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Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve

Designation: National Park & Preserve

Location: Alaska

Visit Official Park Website

📘 Park Overview

This vast landscape does not contain any roads or trails. Visitors discover intact ecosystems where people have lived with the land for over ten thousand years. Wild rivers meander through glacier-carved valleys, caribou migrate along age-old trails, endless summer light fades into aurora-lit night skies of winter. Virtually unchanged, except by the forces of nature.

🌤 Weather Information

The climate of Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve is generally classified as arctic and sub-arctic, with exceptionally cold winters, relatively mild summers, low annual precipitation, and generally high winds. The weather is influenced by many different systems, and can change rapidly.!!

🚗 Directions

Gates of the Arctic is a wilderness park, with no roads or trails into the park lands, so visitors must fly or hike into the park. Access begins in Fairbanks, Alaska & there are several small airlines that provide daily flights into the communities of Bettles, Anaktuvuk Pass, and Coldfoot. Most visitors access the park by air taxi or hike in from the Dalton Highway or from the village of Anaktuvuk Pass. River crossings are necessary from both locations.

Images

Aerial view of the Alatna River as it winds through a valley

Aerial view of the Alatna River as it winds through a valley

Credit: NPS Photo / Sean Tevebaugh

Alpenglow on the granite cliffs of mountains

A spring alpenglow brightens the granite walls of the Arrigetch Peaks

Credit: NPS Photo

A hiker crosses a stream with mountains in the background

A hiker crosses a stream and enters Oolah Valley.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Paxson Woebler

Handful of blueberries

Pausing to pick blueberries can result in a handful of delicious snacks.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Paxson Wobelber

Two hikers climb up a mountain pass

Hikers choose river valleys as corridors when hiking over mountain passes.

Credit: Photo courtesy of Paxson Woebler

Activities

Topics

Operating Hours

Sunday
All Day
Monday
All Day
Tuesday
All Day
Wednesday
All Day
Thursday
All Day
Friday
All Day
Saturday
All Day

Entrance Fees

No entrance fees listed.

Entrance Passes

No entrance passes listed.

3-Day Weather Forecast

Saturday, Mar 14

Freezing fog

Freezing fog

High: -4.5°F | Low: -30.1°F

Humidity: 98%

Wind: 8.5 mph

Rain Chance: 68%

UV Index: 0.2

Sunrise: 08:30 AM

Sunset: 08:03 PM

Moon: Waning Crescent (26%)

Visibility: 2 mi

Dew Point: -17.2°F

Cloud Cover: 68%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Sunday, Mar 15

Light freezing rain

Light freezing rain

High: -14.7°F | Low: -34°F

Humidity: 99%

Wind: 11.4 mph

Rain Chance: 68%

UV Index: 0.2

Sunrise: 08:26 AM

Sunset: 08:07 PM

Moon: Waning Crescent (18%)

Visibility: 5 mi

Dew Point: -20°F

Cloud Cover: 68%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Monday, Mar 16

Light freezing rain

Light freezing rain

High: -17.6°F | Low: -36.2°F

Humidity: 99%

Wind: 11.6 mph

Rain Chance: 88%

UV Index: 0.2

Sunrise: 08:22 AM

Sunset: 08:11 PM

Moon: Waning Crescent (11%)

Visibility: 3 mi

Dew Point: -28.8°F

Cloud Cover: 88%

Pressure: N/A mb

Air Quality (PM2.5): N/A

Ozone: N/A

EPA Index: N/A

Park Alerts

All Open Fires Prohibited in Park & Preserve
Effective immediately, open fires in the park & preserve are prohibited due to the high fire danger. No open campfires are allowed in the preserve. No ground fires of any type are permitted. This order is in effect until the conditions change.

More Info

Self-Service Information at Bettles Visitor Center Information
Self-Service information, park stamps and backcountry orientation are available on the covered porch at the visitor center. Rangers will return to Bettles on August 7 upon completion of scheduled backcountry patrols.
General Management Plan Amendment
The NPS has released a plan that updates the 1986 General Management Plan & guides the future of Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve. This plan will direct management of park resources, visitor uses, & facilities for the next 15 to 20 years.
Important Public Hearing Notice
Hearing Set on Season Restrictions for Taking Bears, Wolves, and Coyotes in National Preserves - Follow this link to download the News Release for more details.
Fire Ban Lifted at Gates of the Arctic
Effective immediately, open fires may be built as allowed by park regulations on all Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve lands.

More Info

Bear Encounter Near Lower Tingayguk River Danger
Avoid travel near the lower Tingayguk River and Wolf Creek. Two separate incidents have occurred, one resulting in a bear obtaining food and in another a bear charged a packrafter. This is a potentially dangerous situation. Avoid these areas if possible.
Emergency Sheep Hunting Closure in Units 23 & 26(A)
All sheep seasons in Game Management Units 23 and 26(A) for all resident and nonresident hunters are closed due to severe decline in sheep numbers in the contiguous populations of the De Long and Schwatka Mountains.
Hovercraft remain prohibited in all Alaska National Parks and Preserves Information
As the boating and hunting seasons get underway in Gates of the Arctic and other areas within the National Park System in Alaska, visitors are reminded that a recent court case has not changed the regulations which govern activities on navigable waters.

More Info

Fire Ban Remains in Place at Gates of the Arctic
Although some areas of the state are experiencing enough rain to decrease fire danger, that is not the case for lands within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve.

More Info

Public Meeting Notice
The Gates of the Arctic NPP Subsistence Resource Commission meeting will be held at the NPS Administrative Center in Fairbanks on November 5, 2013 from 8:30am to 5pm and on November 6, 2013 from 830am to noon. The public is invited to attend.
Emergency in the park
This is a test emergency.

More Info

Lightning Ignites Fire in Gates of the Arctic National park and Preserve.
The lightning-ignited Lockwood Fire was discovered July 15, 2015 in a remote area of Gates of the Arctic National Preserve. It has been placed in monitor status. For more information visit https://www.nps.gov/gaar/learn/management/currentfireinfo.htm

More Info

Bear Encounter Near Lower Tingayguk River Danger
Avoid travel near the lower Tingayguk River and Wolf Creek. Two separate incidents have occurred, one resulting in a bear obtaining food and in another a bear charged a packrafter. This is a potentially dangerous situation. Avoid these areas if possible.
Anaktuvuk Pass Ranger Station is Temporarily Closed Information
Anaktuvuk Pass Ranger Station is Temporarily Closed until August 7 to facilitate Ranger patrols of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve. These closures occur several times each summer.

Visitor Center & Contacts

📍 Physical Address:
101 Dunkel St
Fairbanks, AK 99701

🏤 Mailing Address:
101 Dunkel St.
Suite 110
Fairbanks, AK 99701

📞 Voice Phone: 907-459-3730

✉️ Email: fair_information@nps.gov

Park Location

👏 Fun Fact
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