Port Alsworth is situated in the northern part of Lake and Peninsula Borough at coordinates 60°12′30″N 154°18′24″W (60.208281, -154.306586). Nestled on the southern shore of Lake Clark, it rests at the mouth of the Tanalian River, serving as the location for the field headquarters of the nearby national park. It is located approximately 165 miles (266 km) southwest of Anchorage and can be reached by air, taking about an hour's flight. The population recorded 186 residents during the 2020 census, but it grows to about 400 during the tourist season.
Babe Alsworth, a missionary and bush pilot, along with Mary Alsworth, founded Port Alsworth in 1950.
To access Port Alsworth, there are two primary options:
1. Plane: Traveling by air is the preferred method and takes about an hour. The flight provides breathtaking views of glaciers, volcanoes, waterfalls, and the beautiful landscapes of the region.
2. Boat: Boating is also possible in the spring, summer, or fall, but it requires a boat and potentially a vehicle and boat trailer, depending on the route taken. This method is more laborious and not recommended.
Air taxis operate from both the private Port Alsworth Airport and the public Wilder/Natwick LLC Airport.
The village has more than 20 small planes used for air taxis and to transport supplies from Anchorage.
The Lake Clark Resort, run by Salina Alsworth, who is the great-granddaughter of Babe Alsworth and Mary Alsworth, attracts hundreds of visitors each year. Salina's great-grandparents were early settlers in Port Alsworth, and the village was named in their honor.
Residents of Port Alsworth rely on supplies from the nearest city, Anchorage, which can be challenging to obtain depending on the weather conditions, with snow and fog being significant factors.
The climate of Port Alsworth is characterized as subarctic, which is a continental climate featuring long, cold winters and short, warm to cool summers. This climate type exhibits some of the most extreme seasonal temperature variations on Earth. In winter, temperatures can plummet below −50 °C (−58 °F), while in summer, they may rise above 26 °C (79 °F). However, the summers are brief, lasting no more than three months of the year (but at least one month) with an average temperature of at least 10 °C (50 °F) for a 24-hour period, and the coldest month has an average temperature below 0 °C (32 °F) (or −3 °C (27 °F)). Record low temperatures can even approach −70 °C (−94 °F).
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