit/brooks-camp.htm","accessed":"2026-04-03"},{"organization":"U.S. Geological Survey","title":"Geographic Names Information System — feature detail","url":"https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1403483","accessed":"2026-04-03"}]},{"id":"gnis-1414130","slug":"portage-lake","name":"Portage Lake","summary":"Glacial lake at Portage Valley; visitor center, boats, and Portage Glacier context.","lat":60.7531,"lon":-148.8367,"elevationFt":120,"region":"Southcentral","gnisId":"1414130","jurisdiction":"Portage Valley lies within Chugach National Forest; day-use, trails, and water access follow U.S. Forest Service and partner operator rules.","body":["Portage Lake is a Southcentral landmark: cold, glacial water backed by peaks that make quick weather changes obvious from the shoreline. The valley pulls Anchorage-area traffic for a short drive into big-mountain scenery, and the lake itself is the foreground for Portage Glacier viewing—often by boat when operators run tours.","Use this page to orient, then follow Chugach NF and Alaska DOT information for road status, winter closures, and hazard reporting. Ice, wind, and cold rain can turn a casual stop into an equipment problem fast."],"practical":"Seasonal boat tours and trailhead conditions change year to year. Verify hours, fees, and whether the visitor center is open before you plan around it. Treat any ice or shore travel as conditional on current advisories.","links":[{"label":"USFS — Chugach National Forest","url":"https://www.fs.usda.gov/chugach"},{"label":"USFS — Begich, Boggs Visitor Center (Portage Valley)","url":"https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/chugach/recarea/?recid=79463"},{"label":"Alaska DOT — 511 road info","url":"http://511.alaska.gov/"}],"sources":[{"organization":"U.S. Forest Service","title":"Chugach National Forest — recreation","url":"https://www.fs.usda.gov/chugach","accessed":"2026-04-03"},{"organization":"U.S. Geological Survey","title":"GNIS — Portage Lake","url":"https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1414130","accessed":"2026-04-03"}]},{"id":"gnis-1416550","slug":"eklutna-lake","name":"Eklutna Lake","summary":"Large glacial reservoir northeast of Anchorage; popular recreation, trails, and hydro context.","lat":61.4333,"lon":-149.2583,"elevationFt":288,"region":"Southcentral","gnisId":"1416550","jurisdiction":"Recreation access and shoreline rules are managed through Alaska State Parks (DNR) and land-owner context around the Eklutna Lake management unit—confirm current postings for bikes, dogs, and seasonal restrictions.","body":["Eklutna Lake reads like Anchorage’s long backyard: a long glacial reservoir framed by steep hills, busy trails, and a steady stream of runners, bikers, and paddlers when daylight returns. The water is cold year-round, and wind can build quickly down the lake axis.","Hydropower and municipal water context sit behind the scenery—public storytelling sometimes focuses on recreation alone, but the lake is infrastructure-adjacent. That is why primary sources matter: trail notices, gate hours, and hazard postings can change on short notice."],"practical":"Check DNR’s posted notices for the unit you intend to use; winter access and avalanche terrain exist on approaches. Carry layers and a conservative turnaround plan—cell coverage is not something to bet a trip on.","links":[{"label":"Alaska DNR — Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation","url":"https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/"},{"label":"DNR — Chugach State Park (unit index)","url":"https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/units/chugach.htm"},{"label":"Alaska DOT — 511","url":"http://511.alaska.gov/"}],"sources":[{"organization":"Alaska Department of Natural Resources","title":"Alaska State Parks","url":"https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/","accessed":"2026-04-03"},{"organization":"U.S. Geological Survey","title":"GNIS — Eklutna Lake","url":"https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1416550","accessed":"2026-04-03"}]},{"id":"gnis-1419084","slug":"wonder-lake","name":"Wonder Lake","summary":"Iconic Denali views from the park road; backcountry access and wildlife viewing (permit rules apply).","lat":63.4608,"lon":-150.7856,"elevationFt":1920,"region":"Interior","gnisId":"1419084","jurisdiction":"Within Denali National Park & Preserve; backcountry access, camping, and bus logistics are governed by National Park Service rules.","body":["Wonder Lake is the postcard end of the Denali Park Road for many visitors: long views toward the Alaska Range when weather opens, and a sense of scale that photographs rarely capture. Wildlife encounters here are real—not theme-park predictable—and the corridor is managed to reduce human impact on both animals and tundra.","Trip planning is not “drive up and wing it.” Bus schedules, campsite reservations, and permit requirements are the operational backbone of a visit. Treat any third-party blog as entertainment until you match it against NPS.gov."],"practical":"Start with the park’s current road status and transit system pages. Weather can erase the mountain for days; build buffer days if photography or flightseeing is the goal. Follow food-storage and wildlife-distance rules as written.","relatedPlaces":[{"label":"Denali — plan your visit","url":"https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/index.htm","external":true}],"links":[{"label":"NPS — Denali National Park & Preserve","url":"https://www.nps.gov/dena/"},{"label":"NPS — Denali park road","url":"https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/park-road.htm"},{"label":"NPS — Backcountry","url":"https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/backcountry.htm"}],"sources":[{"organization":"National Park Service","title":"Denali — plan your visit","url":"https://www.nps.gov/dena/planyourvisit/index.htm","accessed":"2026-04-03"},{"organization":"U.S. Geological Survey","title":"GNIS — Wonder Lake","url":"https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1419084","accessed":"2026-04-03"}]},{"id":"gnis-1423021","slug":"lake-hood","name":"Lake Hood","summary":"Seaplane base adjacent to Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport; busy summer floatplane ops.","lat":61.1867,"lon":-149.965,"elevationFt":64,"region":"Southcentral","gnisId":"1423021","jurisdiction":"Lake Hood Seaplane Base (LHD) operates under FAA rules and airport-area hazard management; on-water movement intersects with active aviation traffic.","body":["Lake Hood is one of the busiest seaplane bases in the world on long summer days: floats queue, turbines spool, and the water surface is working infrastructure—not a casual paddle pond. That density is the story: scenery matters, but safety separation and operator communications matter more.","If you are not on a flight, treat public access and shoreline behavior as constrained by airport security and local notices. Noise, blast hazard, and wake turbulence are part of the environment."],"practical":"Paddling or non-aviation use may be restricted or unsafe where traffic is heavy; seek current municipal and airport authority guidance rather than assuming open recreation. Photography is fine; wandering into operational areas is not.","links":[{"label":"FAA — Lake Hood Seaplane Base (LHD)","url":"https://nfdc.faa.gov/nfdcApps/services/ajv5/airportDisplay.jsp?airportId=LHD"},{"label":"Anchorage — Lake Hood / Spenard corridor (municipal)","url":"https://www.muni.org/"},{"label":"Ted Stevens Anchorage International (ANC)","url":"https://www.anchorageairport.com/"}],"sources":[{"organization":"Federal Aviation Administration","title":"Airport detail — LHD","url":"https://nfdc.faa.gov/nfdcApps/services/ajv5/airportDisplay.jsp?airportId=LHD","accessed":"2026-04-03"},{"organization":"U.S. Geological Survey","title":"GNIS — Lake Hood","url":"https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:1423021","accessed":"2026-04-03"}]}]}