Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
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courtesy of the National Park Service |
Contact Information:
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
National Park Service (Fairbanks Headquarters)
201 First Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99701
907-457-5752
(HQ)
http://www.nps.gov/gaar/
Size: 8,472,506 acres
Location: Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve is located In the central Brooks Mountain Range in north-central Alaska. There are no roads in the park, although the Dalton Hwy. comes within about 5 miles of the park's eastern boundary. Access into the park is by charter plane from Bettles or other locations. Commercial air service is available to Anaktuvuk Pass, just outside the park.
Description: Lying entirely north of the Arctic Circle, the park-preserve includes a portion of the Central Brooks Range, the northernmost extension of the Rocky Mountains. Often referred to as the greatest remaining wilderness in North America, this second largest unit of the National Park System is characterized by jagged peaks, gentle arctic valleys, wild rivers, and numerous lakes. The forested southern slopes contrast to the barren northern reaches of the site at the edge of Alaska's "north slope." The park-preserve contains the Alatna, John, Kobuk, part of the Noatak, the North Fork of the Koyukuk, and the Tinayguk wild rivers. Together with adjacent Kobuk Valley National Park and Noatak National Preserve, it comprises one of the largest park areas in the world.
Ten small communities are within the subsistence resident zone for the park and are home to approximately 1,500 residents. Many of these residents continue to depend on resources within the park to sustain a subsistence way of life and maintain cultural traditions. Subsistence activities occur throughout the year and expand significantly with the relative ease of overland travel in the winter months.
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Gates
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Operating Hours: The Park and Preserve are open year round. It is best to call each office prior to arrival to confirm current operational hours.
Fairbanks Headquarters (907-457-5752): Open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed on Holidays.
Bettles Ranger Station/Visitor Center (907-692-5494): From mid-June to Labor Day: Open 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Remainder of Year: Open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - Noon / 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed on Holidays.
Coldfoot Visitor Center (907-678-5209): Open Memorial Day to Labor Day, 7 days a week, 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Anaktuvuk Pass
Ranger Station (907-661-3520): Year-round outside Visitor display. Call for
ranger station hours.
History: Proclaimed Gates of the Arctic National Monument on December 1, 1978; established as a national park and preserve on December 2, 1980. Wilderness designated on December 2, 1980. Portion of park and preserve designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1984.
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Parks
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