Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve — Visitor Info
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve protects six million acres of Brooks Range wilderness entirely above the Arctic Circle — with no roads, no trails, and no designated campsites anywhere in the park. It's one of the least-visited and most remote units in the entire national park system.
Page content last verified: July 2026
Getting There
There is no road into Gates of the Arctic. Most visitors fly commercially to Fairbanks, then charter a small bush plane to a gravel bar, lake, or backcountry airstrip inside or near the park — commonly through the gateway communities of Bettles or Coldfoot. A small number of experienced backpackers hike in from the Dalton Highway, but this involves days of trail-less travel through the Brooks Range foothills.
Visitor Centers
Confirm current hours on the official NPS visitor centers page before you go.
Entrance Fees & Passes
Gates of the Arctic has no entrance fee and requires no formal registration to enter. Visitors are strongly encouraged (though not legally required) to stop at a visitor center first for a backcountry orientation covering current conditions, wildlife activity, and bear safety. Every visitor center also loans out bear-resistant food containers for backcountry trips.
Every Kid Outdoors — Free 4th Grade Pass
Since Gates of the Arctic doesn't charge an entrance fee, the Every Kid Outdoors pass isn't needed here, but it's good for free entry at fee-charging parks elsewhere in the system.
Permits & Reservations
Individual backcountry travelers do not need a permit. Nonprofit, educational, commercial, or guided groups should contact the park several months ahead of travel dates for group size limits and permit requirements. Commercial air taxi operators and guides are required to ensure their clients receive a backcountry orientation before entering the park.
Camping
There are no designated campsites, campgrounds, or roads anywhere in Gates of the Arctic. Camping happens wherever your route takes you, using strict Leave No Trace practice.
Gravel bars are generally the preferred campsite — fewer mosquitoes, and rising water naturally erases signs of use. Camp well above current water levels, since river levels can rise quickly. On tundra, choose durable vegetation like grasses over fragile lichens and moss, and move camp every 2–3 days. Gas or propane stoves are strongly recommended over fires, since trees grow extremely slowly this far north and wood is scarce in many areas. This is bear country (both black and grizzly) — keep your tent, cooking area, and food storage at least 100 yards apart from each other in a triangle, and use a certified bear-resistant food container, required in all Alaska parks.
Good to Know
- This is trail-less wilderness travel — route-finding, river crossings, and full self-sufficiency are all on you; this is not a park for first-time backpackers.
- Weather and bush flights can be delayed for days — build significant slack into your itinerary on both ends of the trip.
- No cell service or rescue infrastructure exists inside the park — a satellite communicator is strongly recommended.
- The midnight sun (summer) and near-total darkness (winter) both shape what a trip here looks like depending on season.
More National Parks
See our other National Park visitor guides, or browse the full National Parks guide.
Fees and regulations change from year to year. This page is a starting point for trip planning — always confirm current details on the official Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve site before you go.
Sources: NPS – Fees & Passes · NPS – Camping · NPS – Alerts & Conditions
