Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve • Alaska

Aerial view of the Alatna River as it winds through a valley

Alpenglow on the granite cliffs of mountains

A hiker crosses a stream with mountains in the background

Handful of blueberries

Two hikers climb up a mountain pass

This vast landscape does not contain any roads or trails. Visitors discover intact ecosystems where people have lived with the land for over ten thousand years. Wild rivers meander through glacier-carved valleys, caribou migrate along age-old trails, endless summer light fades into aurora-lit night skies of winter. Virtually unchanged, except by the forces of nature.

Aerial view of the Alatna River as it winds through a valley
NPS Photo / Sean Tevebaugh

A spring alpenglow brightens the granite walls of the Arrigetch Peaks
NPS Photo

A hiker crosses a stream and enters Oolah Valley.
Photo courtesy of Paxson Woebler

Pausing to pick blueberries can result in a handful of delicious snacks.
Photo courtesy of Paxson Wobelber

Hikers choose river valleys as corridors when hiking over mountain passes.
Photo courtesy of Paxson Woebler

Mountain reflection in a tundra pond in fall

Discover why this wild land became a national park

Caribou antler on tundra in mountain river valley

Learn about the ultimate wilderness of the National Parks

Hikers ascending a rocky slope in the mountains

Information for planning a trip to Gates of the Arctic

A rainbow over the Noatak River and mountains

Information on floating the six Wild and Scenic Rivers in Gates of the Arctic

Salmon dry on a fish rack along a river

Preserving traditional lifestyles in the Brooks Range

Black spruce surround a tundra pond in the mountains

ANILCA legislation provides for a transportation corridor to access the Ambler Mining District for development of mineral resources

A bushplane drops off a load of gear and people on a river bar in the mountains

Directions and options for getting to Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve

A raft with four paddlers on the Alatna River with the Brooks Range in the background

Can't visit Gates of the Arctic? Experience it from afar, virtually!

A backcountry ranger stands high in the mountains of Gates of the Arctic, holding a caribou collar

Two rangers retrieve a GPS collar from an animal in the backcountry, helping biologists learn about the animal’s movements

Last updated: June 25, 2026

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Fairbanks, AK 99701

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