Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve

Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is the northernmost national park in the United States. Covering 8,472,506 acres in the central Brooks Range, it has no roads or trails, and visitors reach it by air.[1]

Designation

The area was proclaimed a national monument on 1 December 1978 and became a national park and preserve on 2 December 1980. About 85 percent of the park is designated wilderness, and six rivers within it are designated Wild and Scenic.[1]

The Gates

Forester and conservationist Bob Marshall explored the region in the 1920s and 1930s and in 1929 named two peaks on either side of the North Fork Koyukuk River, Frigid Crags and Boreal Mountain, the Gates of the Arctic. Walker Lake is among the best-known lakes in the park.[1]

Wildlife and people

More than 500,000 caribou of the Western Arctic herd migrate through the area. The Nunamiut community of Anaktuvuk Pass, formed in 1949, lies within the park boundary region. Because there are no roads or trails, visitors hike, paddle or fly in, and the park recorded 7,362 visitors in 2021.[1]

Management

The park is managed from Fairbanks, with a visitor centre at Coldfoot on the Dalton Highway.[1]

FAQs

Is Gates of the Arctic the northernmost US national park? Yes, it lies entirely north of the Arctic Circle and is the northernmost national park in the United States.

Are there roads in the park? No. The park has no roads or maintained trails.

Who named the Gates of the Arctic? Bob Marshall named the two peaks flanking the Koyukuk River the Gates of the Arctic in 1929.

Sources

1. National Park Service: Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue