Noatak National Preserve - National Park Directory

Noatak River cuts through a green tundra landscape with distant mountains.

The Noatak River carves through the summertime tundra.

A huge spray of northern lights is reflected in a tiny sliver of water in the Noatak River. This image was captured in early September at 2:30 in the morning.

The famous golden hour near sunset on Copter Peak gives depth to the mountains and neon hues to the tundra.

The Delong Mountains are flawlessly reflected in the clear, clean water of Desperation Lake in the northern part of Noatak National Preserve.

Three multicolored packrafts on the gravel shore of the Kelly river

Three packrafts sit packed and ready to launch for the days float on the Kelly River.

The profile of this grizzly on the Noatak River shows a nice example of the hump of muscle between it's shoulders. That muscle makes grizzlies good diggers.

A National Park Service plane takes off from the Kelly Bar landing site at the confluence of the Kelly River and Noatak River

Photos: National Park Service

About Noatak National Preserve

As one of North America's largest mountain-ringed river basins with an intact ecosystem, the Noatak River environs feature some of the Arctic's finest arrays of plants and animals. The river is classified as a National Wild and Scenic River. It offers stunning wilderness float-trip opportunities - from deep in the Brooks Range to the tidewater of the Chukchi Sea.

Quick Facts

State Alaska

Designation National Preserve

State Code AK

Weather Snow, rain, and freezing temperatures can occur any time of the year. Always travel with good quality rain gear and warm layers. Be especially careful to stay dry. Hypothermia can…

Location & Map

Noatak National Preserve is located in Alaska.

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Operating Hours

Public access to Noatak National Preserve is open year-round, 24-hours a day.

Wednesday All Day

Monday All Day

Thursday All Day

Sunday All Day

Tuesday All Day

Friday All Day

Saturday All Day

Activities

Boating Camping Backcountry Camping Fishing Freshwater Fishing Flying Fixed Wing Flying Hands-On Arts and Crafts Hiking Backcountry Hiking Hunting and Gathering Hunting Paddling Canoeing Junior Ranger Program Wildlife Watching Park Film Museum Exhibits

Getting There

Noatak National Preserve is a very remote area. There are no roads that provide access. Commercial airlines provide service from Anchorage to Kotzebue or Fairbanks to Bettles. Once in Kotzebue or Bettles, you must fly to the preserve with various air taxi operators. There are scheduled flights to villages and chartered flights to remote park areas. Summer access may include motorized/non-motorized watercraft, aircraft, or by foot.

View Official Directions

Contact & Address

Address 171 3rd Ave, Kotzebue, AK, 99752

Phone 9073182230

Email wear_webmail@nps.gov

Topics & Themes

Animals Arctic Tundra Night Sky Aurora Borealis Scenic Views Watersheds Headwaters Wilderness

Things To Do

Fishing the Noatak

Fishing in the Noatak National Preserve is a dream trip for many enthusiasts.

Visit the Northwest Arctic Heritage Center

Trying to figure out where to go and what to do in Northwest Alaska? The Northwest Arctic Heritage Center is…

Float the Noatak

A float trip by canoe on the Noatak River

Visitor Centers

Northwest Arctic Heritage Center

Large, half-dome shaped, blue and grey building with just over 11,000 square feet of space. The museum space is just over 1,800 square feet and…

Hours: The Northwest Arctic Heritage Center is across from the Kotzebue airport and is open normal hours weekly. If you have any questions about a specific date or visiting Kotzebue contact us at (907) 442-3890.

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