Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve

Gates of the Arctic is wilderness in its purest, most uncompromising form. Lying entirely above the Arctic Circle in the remote Brooks Range of northern Alaska, it is the second-largest national park in the United States and one of the least visited, a place with no roads, no trails, no signs and no facilities of any kind. You do not drive here or follow a path; you fly in by bush plane and then travel under your own power across a landscape essentially unchanged for millennia.

A land beyond the roads

This is the domain of the jagged peaks of the Endicott Mountains, broad tundra valleys, wild rivers and vast boreal forest at its southern edge. Caribou migrate through in their thousands, grizzlies and wolves roam freely, and in the long winter darkness the aurora blazes overhead. Named for two mountains that frame a natural gateway north, the park protects a wilderness so remote that most visitors are experienced backcountry travellers or guided groups. For a UK family, it represents the far outer edge of what wild travel can mean.

Gates of the Arctic offers something almost no other place can: genuine, roadless, trail-less wilderness where you are entirely on your own terms. There are no crowds, no queues and no infrastructure, just tundra, mountains and sky stretching further than seems possible. For the right family, prepared and ideally guided, the sense of solitude and self-reliance is profound and unforgettable.

The rewards match the effort. You might float a wild Arctic river past caribou on the move, watch the midnight sun circle the sky in summer, or, in the shoulder seasons, stand beneath a sky rippling with the northern lights. The Endicott Mountains rise stark and untouched, and the silence is total. This is not a casual holiday but a serious expedition, and for adventurous teenagers it can be the trip of a lifetime.

There are no roads, no trails, no shuttles and no vehicles of any kind within Gates of the Arctic, so getting around means travelling entirely under your own power once the bush plane drops you off. Visitors hike across open tundra and along riverbanks, or float the park's wild rivers by raft, packraft or canoe, which is often the most practical way to cover distance through this trackless landscape. Route-finding, navigation and self-rescue are entirely your responsibility, which is why most people travel with a guide. To move between areas you arrange further bush-plane pickups and drop-offs. This is backcountry travel at its most demanding, requiring strong wilderness skills, careful planning and complete self-sufficiency.

There is no public transport of any kind to or within Gates of the Arctic; the concept simply does not apply here. Access is solely by small aircraft, first from Fairbanks to Bettles and then by chartered bush plane into the wilderness, and these flights are your only link to the outside world. For a family, the relevant planning is not about hiring a car but about arranging air charters and, almost always, a guided expedition. A hire car is useful only for getting around Fairbanks before you fly north. Everything about reaching and moving through this park depends on aircraft and your own two feet or a raft.

• This is expert-level wilderness; unless you are highly experienced, go with a licensed guide or outfitter who arranges logistics and safety.
• Access is by bush plane, typically from the village of Bettles, itself reached by small plane from Fairbanks; build in buffer days for weather delays.
• You must be fully self-sufficient, carrying all food, shelter and gear, as there are no facilities, shops or rescue on demand.
• Take proper bear-safety measures, including bear-resistant food containers, which are essential here.
• Weather can ground flights for days, so pack extra supplies and keep your itinerary flexible.
• Summer brings relentless mosquitoes; head nets and strong repellent are non-negotiable.
• River float trips are a classic and comparatively accessible way to experience the park with a guide.

This is an Arctic climate of extremes. The brief summer, roughly June to August, brings long or continuous daylight, cool temperatures, and highly changeable weather that can swing from mild to cold, wet and windy within hours; mosquitoes are ferocious in this season. The shoulder months turn quickly toward snow and cold, though they bring the return of the aurora. Winters are long, dark and brutally cold, suitable only for experts. Whatever the season, pack serious cold-weather and waterproof gear: insulated and windproof layers, quality rain protection, sturdy boots, gloves, a hat, and head nets against the mosquitoes. Conditions here demand respect and thorough preparation.

Reaching Gates of the Arctic is an expedition in itself and nothing like driving to a typical park. From the UK you first fly to Fairbanks (FAI), Alaska, usually via a US west coast hub such as Seattle. From Fairbanks you take a small scheduled or charter flight to the tiny gateway community of Bettles, and from there a bush plane flies you into the park itself, landing on gravel bars, rivers or open tundra. There are no roads into the park at any point. Because weather frequently delays these small flights, you must build generous buffer days into your plans. For a UK family, this is a serious, costly and logistically complex undertaking, best arranged through an experienced guide or outfitter who coordinates the flights and backcountry logistics.