Kobuk Valley National Park
|
|
|
courtesy of the National Park Service |
Contact Information:
Kobuk Valley National Park
PO Box 1029
Kotzebue, AK 99752
907-442-3890 - Park Headquarters
907-442-3760 - Summer Visitor Information
http://www.nps.gov/kova/
Size: 1,750,737 acres
Location: Kobuk Valley National Park occupies a broad valley along the central Kobuk River in northwest Alaska. Commercial airlines provide service from Anchorage or Fairbanks to Nome and Kotzebue. From either location, there are scheduled flights to villages and chartered flights to specific park areas. Summer access may include motorized/non-motorized watercraft, aircraft, or by foot. Winter access may include snowmobiles, aircraft, or by foot.
Description: Embracing the central valley of the Kobuk River, the park, located entirely north of the Arctic Circle, includes a blend of biological, geological, and cultural resources. Here, in the northernmost extent of the boreal forest, a rich array of arctic wildlife can be found, including caribou, grizzly and black bear, wolf, and fox. The 25-square-mile Great Kobuk Sand Dunes lie just south of the Kobuk River against the base of the Waring Mountains. Archeological sites revealing more than 12,500 years of human occupation are among the most significant sites known in the Arctic, and the Kobuk Valley remains an important area for native cultures and traditional subsistence.
Activities: Educational and interpretive programs are offered throughout the year at the Kotzebue Public Lands Information Center. Park activities include camping, hiking, backpacking, wildlife observations and photography.Operating Hours: The park is open on a year-round basis. Headquarters office hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday. The Visitor Center, located in Kotzebue, is open during the summer season (beginning in late May) Monday through Friday from 12:00pm to 8:00pm, Saturdays 12:00pm to 4:00pm. Arctic winter conditions, including snow, ice, wind, and below-freezing temperatures, exist in the park from October through April. Snow or freezing temperatures may occur any time, even in summer.
History: Proclaimed Kobuk Valley National Monument on December 1, 1978; established as a national park on December 2, 1980. Wilderness designated on December 2, 1980.
See other National
Parks
See other Alaska National Parks
