USFWS · Alaska

Koyukuk Wilderness

Think of Koyukuk Wilderness and water comes to mind. Located on the Koyukuk National Wildlife Refuge, there are many rivers, meandering creeks, and lakes, all forming the floodplain of the Koyukuk River. The lands in and around the Wilderness are still of great importance to the Alaskans who live in villages nearby. Local subsistence activities include gathering meat, fish and berries, trapping of furbearers, and cutting house logs and firewood. Moose are common within the Wilderness. Brown and black bears wade into the rivers in night-less summer to escape swarms of mosquitoes and other biting insects. Lynx, coyotes, red foxes, wolves, and wolverines might also be seen.

Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).

Official page at Wilderness Connect ↗
Koyukuk Wilderness
Photo from Wilderness Connect, wilderness.net
DesignationWilderness
Managed byU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
StateAlaska
Size400,000 acres
Designated1980, by Congress
Center point65.65° N, 157.33° W
Night skyVery dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 27)

Boundary map

1 outline

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

Campsite Atlas →

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.

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Reference

Questions people ask

How big is Koyukuk Wilderness?

400,000 acres.

Source: Wilderness Connect

Who manages Koyukuk Wilderness?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Source: Wilderness Connect

What state is Koyukuk Wilderness in?

Alaska.

Source: Wilderness Connect

When was Koyukuk Wilderness designated?

Congress designated it in 1980.

Source: Wilderness Connect

How do I get to Koyukuk Wilderness?

A point inside the boundary is at 65.650° N, 157.333° W. The official page carries directions and the office address.

Source: Wilderness Connect

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.