Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
Mountain passes, wild rivers, Arctic ecosystems, archaeology, and Iñupiat and Athabascan homelands fill a park with no roads, maintained trails, or built visitor attractions.
Artwork inspired by Fred Machetanz
Entirely roadless Brooks Range wilderness rejects the idea of a conventional park visit. Mountain passes, wild rivers, Arctic ecosystems, archaeology, and Iñupiat and Athabascan homelands fill a park with no roads, maintained trails, or built visitor attractions. Route judgment is the central skill.
Begin with the Bettles or Coldfoot contact station and a realistic transport-and-evacuation plan; only then select a river or walking route. This is expert backcountry travel with river crossings, bears, insects, weather delays, and no rescue guarantee. A map pin is not an itinerary. The rewarding visit is the one that connects Brooks Range passes with wild rivers, then tests that reading against the place itself.
- Established
- 1980
- Area
- 8.4 million acres
- Roads
- None
Quick guide
- Start with
- Begin with the Bettles or Coldfoot contact station and a realistic transport-and-evacuation plan; only then select a river or walking route.
- Look closely at
- Compare Brooks Range passes with wild rivers; their relationship carries the central story.
Know before you go
- Start with
- Begin with the Bettles or Coldfoot contact station and a realistic transport-and-evacuation plan; only then select a river or walking route.
- Look closely at
- Compare Brooks Range passes with wild rivers; their relationship carries the central story.
- Connect the story
- Mountain passes, wild rivers, Arctic ecosystems, archaeology, and Iñupiat and Athabascan homelands fill a park with no roads, maintained trails, or built visitor attractions. Route judgment is the central skill.
- Plan around
- Allow Half day–multi-day. This is expert backcountry travel with river crossings, bears, insects, weather delays, and no rescue guarantee. A map pin is not an itinerary.
Good to know
This is expert backcountry travel with river crossings, bears, insects, weather delays, and no rescue guarantee. A map pin is not an itinerary.
Notice these
- Brooks Range passes
- wild rivers
- roadless tundra