Arctic Alaska

Tundra and Arctic Ocean coast north of the Arctic Circle, with Utqiaġvik, the northernmost town in the US, the Brooks Range and several roadless wilderness national parks as highlights.

Scope: This plan uses the "Far North (Arctic)" region of the Alaska tourism office's five regions, which by administrative unit includes the North Slope Borough and the Northwest Arctic Borough. The Nome Census Area, where Nome is located, belongs to the unorganized area in the data and is currently assigned to the Interior region. The destination database has no entries for this region yet. Highlights: Utqiaġvik (formerly Barrow) is the northernmost town in the US, where you can stand on the shore of the Arctic Ocean, visit the Iñupiat Heritage Center and the whale-bone arch, and see the sun stay up for more than two months in summer. The Brooks Range stretches across the region, and Gates of the Arctic National Park, with no roads or facilities, is the ultimate wilderness for backpacking and rafting. In the Northwest Arctic Borough, Kotzebue is the regional hub, with the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes in Kobuk Valley National Park, Noatak National Preserve and Cape Krusenstern National Monument nearby. In the east, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge hosts the caribou migration, and in autumn you can see polar bears at Kaktovik. The Dalton Highway crosses Atigun Pass to Deadhorse, in the Prudhoe Bay oil fields. Things to do: The simplest option is a one- or two-day trip to Utqiaġvik by air from Anchorage or Fairbanks; a round-trip drive on the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Deadhorse takes about 4–5 days; wilderness national parks require a charter flight and are usually visited with a guide. Getting there: Almost entirely by air; the Dalton Highway, a gravel road, is the only road link to the outside. Notes: Prices are high and lodging is very limited, so book in advance; respect Native communities and traditional hunting activities, and ask permission before taking photos.