Kobuk Valley Wilderness
Here in Kobuk Valley National Park, 26 miles north of the Arctic Circle and enclosed by the Baird and Waring Mountains, the climate has changed little (or not at all) since the late Pleistocene era. Remnant flora grow as reminders of the vast Arctic steppe tundra that once bridged present-day Alaska and Asia. At the western end of the Brooks Range, where the mountains descend gently toward the Chukchi Sea, the park contains a transition zone between boreal forestland and open tundra. Strangely out of place, 25 square miles of the crescent-shaped Great Kobuk Sand Dunes shift in Arctic winds. Summer temperatures may rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| State | Alaska |
| Size | 176,000 acres |
| Designated | 1980, by Congress |
| Center point | 67.03° N, 158.96° W |
| Night sky | About as dark as the ground gets (Black Marble reading 17) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Where to camp
No federal campground is within ten miles of the boundary in the Campsite Atlas index. Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from trails and water, with no facilities; the managing agency page has the permit and group-size rules.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
Guidebooks for Alaska
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Kobuk Valley Wilderness?
176,000 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Kobuk Valley Wilderness?
The National Park Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Kobuk Valley Wilderness in?
Alaska.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Kobuk Valley Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1980.
Source: Wilderness Connect
How do I get to Kobuk Valley Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 67.025° N, 158.963° W. Kobuk Valley National Park is 17 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Kobuk Valley Wilderness?
Kobuk Valley National Park (17 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.