Gates of the Arctic National Park
National Parks
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve
Gates of the Arctic National Park Information
| Location | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, North Slope Borough, and Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska, USA |
| Nearest City | Fairbanks |
| Coordinates | 67°47′0″N 153°18′0″W |
| Area | 8,472,506 acres (34,287 km²) |
| Established | December 2, 1980 Established: December 2, 1980 |
| Visitors | 10,924 (in 2007) |
| Governing Body | National Park Service |
Gates of the Arctic National Park Wild and Scenic Rivers:
- Alatna River 83 miles (134 km)
- John River 52 miles (84 km)
- Kobuk River 110 miles (177 km)
- Koyukuk River 102 miles (164 km)
- part of the Noatak River
- Tinayguk River 44 miles (71 km)
Gates of the Arctic National Park Operating Hours & Seasons
- June - September: open 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. ( 1:00 p.m. for lunch).
- Remaining days Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - noon / 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed on holidays.
Gates of the Arctic National Park Fishing
| Type of Fish | Location |
|---|---|
| Char | North Slop streams and some lakes |
| Chum Salmon | Kobuk and Alatna Rivers |
| Grayling | Clear lakes and streams |
| Lake Trout | Deep lakes |
| Sheefish | Kobuk and Alatna Rivers |
Remarkable Values of the Six National Wild Rivers
Alatna Wild River
| Approx Length in Miles | 83 |
| Scenic Quality | High; variety from snow-capped mountains to spruce-hardwood forest |
| Recreational Opportunities | Plentiful sightseeing, nature study, hiking, photography, fishing, floating |
| Geologic Features | Rugged mountains of central Brooks Range including Arrigetch Peaks |
| Fish, Fauna, and Flora | Easily observed |
John Wild River
| Approx Length in Miles | 52 |
| Scenic Quality | Outstanding; high relief |
| Recreational Opportunities | Numerous, family float stream, excellent hiking backpacking in upper river area |
| Geologic Features | Wide glacial valleys dissecting central Brooks Range |
| Fish, Fauna, and Flora | Variety of large and small mammals |
Kobuk Wild River
| Approx Length in Miles | 110 |
| Scenic Quality | Walker Lake, two canyons |
| Recreational Opportunities | Exceptional float river |
| Geologic Features | Endicott Mountains of central Brooks Range, upper and lower Kobuk canyons |
| Fish, Fauna, and Flora | Variety of fish and wildlife, one of largest concentrations of sheefish, wintering grounds for western arctic caribou herd, largest continuous spruce forest areas in the Brooks Range |
| Cultural Resources | Highly significant potential |
Noatak Wild River
| Approx Length in Miles | 65 |
| Scenic Quality | Glacial valley with snowcapped peaks |
| Recreational Opportunities | wild rivers in Alaska, good floating, sightseeing, wildlife viewing opportunities |
| Geologic Features | Mount Igikpak |
| Fish, Fauna, and Flora | Plentiful caribou |
| Cultural Resources | Transportation route by natives for thousands of years |
North Fork Koyukuk Wild River
| Approx Length in Miles | 102 |
| Scenic Quality | Frigid Crags, and Boreal Mountain |
| Recreational Opportunities | Access at headwaters, outstanding wilderness backpacking, clear water challenging whitewater |
| Geologic Features | South flank of the arctic Continental Divide |
| Fish, Fauna, and Flora | Variety of wildlife |
Tinayguk Wild River (a Tributary of the North Fork Koyukuk)
| Approx Length in Miles | 44 |
| Scenic Quality | Broad glacial valley |
| Recreational Opportunities | High potential for hiking and backpacking. |
| Geologic Features | South flank of the arctic Continental Divide |
| Fish, Fauna, and Flora | Variety of wildlife |
Gates of the Arctic National Park Weather
| Stats | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg High - °F | -4.5 | 1.0 | 14.5 | 32.3 | 53.2 | 67.7 | 69.6 | 62.3 | 48.4 | 24.9 | 5.4 | -2.3 | 31.1 |
| Avg Low - °F | -20.3 | -17.5 | -8.8 | 10.1 | 33.6 | 46.8 | 49.2 | 43.7 | 32.2 | 12.0 | -8.5 | -17.0 | 13.1 |
| Avg Precip (in) | 0.75 | 0.73 | 0.65 | 0.53 | 0.66 | 1.40 | 1.90 | 2.55 | 1.76 | 1.13 | 0.88 | 0.86 | 13.8 |
| Avg Snowfall (in) | 12.0 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 6.8 | 1.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 2.1 | 11.9 | 13.3 | 15.2 | 82.5 |
| Avg Snow Depth (in) | 26.0 | 29.0 | 32.0 | 26.0 | 4.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 12.0 | 21.0 | 13.0 |
Gates of the Arctic National Park Bird List
| Common Loon Horned Grebe Pacific Loon Red-necked Grebe Red-throated Loon Yellow-billed Loon American Widgeon Bald Eagle American Kestrel Rock Ptarmigan Sandhill Crane Black-bellied Plover |
Lesser Golden Plover Semipalmated Plover Baird's Sandpiper Arctic Tern Boreal Owl Belted Kingfisher Black-backed Woodpecker Alder Flycatcher |
Horned Lark
Bank Swallow Common Raven Black-capped Chickadee American Robin American (Water) Pipit American Dipper Bohemian Waxwing Northern Shrike American Tree Sparrow |
Gates of the Arctic National Park Address
| Gates of the Arctic Field Operations Bettles Ranger Station PO Box 26030 Bettles, AK 99726 Phone: 907-692-5494 |
National Park Service (Fairbanks Hqtrs) 4175 Geist Road Fairbanks, AK 99709 Phone: 907-456-5752 |
| Anaktuvuk Pass Ranger Station PO Box 21102 Anaktuvuk Pass, AK 99721 Phone: 907- 661-3520 |
Marion Creek Ranger Station (Coldfoot) PO Box 9072 Coldfoot, AK 99701 Phone: 907-678-2004 Phone: 907-678-5209 - Visitor Center - Jun / Aug |
