get bored of Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, you could also stop by nearby Star Lake. Camping is available at Rainbow Lake RV Park, and dry warm beds await you at Springhill Suites By Marriott Fairbanks. Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve is pretty dried
out regularly; the wettest month of the year is frequently August, that's the one that rains the most; the driest of the months is April. You believe that's enough? Just getting warmed up. Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve is delightful enough to spend more than a day
at, King Salmon Motel and RV Park is a delightful local campground, and Fairbanks Golf & Country Club is a fine golf course close by.
By establishing Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve (GAAR) in Alaska's Brooks Range, Congress has reserved a vast and essentially
untouched area of superlative natural beauty and exceptional scientific value - a maze of glaciated valleys and gaunt, rugged mountains covered with boreal forest and arctic tundra vegetation, cut by wild rivers, and inhabited by far-ranging populations of caribou, Dall sheep,
wolves, and bears (barren-ground grizzlies and black bears). Congress recognized that a special value of the Park and Preserve is its wild and undeveloped character, and the opportunities it affords for solitude, wilderness travel, and adventure. Gates of the Arctic encompasses
several congressionally recognized elements, including the national park, national preserve, wilderness, six Wild Rivers and two National Natural Landmarks. The National Park Service is entrusted to manage this area to protect its physical resources and to maintain the intangible
qualities of the wilderness and the opportunity it provides for people to learn and renew its values. CONTACTS Email - GAAR_Visitor_Information@nps.gov Fax- 907-692-5400 Write to Bettles
Ranger Station (Field Ops) P.O. Box 26030 Bettles, AK 99726 - or - National Park Service (Fairbanks Hqrts) 201 First Avenue Fairbanks, AK 99701 Phone Visitor Information - 907-692-5494 (BTT) Headquarters - 907-456-0281 (FAI) Visitor
Information - 907-661-3520 (AKP) Visitor Information - 907-678-5209 (CXF) Visitor Information - 907-678-2004 (MAR)
TRAVEL BASICS
Operating Hours, Seasons The Park and Preserve are open year round. It is best to call each office prior
to arrival to confirm current operational hours. Fairbanks Headquarters: Open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Closed on Holidays. Bettles Ranger Station / Visitor Center: From mid-June to Labor Day: Open 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (sometimes closed noon
- 1:00pm for lunch). Remainder of Year: Open Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - Noon / 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Closed on Holidays. Coldfoot Visitor Center: Open Memorial Day to Labor Day, 7 days a week, 10:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Anaktuvuk Pass Ranger Station: Year-round outside Visitor
display. Call for ranger station hours. Getting There PLANE - Scheduled air taxis from Fairbanks serve Anaktuvuk Pass, Bettles, and Coldfoot. Charter flights may also be arranged. Bush charters are available from Bettles and Coldfoot into the park and preserve
boundaries. Travelers to Anaktuvuk Pass can hike into the park and preserve boundaries, but anticipate covering no more than one mile per hour. CAR - There are no roads in the park, although the Dalton Highway comes within about 5 miles of the park's eastern boundary. Other
than hiking in from the Dalton Highway (across one or two rivers then over the mountain passes, normally at a maximum rate of one mile per hour) access is generally by air. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - None Weather & Climate The central Brooks Range has long,
severe winters and relatively short, cool summers. The entire region receives continuous sunlight during the summer for at least 30 days. Conversely, winter visitors will experience long, cold periods of darkness and twilight. The south side of the Brooks Range below 2,500 feet
is generally a sub-arctic climate zone. Precipitation is low, averaging 12-18 inches in the west and 8-12 inches in the east. Snow can fall any months of the year, averaging 60-80 inches. The average maximum and minimum July temperatures are 70F and 46F, respectively. Thunderstorm
activity is common during June and July, and June through September is generally the wettest time of year. Prevailing winds are out of the north. Freezing temperatures may occur at any time of the year, but particularly from mid-August on. Average minimum and maximum January temperatures
are -10F and -30F but frequently reach -50F. The north side of the Brooks Range has an arctic climate. Mean annual temperatures are colder than on the south side. Maximum and minimum February temperatures range from 33F to -47F. The warmest month, July, has a 60F maximum and
40F minimum. Precipitation is extremely light, about 5-10 inches per year, making this essentially an 'arctic desert'. Snow has been recorded in every month of the year, and the annual average is 45 inches. Prevailing winds are greatly modified by local terrain. Accessibility There
are no roads or established trails within the Gates of the Arctic NP&P. Hikers should practice Leave No Trace techniques, be aware of backcountry safety guidelines, and remain aware of the fragile ecosystems and private lands within the park. Gates of the Arctic is a
remote wilderness and travelers should be fully competent in outdoor survival skills and flexible enough to deal with common weather delays. Administrative buildings in Fairbanks, Anaktuvuk Pass, Coldfoot and Bettles are accessible. Getting Around Visitors are reminded
there are no facilities within GAAR and they should be fully self-sufficient and flexible at all times. FEES/PERMITS
Entrance Fee GROUPS $varies for One Time All groups are required to contact the Chief of Operations at Bettles Ranger
Station for group size limits and possible permitting requirements.
INDIVIDUAL Free! All recreational visitors (individuals or groups) are expected to participate in our FREE Backcountry Orientation (see below).
Permits BACKCOUNTRY ORIENTATION Free!
A resource protection and safety briefing for all recreational visitors
INCIDENTAL BUSINESS PERMIT $varies for Annual All groups and commercial operators are required to contact the Chief of Operations at Bettles Ranger Station for permitting requirements.
Special Use Permits FILM CREWS $varies for One Time Anyone planning to film for commercial purposes within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve must contact the Chief of Operations at Bettles Ranger Station for proper permits.
RESEARCH
PERMITS $varies for One Time Anyone interested in conducting research within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve must contact the Resource Manager in Fairbanks for proper permits.
CAMPING
No established campgrounds Gates
of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a wilderness designated region. Therefore there are no campgrounds, roads, established trails or other maintained visitor facilities within it's boundaries.
LODGING
No established NPS lodging Gates
of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a wilderness designated region. Therefore there are no campgrounds, roads, established trails or other maintained visitor facilities within it's boundaries.
FACILITIES
Ranger Stations ANAKTUVUK PASS
RANGER STATION Phone - (907) 661-3520 Location - Anaktuvuk Pass, AK Closures - Periodically this Ranger Station is unmanned. Please contact the Bettles Ranger Station / Visitor Center when you cannot reach a Ranger at this location. Special Programs
- Visitors seeking a Ranger's assistance should call in advance to schedule an appointment. Exhibits - An outside Backcountry Orientation and Visitor Registration display is accessible year-round.
Visitor Centers BETTLES RANGER STATION / VISITOR
CENTER Open All Year - call for current hours Phone - (907) 692-5494 Location - Bettles Field, AK Special Programs - Interpretive Programs are offered periodically year-round. Checkout our 'inDepth Link' to the right or contact our Interpretive
Specialist at the number above for further information. Exhibits - Various displays depicting the flora and fauna of the Brooks Range are displayed in this facility jointly operated by Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve and Kanuti Wildlife Refuge. Available
Facilities - An Alaska Natural History Association outlet, reference library and restrooms are available in this location. However, because Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a wilderness designated region, there are no NPS campgrounds, roads, established trails
or other NPS maintained visitor facilities within the park and preserve boundaries.
COLDFOOT INTERAGENCY VISITOR CENTER (NPS, BLM, USFWS) Phone - (907) 678-5209 Location - Coldfoot, AK Closures - This location is only open Memorial Day through
Labor Day 10am - 10pm daily. Please contact the Bettles Ranger Station / Visitor Center any other time. Special Programs - Call for current information. Exhibits - Call for current information. Available Facilities - Call for current information.
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