Gates of the Arctic National Park
Trip Assistant
How Much Time?
Most people fly in (or over) and never spend more than an hour in the park (which is more than 8 million acres). Others, spend weeks slowly rafting its rivers, but you require a fairly unique set of skills.
Need to Know
- The entire park is above the Arctic Circle, so summer is not only the prime time to visit, it’s realistically the only time to visit.
- Air taxis fly out of Bettles, Coldfoot, and Anaktuvuk Pass. Each of those sites can be reached by flights out of Fairbanks.
- While you can hike into the park from the highway, it’s not a particularly good idea. For a good time, you’re likely better off flying into the Arrigetch Peaks area or getting dropped off for a packrafting trip.
Highlights
- Arrigetch Peaks
- Gates of the Arctic
- Koyukuk River
- Oolah Pass
- Kobuk River
- Tinayguk River
Activities
- Backpacking
- Packrafting
- Flightseeing
- Hunting
- Fishing
Favorite Trails
Gates of the Arctic is a mostly trailless wilderness.
When To Go?
Weather
Visitation
Yeah, summer’s your only real choice here.
Park Map Downloads
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