Nature & Science

Encompassing 6.5 million acres of land, Noatak National Preserve was established to protect the expansive maountain-ringed river basin ecosystem for outstanding scientific research and wilderness opportunities within an arctic-subarctic environment. The Noatak River has been designated a National Wild River for most of its length.

The preserve lies almost completely enclosed by the Baird and DeLong Mountains of the Brooks Range. It is within the preserve that the boreal forest ends, merging into treeless tundra on the valley’s southern edge. Thousands of caribou cross this broad expanse, migrating to and from calving grounds.

In addition to protecting the Noatak River valley and adjacent lands, the preserve also serves to protect habitat for and populations of fish and wildlife, including but not limited to caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheelp, moose, wolves, watefowl, raptors, and other species of birds.