National Park · Alaska, United States
Gates of the Arctic National Park
Gates of the Arctic National Park is a national park in Alaska, United States, covering 7,523,897 acres (3,044,816 ha), established in 1980; it recorded 14,923 visits in 2025.
Photo: Sean Tevebaugh, National Park Service via Wikimedia Commons, Public domain. Cropped and resized for display.
Park facts
| Park type | National Park |
|---|---|
| Location | Alaska, United States |
| Area | 7,523,897 acres (3,044,816 ha) |
| Established | 1980 |
| Annual visits (2025) | 14,923 |
| Coordinates | 67.7800° N, 153.3000° W |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
Every fact above is taken from the sources listed below; anything no source states is left blank rather than guessed.
About Gates of the Arctic National Park
Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a national park of the United States that protects portions of the Central Brooks Range in northern Alaska. The park is the northernmost national park in the United States, situated entirely north of the Arctic Circle. The area of the park and preserve is the second largest in the U.S. at 8,472,506 acres (13,238 sq mi; 34,287 km2); the national park portion (7,523,897 acres (30,448.1 km2)) is the second largest in the U.S., after the national park portion of Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve.
Description from the park's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA), linked in the sources below.
Planning your visit
Best time to visit
June to September — the brief summer window; no roads, access by air taxi
What to do
Getting there
| Nearest town | Bettles, Alaska |
|---|---|
| Nearest airport | Fairbanks International Airport |
Where to stay
| Campgrounds | No |
|---|
Like Gates of the Arctic National Park? Visit Gates of the Arctic National Park’s official park page for hours and current conditions before you travel.
Airports near this park
The airports a visitor would actually fly into, nearest first — each link opens its profile on our sister site AirportProfiles.
- Anaktuvuk Pass Airport (AKP) · Anaktuvuk Pass, United States · 47.2 miles away
- Indian Mountain LRRS Airport (UTO) · Utopia Creek, United States · 124.0 miles away
- Ambler Airport (ABL) · Ambler, United States · 129.4 miles away
Parks nearby
More parks in Alaska
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Gates of the Arctic National Park?
Gates of the Arctic National Park is in Alaska, United States (67.7800° N, 153.3000° W).
When was Gates of the Arctic National Park established?
Gates of the Arctic National Park was established in 1980, per the source listed at the foot of this page.
How big is Gates of the Arctic National Park?
Gates of the Arctic National Park covers 7,523,897 acres (3,044,816 ha).
How many people visit Gates of the Arctic National Park each year?
It recorded 14,923 recreation visits in 2025, the latest published figure.
When is the best time to visit Gates of the Arctic National Park?
June to September — the brief summer window; no roads, access by air taxi.
Does Gates of the Arctic National Park have campgrounds?
No — Gates of the Arctic National Park has no campgrounds.
How do I get to Gates of the Arctic National Park?
The nearest town is Bettles, Alaska. The nearest airport is Fairbanks International Airport.
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_United_States_National_Park_System_official_units — Wikipedia list of National Park System official units — unit name, state, official designation.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_areas_in_the_United_States_National_Park_System — Wikipedia list of National Park System areas — year established and gross area.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_national_parks_of_the_United_States — Wikipedia list of US national parks — coordinates, established date, area, recreation visitors (2025), description.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gates_of_the_Arctic_National_Park — Wikipedia article — description (CC BY-SA).
- https://www.nps.gov/gaar/ — Official park page.