When you want to protect something precious, you find a good place to hide it.

Perhaps that’s why Noatak National Preserve huddles deep in the valley between the Brooks and De Long mountain ranges.

Through the middle, the wild and scenic Noatak River winds 400 miles from high the mountains to its rendezvous with the Chukchi Sea.

On either side of the river, plants and wildlife thrive, untouched by the passage of time. Twice a year, 450,000 Western Arctic caribou make their way through Noatak to and from breeding grounds inside the Arctic Circle.

This is a wilderness that hasn’t changed in millennia. The ecosystem at Noatak National Preserve is so balanced and self-contained, it has been designated a Biosphere Reserve.

The best way to experience Noatak is in a raft floating down the river. This is true backcountry camping—there are no services inside the park. But the memories you take away will last a lifetime.

If You Go: 

Plan your trip, including transportation into and out of Noatak National Preserve, at the visitor center in Kotzebue.

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