Kobuk Valley
Gates of the Arctic
National Parks
About Kubuk Valley
Visited – June 2021 (#53 of 63)
Established (as NP) December 1980
1.75M acres (about 80% of Yellowstone)
Where is Kobuk Valley: Northwestern Alaska, pretty much the middle of nowhere
About Gates of the Arctic
Visited – June 2021 (#54 of 63)
Established (as NP) December 1980
8.5M acres (about 4x Yellowstone)
Where is Gates of the Arctic: Northern Alaska, just east of the middle of nowhere
Recommendations
Don’t miss: You won’t have a lot to choose from if you’re venturing this far north. But try to see the Arrigetch Peaks in Gates of the Arctic, you won’t regret it.
When to visit: Gotta be late spring or summer. Unless you can handle -40F temps.
How long to stay: You can do a fly tour to both parks in a single day, but include a weather contingency day to your stay.
Definitely check out the Photo Gallery of our best pictures.
Photo Gallery
Kobuk and Gates are two of the least visited National Parks, but that didn’t stop us. We’ve got the photos to prove it.
Check out our best shots and see for yourself.
Link to Kobuk NPS Info
Click to visit the park’s website with maps, history, and lots of great info on things to do and places to see.
Link to Gates NPS Info
Click to visit the park’s website with maps, history, and lots of great info on things to do and places to see.
Trip Report
Read about our adventure north of the Arctic Circle…..
Float plane mishaps, total solitude, and sharing a well earned celebration.
Kobuk Valley and Gates of the Arctic Blog Posts
Kobuk Valley + Gates of the Arctic
Some National Parks are tough to get to. Then there’s Gates of the Arctic and Kobuk Valley. There are no roads in/out of these Alaskan parks. The only way to visit is by bush or float plane. And if you want to stay overnight, then you need to wilderness camp. ...