The Bush
Western Alaska
Nome
NomeCouncil Road
Kougarok Road
NomeTeller Road
Arctic Alaska
Dalton Highway
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
Utqiagvik (Barrow)
The Bush
Why Go?
Even the frontier has a frontier, and for Alaskans, that’s the Bush. By and large, you can’t come here by road; visitors must travel by air or sea or sled dog. The space is vast – larger than many countries – yet the population is smaller than many midsized cities. Still, people live here, and they embrace their place at the edge of the map, which they share with herds of musk ox, the snaking Trans-Alaska Pipeline, Iñupiat-language church services, shipping-container-chic architecture in towns like Utqiaġvik (Barrow), and the very Gates of the Arctic. Come here to embrace deep isolation, never-ending nights, endless days and true wilderness: utterly untamed landscapes that remind us humans how small we really are.
When to Go
- Mar The Iditarod, the world’s most famous dogsled race, concludes in Nome.
- Jun Utqiaġvik Iñupiat celebrate the Nalukataq festival after the spring’s whale harvest.
- Jun–Aug Enjoy 24-hour sunlight above the Arctic Circle.
Best Places to Eat
Best Places to Stay
The Bush Highlights
1 Dalton Highway Driving from Interior Alaska to the shores of the Arctic Ocean on one of North America’s great – and northernmost – road trips.
2 Nome Roads Exploring the roads that spread out from Nome across miles of stunning Arctic scenery.
3 Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Following caribou herds on a backcountry excursion into this remote treasure.
4 Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve Trekking across a slice of utter American wilderness with no other souls in sight.
5 End of the Road Heading to the surreal place where the roads end in Utqiaġvik (Barrow).
6 Nome Drinking with a crowd of roughneck locals in this frontier town.
History
The history of the Bush is largely the history of Alaska Natives. By their own accounts, they’ve been here since the beginning. Archaeologists say it’s not been as long as that: perhaps 6000 years for the ancestors of today’s Athabascans, and about 3000 years for the Iñupiat, Yupiks and Aleuts. Either way, they’ve displayed remarkable ingenuity and endurance, thriving as fishers, hunters and gatherers in an environment few else could even survive in.
Europeans arrived in Alaska in the 1800s, with traders and missionaries setting up shop in numerous communities along the western coast. Whalers entered the Bering Sea around the middle of the century, and soon expanded into the Arctic Ocean. By 1912 they had virtually decimated the bowhead whale population.
The most climactic event in the Bush, however, was the gold rush at Nome, triggered in 1898 (just two years after the discovery of gold in the Klondike) by the ‘Three Lucky Swedes.’ The stampede drew as many as 20,000 fortune chasers across to the Seward Peninsula, giving the region, ever so briefly, the most populous town in Alaska. Even today Nome remains the only significant non-Native community in the Bush.
Throughout the 20th century, progress in transportation, communications and social services transformed the remote region. ‘Bush planes’ made the area relatively accessible, and towns like Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Kotzebue, Nome and Bethel became commercial hubs, in turn bringing services to the smaller villages in their orbit. Political and legal battles resulted in more schools and better health care, while the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act turned villages into corporations and villagers into shareholders. Today, anywhere you go in the Bush you’ll find residents engaged in a fine balancing act – coping with the challenges of the 21st century, while at the same time struggling to keep alive the values, practices and links to the land that they’ve passed down through countless generations and maintained for millennia.
8Getting There & Away
The Bush is, almost by definition, roadless. You can drive (or get a shuttle bus) up the Dalton Hwy to Deadhorse, and around Nome on an insular road network reaching out to a few surrounding destinations, but everywhere else it’s fly-in only.
Alaska Airlines and Ravn Alaska are the main carriers, with Nome, Kotzebue and Utqiaġvik (Barrow) the main hubs. Regional airlines fly to smaller villages and provide air-taxi services into the wilderness.
Western Alaska
Severe, gorgeous and incredibly removed from civilization – even for this state – Western Alaska is home to Iñupiat, intrepid prospectors and some of the state’s least-seen landscapes. Too far north (and too close to the Arctic Ocean and Bering Sea) for trees, the terrain is instead carpeted with coral-like tundra grasses and flowers, and patrolled by herds of caribou and musk ox. Highlights of the area include regional hubs like Nome, and the vast tracts of little-explored wilderness in the Noatak and Bering Land Bridge National Preserves.
Nome
%907 / Pop 3797
Nome is huddled on the ice-encrusted shores of the Bering Strait and inhabits one of the wildest and most westerly parts of mainland America. This hard-bitten grid of wind-battered houses and unpaved roads backed by snow-speckled expanses of bleak tundra isn’t quite the boomtown it was in 1900.
Thanks to fires, storms and the corrosive effects of the Bering Strait weather, few of Nome’s gold-rush-era buildings remain, though a detectable Wild West spirit still haunts the town’s bars and gritty streets. Most visitors come for bird-watching opportunities or to witness the final lap of the Iditarod, the famous dogsled race, which wraps up here in March.
Whatever your reason for visiting, you can spend a surreal day or two hiking across the unforgiving tundra, or warming up in several well-worn bars where locals compare gun calibers and always have a story ready for the next slack-jawed newcomer in town.
1Sights
Drop by the Nome Visitor Center for information on the various gold rush-era buildings still standing in the downtown area. And, while wandering about, be on the lookout for dredge buckets. During Nome’s golden heyday there were more than 100 dredges in use, each employing hundreds of buckets to scoop up gravel and dirt. Today you’ll see the buckets all over town, many used as giant flowerpots.
The Carrie McLain Museum, Katirvk Cultural Center and Kegoayah Kozga Public Library are all located in the airy, ultra-contemporary Richard Foster Building, located at 100 W 7th Ave.
Katirvk Cultural CenterMUSEUM
(MAP; %907-443-4340; www.kawerak.org/katirvik.html; 100 W 7th Ave, Richard Foster Bldg; $10; 
h2-6pm Thu & Fri, to 4pm Sat; 
p)
The word ‘Katirvk’ comes from the Iñupiat term for ‘gathering place.’ In this case, the ‘place’ in question is a small, modern museum that explores local indigenous culture and folkways.
Golden Sands BeachBEACH
(MAP)
Sand zero, so to speak, of Nome’s famed gold rush, this beach is still open to recreational mining and all summer long you can watch miners set up work camps along the shore. Some will pan or open a sluice box right on the beach, while the more serious rig a sluice and dredging equipment onto a small pontoon boat and anchor it offshore.
From this Rube Goldberg machine–like contraption they will spend up to four hours underwater in wet suits (pumped with hot air from the engine), essentially vacuuming the ocean floor. Miners are generally friendly, and occasionally you can even coax one into showing you their gold dust and nuggets. If you catch the fever, practically every gift shop and hardware store in town sells black-plastic gold pans. As you’re panning, think about the visitor who, while simply beachcombing in 1984, found a 3.5in nugget at the eastern end of the seawall that weighed 1.29oz, and remember that gold’s now worth around $1300 per ounce.
The beach stretches a mile east of town along Front St. At the height of summer, a few local children may be seen playing in the 45°F (7°C) water, and on Memorial Day (in May), more than 100 masochistic residents plunge into the ice-choked waters for the annual Polar Bear Swim.
Across from the beach, just past the Tesoro gas station, sits a Mine Machinery Graveyard. As no roads connect Nome to the rest of the world, once a piece of equipment makes the barge-ride here, it stays until it turns to dust.
Carrie McLain MuseumMUSEUM
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-6630; www.nomealaska.org; 100 W 7th Ave, Richard Foster Bldg; adult/child $7/6; hnoon-7pm Mon-Thu, to 6pm Sat; p)
Once effectively an attic of Nome ‘stuff,’ the Carrie McLain Museum has evolved over the years into a professionally presented museum that profiles the history of Nome and Western Alaska. Many of the institution’s more than 15,000 artifacts relate to gold-rush days, including racks of mining equipment, historical documents and photo albums.
Richard Foster BuildingLANDMARK
(MAP; 100 W 7th Ave; p)
The futuristic aesthetic of this municipal building stands in stark contrast to Nome’s historic homes and storefronts. Inside, you’ll find the Carrie McLain Museum, Katirvk Cultural Center and Kegoayah Kozga Public Library (%907-443-6628; www.nomealaska.org; hnoon-7pm Mon-Thu, to 6pm Fri & Sat; 
W).
Swanberg’s Gold DredgeLANDMARK
One mile east of Nome fronting the beach is this poignantly abandoned gold dredge that was in operation until the 1950s. A boardwalk with various interpretative signs traverses the tundra to allow a close-up look. In the evening, herds of musk ox can sometimes be seen in the nearby fields.
Iditarod Finish-Line ArchLANDMARK
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Front & Bering St)
This imposing structure, a distinctly bent pine tree with burls, is raised over Front St every March in anticipation of the mushers and their dogsled teams ending the 1049-mile race here.
St Joseph ChurchCHURCH
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-6663; Anvil City Sq)
Built in 1901, when there were 20,000 people living in Nome, this church and its spire were located on Front St and used as a beacon for seafarers. By the 1920s, after the population of the city had plummeted to less than 900, the Jesuits abandoned the structure.
It was used for storage by a mining company until 1996 when the city purchased it and moved it to Anvil City Sq. In the grassy square fronting the church, look for statues of the Three Lucky Swedes, dredge buckets and the ‘world’s largest gold pan.’ The interior of the building is not open to the public.
Donald Perkins Memorial PlazaPLAZA
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; Front St)
Next to the Nome Visitor Center is this plaza, containing a collection of old mining detritus.
2Activities
If you’re well prepared and the weather holds, the backcountry surrounding Nome can be hiking heaven. Though there are no marked trails in the region, the area’s three highways offer perfect access into the tundra and mountains. What’s more, the lack of trees and big, rolling topography make route-finding fairly simple: just pick a point and go for it. For those who’d like a little more direction, a multipage list of suggested day hikes is available from the Nome Visitor Center.
Also providing great info on local trekking is the Bering Land Bridge Visitor Center. Throughout the summer the center leads very popular and free guided day hikes, as well as birding tours in May and June. Contact the center for exact times and dates.
Anvil MountainHIKING
The climb up 1062ft Anvil Mountain is the closest hike to Nome and the only one that can be easily pulled off without a car. It’s about a half-mile to the summit, through wonderful wildflower patches.
At the top you’ll find the giant parabolic antennae of the Cold War–era White Alice Communications System, plus great views of town and the ocean, as well as the odd passing musk ox. To start, follow Bering St out of town to where it changes to the Teller Hwy. About 2.5 miles down the Teller Hwy turn right on the Dexter Bypass and look for an obvious dirt road, about half a mile in, climbing up the hillside.
NOME: KLONDIKE’S SEQUEL
Type the words ‘Alaska’ and ‘gold rush’ into an internet search engine and your first result will probably contain the word ‘Klondike.’ There’s just one small problem: Klondike is in the Yukon Territory in Canada. Its erroneous listing as an Alaskan gold rush came about because of the key role Alaska played as a supply center and point of embarkation for thousands of American ‘stampeders’ heading north in 1897.
The first true Alaskan gold rush ignited near present-day Nome in 1898 when three Swedish prospectors (the ‘Three Lucky Swedes,’ as they became known), blown off course in a small boat, discovered gold deposits in a river called Anvil Creek near Cape Nome. Coming so soon after the mania in the Yukon and giving fresh wind to many of the disgruntled and semi-destitute stampeders, Nome acted as Klondike’s frenzied sequel, a kind of Godfather Part II with an equally colorful cast of despicable characters.
Nome’s rise was meteoric. By 1899 when gold was discovered on Nome’s beaches, Klondike’s stampeders were leaving Dawson City in their droves to descend on the region. The nascent city, which hadn’t even existed two years previously, briefly morphed into the largest in Alaska with over 20,000 hardy souls squeezed into makeshift wooden buildings or saggy canvas tents on the beach. Rather like Klondike, Nome attracted an abnormally high number of unsavory characters, including US lawman and veteran of the Gunfight at the OK Corral, Wyatt Earp, who set up and ran the profitable Dexter Saloon in town, a bar that allegedly doubled as a brothel.
The beauty of Nome’s gold was that it was easily extractable. As much of it lay deposited on the beach, you didn’t need heavy-duty dredging equipment to retrieve it, although dredges were often used. With seasonal sea access via steamship, the region was easier to reach than Klondike and thus attracted its fair share of chancers, no-hopers and blatant criminals. Within months of the strike, the fledgling settlement, in contrast to the relatively law-abiding Dawson City (well policed by the Canadian Mounties), was filled with debauchery. Holdups, gambling, prostitution, fist fights, drunkenness and robbery became endemic.
‘Drunken gamblers groveled in the dust; women, shameless scarlet women…of exceedingly grotesque character but universally décolleté, reveled as recklessly as any of their tipsy companions,’ wrote prudish new arrival Sarah Fell in 1900.
The frenzy of Nome had died by about 1905 and the town quickly reinvented itself as a small but stable settlement, known since 1972 as the endpoint for the Iditarod dogsled race. It wasn’t Alaska’s last gold rush. Fairbanks hit the jackpot in 1902 but it never reached the heights of Nome and its brief flirtation with notoriety.
TTours
The Nome Visitor Center can hook you up with operators for fishing, hunting and dogsled rides, as well as snowcat and snowmobile tours in season.
Akau Alaska Gold & ResortTOURS
(%760-500-1329, 760-855-2855; www.akaugold.com; Old Glacier Creek Rd)
This ‘resort’ offers gold-panning, sluicing and metal-detecting trips (from $150) along with tours of old gold-rush-era ruins and machinery, fishing trips and ATV rentals. They can also throw in accommodations and meal packages (contact them for the latest rates) if you wish to stay in the lodge and cabins, located 7 miles outside Nome on Old Glacier Creek Rd, which branches off the Nome–Teller Rd.
Nome Discovery ToursTOURS
(%907-443-2814; tours $65-185)
We’ve met lots of tour guides, but only one who’s mayor of the town he gives tours about. Richard Beneville is an old song-and-dance man who decided to hang up his tap shoes to live out in the Alaska wilds. He offers everything from two-hour evening tundra exploration drives to full-day excursions to Teller.
For what it’s worth, ‘mayor’ is a ceremonial job in Nome, but Richard may well be busy with municipal stuff, so call ahead.
4Sleeping
You can camp for free on Golden Sands Beach, but do so a bit down the beach as the street sweepers dump debris here daily. Further from town it’s unofficially permissible to camp just about anywhere: avoid private property and active mining claims, and clean up after yourself.
Nome tacks on a 6% bed tax to accommodations. Book rooms well in advance in summer and up to a year before Iditarod.
Nome Recreation CenterACCOMMODATION SERVICES$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 208 E 6th Ave; showers $7; h5:30am-10pm Mon-Fri)
You can take a shower here and use the sauna, a nice way to clean up if you’ve been camping in the area.
Dredge No 7 InnB&B$$
(%907-304-1270; www.dredge7inn.com; 1700 Teller Hwy; ste $195; pW)
A cozy apparition in the unashamedly basic confines of Nome, Dredge No 7 is a modern inn that strikes a nice balance between rustic charm and some fine Martha Stewart–inspired flourishes. Bright, private suites share a spacious kitchen and the common areas are decked out with leather sofas and fireplace. Breakfast items are left in your room.
The inn is about a mile north of town on a large lot with open views across the tundra from the back deck. It also has an annex, the Sluicebox, in town. The Dredge can arrange vehicle rentals.
SluiceboxHOTEL$$
(MAP; %907-304-1270; www.dredge7inn.com/suites.htm; 608 D St; ste $195; W)
This is the downtown annex for the Dredge No 7 Inn. Rooms are a little more modern, but no less charming, than accommodations at the ‘main’ Dredge No 7 out on the Teller Hwy.
Nome Nugget InnHOTEL$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-2323; www.nuggetinnhotel.com; 315 Front St; r $130-150; W)
In the thick of what passes for downtown, the slightly disheveled Nugget has 45 smallish rooms, about half with ocean views. The clapboard front and memorabilia-laden lobby promise much, but the rooms are compact and characterless – think cheap motel.
Aurora InnHOTEL$$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-3838; www.aurorainnome.com; 302 Front St; r $185-275; W)
Nome’s most hotel-like accommodations are at the far edge of town, and just a short walk to Golden Sands Beach. The neat and tidy Aurora offers generic-style comfort in simple no-surprises rooms, some with full kitchenettes.
5Eating
There are almost a dozen places to eat in Nome, mostly sit-down restaurants offering that odd Arctic mix of pizza, Chinese and American-style grub.
Opening hours are sometimes casual, with businesses displaying cryptic signs like ‘open most days about 9am or 10am, occasionally as early as 7am; some days we aren’t here at all.’ You have been warned.
Pingo BakeryCAFE$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-387-0654; 308 Bering St; mains $10-16; h11:30am-3pm & 5:30-8pm Wed-Fri, 8:30am-3pm & 5:30-8pm Sat, 8:30am-5pm Sun)
For Pingo shout ‘bingo!,’ especially if you arrive on a day when this precious little cafe is open. Best way to find out? Follow your nose. You’ll catch the heady aroma of freshly baked cinnamon buns long before you see the flashing neon sign. Snack-seekers grab the croissants, cookies and big buns. Those with larger appetites tackle the roasted halibut pizza.
Milano’s PizzeriaAMERICAN$$
(MAP; %907-443-2924; cnr Front St & Federal Way, Old Federal Bldg; $11-34; h11am-11pm)
Despite the name, Milano’s serves way more than pizza. This local favorite slings subs, cheesesteaks, tempura, terikyaki, spaghetti, sushi, ramen and (why not?) a lobster dinner. The pizza itself is also pretty damn good.
Bering Sea Bar & GrillJAPANESE$$
(MAP; %907-443-4900; www.beringsearestaurant.com; 305 Front St; mains $13-34; h6am-2am Sun-Thu, til 3am Fri & Sat)
Is this the best sushi we’ve ever had? No, but it’s the only sushi we’ve had overlooking the icy Bering Sea, and that’s something. You can also grub on not-so-Japanese but very Alaskan favorites like chili cheese fries, mushroom burgers and nachos.
Husky RestaurantJAPANESE$$
(MAP; %907-443-1300; 235 Front St; mains $12-28; h11am-11pm)
This cheap (by Nome standards) and cheerful diner does up platters of gyoza, chicken katsu, teriyaki and the usual Arctic slate of burgers and sandwiches.
Polar CaféAMERICAN$$
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-5191; 204 Front St; mains $19-28; h6am-10pm; W)
This popular waterfront eatery serves straightforward food that hits the spot – at least in Nome. As a bonus it has open views of the Bering Sea, friendly service and a $10 salad bar.
6Drinking & Nightlife
Even by Alaskan standards, drinking in Nome is legendary. There are more saloons here than in the rest of Bush Alaska combined, which unfortunately means drunks wandering the streets, sometimes from morning till night. Most bars are clustered around Front St and can be classified as ‘dives.’
Polaris BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-5102; 200 Bering St; h1pm-2am Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat)
A good mix of tourism guides, bearded hunters and the odd traveler end up drinking in the Polaris, which also hosts live music and plenty of locals looking to tie off a beer or 10.
Breaker’s BarBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; 243 Front St; h10am-midnight)
Dive in with the beards and the baseball caps and listen to Nomers discuss gun preferences and tussles with local grizzly bears. The decor’s retro without even realizing it and the floor smells like 1973. Pool shooters play ‘winner stays on’ out back.
Board of Trade SaloonBAR
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-2611; 212 Front St; h10am-2am Sun-Thu, to 3am Fri & Sat)
Dating back to the callow years of the gold rush, this saloon claims to be the oldest on the Bering Sea and was (is?) certainly the most notorious. It’s raucous, dingy, and full of professional drinkers in a state of eternal pickling, which is all to say – this spot has a ton of character.
7Shopping
Maruskiya’s of NomeARTS & CRAFTS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-2955; 247 Front St; hhrs vary)
Sells a nice selection of indigenous arts and crafts, and is also the place to go for your ‘There’s No Place Like Nome’ T-shirt.
Their hours are, and we quote: ‘Open most days about 9 or 10. Occasionally as early as 7, but some days as late as 12 or 1. We close about 6:30 or 7. Occasionally about 5 or 6, but sometimes as late as 11 or 12.’
Chukotka AlaskaARTS & CRAFTS
(MAP GOOGLE MAP; %907-443-4128, 800-416-4128; 309 Bering St; h10am-10pm Mon-Sat, from 11am Sun)
Sells indigenous crafts and has a good book collection. The friendly owner will talk your ear off if you give him the chance.
8Information
MONEY
Wells Fargo (%907-443-2223; 109a Front St; h10am-5pm Mon-Thu, til 6pm Fri) In the historic Miner’s and Merchant’s Bank building (dating from 1904); has a 24-hour ATM.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Bering Land Bridge Visitor Center (%800-471-2352; www.nps.gov/bela; 179 Front St; h8am-5pm Mon-Fri, 9am-3pm Sat) In the Sitnasuak Native Corporation building, this National Park Service (NPS) center represents the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve near Nome. Inside are displays on mammoths, early Alaska Native culture and reindeer herding, plus info on the preserve.
Nome Visitor Center (%907-443-6555; www.visitnomealaska.com; 301 Front St; h8am-7pm Mon-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun summer, 9am-5pm Mon-Fri winter; W) Make this your first stop in Nome: the extremely helpful staff will load you with brochures, advice and coffee.
8Getting There & Away
Disconnected from the main Alaskan road grid, Nome has three insular roads, all of which dead-end in the icy tundra just below the Arctic Circle. Anchorage lies 537 crow-flying miles to the southeast, while Siberian Russia bristles a mere 160 miles across the Bering Strait. You can almost taste the vodka.
Tiny Nome Airport (Airport Rd) is a little more than a mile from town. Nome is well served by Alaska Airlines, which offers at least two daily flights to Anchorage for $500 to $600 round-trip (book well in advance). Most flights take roughly 90 minutes, but some via Kotzebue can take literally half a day with waits and transfers. You can also try Ravn Alaska.
Bering Air (%907-443-5464; www.beringair.com; Nome Airport) offers flights to numerous small settlements and Native villages across the length and breadth of the Bush.
8Getting Around
From the airport to Nome it’s an easy walk – or catch a cab for $6 per person (they always congregate at the airport). Mr Kab (%907-443-6000) is the local Nome cab service.
If renting a vehicle, book well ahead of time. Stampede Rent-A-Car (%907-443-3838; 302 Front St; hhrs vary) is at the Aurora Inn and offers SUVs, vans and pickups. Dredge No 7 Inn also rents out trucks and SUVs. Both offer unlimited miles. When budgeting for a rental, keep in mind that gas in Nome is expensive and your vehicle likely won’t get good mileage.
Hitchhiking is possible and locals are really good about picking people up. But you must be patient – and willing to sit in the back of an open pickup on very dusty roads. Hitching is never entirely safe, and we don’t recommend it. Travelers who hitch should understand that they are taking a small but potentially serious risk.
Nome–Council Road
This 73-mile route, which heads northeast to the old mining village of Council, offers the most landscape diversity out of all Nome’s road trips. For the first 30 miles it hugs the glimmering Bering Sea coastline and passes a motley, but very photogenic, array of shacks, cabins, tipis and Quonset huts used by Nome residents as summer cottages and fishing and hunting camps. Alaska Natives have hunted and fished in this area for millennia, and the many depressions dotting the landscape are the sites of former camps. On sunny days, the miles of beaches outside Nome beckon – but note how far inland autumn storms have tossed driftwood.
At Mile 22 the road passes Safety Roadhouse, a dollar-bill-bedecked dive of a watering hole, and then crosses the birders’ wonderland of Safety Sound, which once formed the eastern edge of the Bering Land Bridge. A further 10 miles along is Bonanza Crossing, on the far side of which is the Last Train to Nowhere, a series of abandoned locomotives. Just to the north is the ghost town of Solomon, which was originally established in 1900 and once boasted a population of 1000 and seven saloons. The town was destroyed by a storm in 1913, relocated to higher ground and then further decimated by the 1918 flu epidemic.
Near Mile 40 you pass the first of two gold dredges within a couple of miles of each other. By 1912 almost 40 dredges worked the Seward Peninsula, and many are still visible from the Nome road system. The two on this road are in the best shape and are the most picturesque. Nome–Council Rd begins climbing after the second dredge and reaches Stookum Pass at Mile 53. There’s a parking area at the pass, so you can pull off and admire the views or take a hike on the nearby ridges.
The road ends at Mile 73 at Council. Actually, the road ends at the banks of the Niukluk River, and Council is on the other side. Most of the houses here are weekend getaways for people living in Nome, and there are no year-round residents. Locals drive across the river – with the water often reaching their running boards. Tourists with rental vehicles should stay put. There are no services or shops in Council, but the Niukluk is an excellent place to fish for grayling.
LAST TRAIN TO NOWHERE
In all of Bush Alaska, it’s almost certainly the most-photographed landmark: a set of steam locomotives, utterly out of place and out of time, moldering on the Arctic tundra off the Nome–Council Rd, hundreds of miles from the nearest functioning railway. Dubbed the ‘Last Train to Nowhere,’ the three engines first plied the elevated lines of New York City in the 1880s, until Manhattan switched from steam to electric-driven trains. In 1903 the upstart Council City & Solomon River Railroad purchased the locomotives and transported them north, hoping to profit by servicing inland mines from the coast. Though the company surveyed some 50 miles of potential track, only half of that was built. By 1907 the operation went belly-up. Six years later a powerful storm sealed the Last Train’s fate by destroying the Solomon River railroad bridge and stranding the engines on the tundra forever. Truly, it was the end of the line.
Kougarok Road
Also known as Nome–Taylor Rd, Kougarok Rd leads 86 miles north from Nome through the heart of the Kigluaik Mountains. Along the way are a few artifacts from the gold-rush days and the best mountain scenery and hiking in the Nome area. Take this drive, which is an all-day affair heading there and back again, if you want a taste of the wintry, severe mountain landscape of the high tundra.
The Kigluaiks spring up almost immediately, flanking the road until around Mile 40, where the free, BLM-operated Salmon Lake Campground (Mile 40, Kougarok Rd; free; p) is located. The outlet for the Pilgrim River, where you can watch sockeye salmon spawn in August, is close by.
Just before Mile 54 is Pilgrim River Rd, a rocky lane that heads northwest. The road climbs a pass where there’s great ridge walking, then descends into a valley dotted with small tundra lakes. Less than 8 miles from Kougarok Rd, Pilgrim River Rd ends at the gate of Pilgrim Hot Springs. A roadhouse and saloon were located here during the gold rush, but they burned down in 1908. Later there was an orphanage for children who lost their parents in the 1918 influenza epidemic. If you want to enter the hot-spring area, first check in at the Nome Visitor Center as you’ll need to fill out a form.
Kougarok Rd crosses Pilgrim River at Mile 60, the Kuzitrin River at Mile 68 and the Kougarok Bridge at Mile 86. This is one of the best areas to look for herds of musk ox. At all three bridges you can fish for grayling, Dolly Varden trout and salmon, among other species.
Beyond the Kougarok Bridge the road becomes a rough track impassable for cars. The extremely determined, however, can shoulder a pack and continue overland for a very challenging, boggy, unmarked 30-plus miles to Serpentine Hot Springs, inside the Bering Land Bridge National Preserve. A free, first-come, first-served bunkhouse-style cabin here sleeps 15 to 20, and there’s a bathhouse for slipping into the 140°F to 170°F (60°C to 76.7°C) waters. Almost no one hikes both ways; consider chartering a plane in or out. Check at the Bering Land Bridge Visitor Center in Nome for flight operators and also to pick up its informative brochure on the springs.
Nome–Teller Road
The Nome–Teller Rd leads 73 miles (a one-way drive of at least two hours) from Nome to Teller, a year-round, subsistence Iñupiat village of 256 people. The landscape en route is vast and undulating, with steep climbs across spectacular rolling tundra. Hiking opportunities are numerous, as are chances to view musk ox and a portion of the reindeer herd communally owned by families in Teller. The huge Alaska Gold Company dredge, which operated until the mid-1990s, lies just north of Nome.
Teller lies at the westernmost end of the westernmost road in North America. This wind-wracked community overlooks the slate waters of the Bering Sea and stretches along a tapering gravel spit near the mouth of Grantley Harbor. Roald Amundsen, one of the greatest figures in polar exploration, returned to earth here after his legendary 70-hour airship flight over the North Pole on May 14, 1926. In 1985 Teller again made the headlines when Libby Riddles, then a Teller resident, became the first woman to win the Iditarod dogsled race.
With rising sea levels and melting permafrost, there are plans to move Teller, but the move, if it happens, will take several years.
Arctic Alaska
OK traveler, you made it – this is as far out as you can get in a state that’s already pretty damn isolated. Not many people make it to the Alaskan Arctic, because doing so takes a lot of time and money, but the rewards – utter wilderness, lonely isolation and the gray sea pounding a gravel beach on the north shore of America – are pretty sweet.
The towns out here are windswept and seemingly assembled from the cast-off junk of a science-fiction movie, but they’re also extremely, appealingly weird. Of course, there’s also plenty of outdoor stuff to do: paddling the numerous rivers, backpacking in little-visited national parks and preserves or driving the precarious and prodigious Dalton Hwy.
Dalton Highway
When you look at a map of Alaska, the north coast of the state feels truly remote, a faraway place that seems only reachable by air. But there is a road to the top of the world, and it’s one of North America’s great drives. The Dalton Hwy, also known as the Haul Rd, is a long, winding truck route that cuts 414 miles from Alaska’s Interior to the North Slope, paralleling the Trans-Alaska Pipeline to its source at the Prudhoe Bay Oil Field. Along the way it passes evergreen quilts of taiga, the Gothic majesty of the Brooks Range and the chilling flatness of the Arctic tundra.
The road is open year-round, but you should only tackle it between late May and early September, when there’s virtually endless light and little snow and ice. Expect a 40mph average and two hard days to reach Deadhorse, at the edge of everything.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
ARCTIC NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR; %907-456-0250; www.fws.gov/refuge/arctic) is a 30,625-sq-mile wilderness in Alaska’s northeast corner, straddling the eastern Brooks Range from the treeless Arctic Coast to the taiga of the Porcupine River Valley. For years, the refuge has been the subject of a debate over whether to drill beneath its coastal plain, which is thought to contain vast reserves of crude oil and natural gas.
Beyond the bragging rights it brings from visiting one of the most remote regions of the world, ANWR (an-wahr) attracts with its boundless wilderness and surprisingly diverse wildlife. This ‘Serengeti of the north’ is home to dozens of land mammals, including grizzlies, musk ox, Dall sheep and the second-largest herd of caribou in North America. Over 20 rivers cut through the region, several suitable for multiday paddles, as well as the four highest peaks in the Brooks Range. For adventurers, photographers and lovers of all things untamed and untrammeled, there are few more appealing destinations.
But visiting here is a challenge as well. There are no facilities of any sort. Literally millions of mosquitoes will decide you are an acceptable source of protein. The area is an Arctic desert, and giardia is present in the few water sources. You need to be comfortable camping around bears, and you must camp in such a way that bears won’t come near you. ANWR is incredible, but only seasoned outdoors explorers should apply.
Even getting to ANWR is easier said than done. There’s only one place it can be accessed by car: just north of Atigun Pass on the Dalton Hwy, where the road and the refuge briefly touch. To get deep into the refuge, you will need to fly. For a list of charter companies, consult the refuge’s website or visit the Public Lands desk at the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center in Fairbanks. Wilderness Alaska (%907-345-3567; www.wildernessalaska.com; 1wk trips $3400-5000) offers over 20 different ANWR trips, from rafting to following the caribou herds.
One of the gateways to the refuge is Kaktovik, an Iñupiat village on the northern shore of Barter Island in the Beaufort Sea, 160 miles east of Deadhorse. Kaktovik is the place to see polar bears in the wild, especially in September when they feed close to the town. For more information (and accommodations), contact the village’s Waldo Arms Hotel (%866-469-7590; www.waldoarmshotel.com; 2011 Lake Rd; r from $200; W).
8Information
For more information on the Dalton Hwy, visit the Alaska Public Lands Information Center in the Morris Thompson Cultural & Visitors Center in Fairbanks and pick up a copy of the 24-page leaflet Dalton Highway Visitor Guide, which can also be downloaded from www.blm.gov. The guide covers history, safety, services, accommodations, points of interest and wildlife, and also includes mileage charts and maps.
The BLM Central Yukon Field Office (%907-474-2200; www.blm.gov/office/central-yukon-field-office) maintains the highway’s campgrounds, rest areas and visitor center.
8Getting There & Away
Amazing, but true: you can catch a bus to the Arctic Ocean. The vans of Dalton Highway Express (MAP; %907-474-3555; www.daltonhighwayexpress.com; 3820 University Ave S; one way/return to Deadhorse $250/500) head north twice a week between Fairbanks and Prudhoe Bay from early June to late August, but only if they have bookings. Vans stop overnight at Deadhorse and give you time to take an early morning oil-field tour before returning the next day. As it’s a 16-hour journey one way, you may wish to fly back. Warning: spending more than a day in Deadhorse can invoke serious cabin fever. The one-way fare to the Arctic Circle is $84, Coldfoot $106, Wiseman $125 and Deadhorse $250.
Trucks and SUVs can be rented in Fairbanks from Arctic Outfitters.
Mile 0 to 175
Mile 0 of the Dalton is at the junction with the Elliott Hwy, 84 miles from Fairbanks. Immediately, the Haul Rd announces itself: the pavement ends and loose gravel and blind curves begin. A road sign informs you that the speed limit is 50mph – for the next 414 miles!
This first section of highway carries you through scraggy boreal (taiga) forest. At Mile 56 the highway crosses the 2290ft-long, wooden-decked Yukon River Bridge – the only place where the legendary waterway is spanned in Alaska. On the far bank is the tiny BLM-run Yukon Crossing Visitor Contact Station (www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/prog/recreation/dalton_hwy.html; h9am-6pm Jun-Aug), small on exhibits, but big on friendly advice.
On the opposite side of the highway is the Yukon River Camp (%907-474-3557; www.yukonrivercamp.com; Dalton Hwy; r with shared bath $219; p), a utilitarian truck stop with work-camp-style rooms, showers, costly gas, a gift shop and a restaurant (%907-474-3557; www.yukonrivercamp.com; mains $14-22; h6am-10pm mid-May–mid-Sep).
The road then clambers back out of the river valley, across burned-over patches of forest (the remains of Interior-wide fires in 2004 and 2005), and into an alpine area with the 40ft-high granite tor of Finger Mountain beckoning to the east. You pass the imaginary line of the Arctic Circle at Mile 115, and for good 24-7 views of the sun, continue to Gobblers Knob, a hilltop lookout at Mile 132. From Gobblers Knob northward, the pyramids of the Brooks Range begin to dominate the scene. In the next 50 miles you’ll cross several grayling-rich streams, including Prospect Creek, which, in January 1971, experienced America’s lowest-ever temperature: -80°F (-62°C).
Coldfoot
%907 / Pop 5
At Mile 175, in a mountain-rimmed hollow, you’ll arrive in the ‘village’ of Coldfoot. It basically feels like and acts as a parking rest stop. Originally Slate Creek, the settlement was renamed when the first settlers, a group of greenhorn miners, got ‘cold feet’ at the thought of spending the 1898 winter in the district and headed south. Coldfoot was a ghost town by 1912, but nowadays there is an airstrip, post office and trooper detachment.
1Sights
Arctic Interagency
Visitor CenterVISITOR CENTER
(%907-678-5209; CentralYukon@blm.gov; h11am-10pm Jun-Aug)
This impressive $5-million structure was opened in 2004 and features museum-quality displays about the Arctic and its denizens. There’s a small series of paths on the outskirts that lead to a decidedly unnatural wonder – a chunk of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. Ranger-led activities and talks regularly occur in the evening.
4Sleeping
Marion Creek CampgroundCAMPGROUND$
(Mile 180, Dalton Hwy; tent & RV sites $8; p)
The area’s best lodging is down the highway 5 miles from Coldfoot at Marion Creek Campground. This 27-site place almost always has space and is in an open spruce forest with stunning views of the Brooks Range.
5Eating
Coldfoot Camp RestaurantAMERICAN$$
(%907-474-3500; Mile 175, Dalton Hwy; mains $10-20; h5am-10pm)
Within the Coldfoot Camp complex, this restaurant serves an all-you-can-eat buffet that doles out rib-sticking meat-and-potatoes-style food. It’s simple, solid stuff, more than enough calorific energy to get you to Deadhorse.
8Getting There & Away
While it’s not the Dalton’s exact halfway point, most drivers on the highway treat Coldfoot as such, and spend the night here before moving on to Deadhorse (240 miles) or Fairbanks (254 miles).
Wiseman
%907 / Pop 14
This century-old log-cabin village, the only authentic ‘town’ on the Dalton Hwy, occupies an enviable spot, overhung by peaks and fronting the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River. Its heyday was 1910, when it replaced the original Coldfoot as a hub for area gold miners. Today, this pretty settlement is the genuine frontier deal – a scattering of cabins, many with ‘No Trespassing’ signs, and decorated with antlers and deer skulls.
1Sights
Wiseman Historical MuseumMUSEUM
(hhrs vary) 
F
Located near the entrance to town, this museum is only open to tour-bus groups, but individual travelers might try to see if Wiseman’s wise man, Jack Reakoff, is around. This engaging, urbane trapper will discourse at length about local history and wildlife
4Sleeping
Arctic Getaway Alaska Cabin RentalsCABIN$$
(%907-678-4456; www.arcticgetaway.com; cabins incl breakfast $135-295; p)
Offers a sunny two-person cabin and antique-laden four-person cabins. All come with breakfast and have kitchenettes available for making other meals.
Boreal LodgeCABIN$$
(%907-678-4556; www.boreallodge.com; s/d without bath $150; p)
This comfortable option boasts fairly institutional rooms and a full kitchen that guests can use.
5Eating
You’ll need to bring your own food out here, as there are no dedicated eating options.
8Getting There & Away
Wiseman is about 14 miles north of Coldfoot and 230 miles south of Deadhorse, and is accessible via a short dirt spur road at Mile 189.
Mile 190 to 414
North from Wiseman the Dalton skirts the eastern edge of Gates of the Arctic National Park. Dall sheep are often visible on the mountain slopes, and by Mile 194 the first views appear of the massive wall of Sukakpak Mountain (4459ft) looming dead ahead. At Mile 235 you kiss the woods goodbye: the famed Last Spruce (now dead) stands near a turnout on the highway’s east side.
Atigun Pass (Mile 242), at an elevation of 4739ft, is the highest highway pass in Alaska and marks the Continental Divide. The view from the top – with the Philip Smith Mountains to the east and the Endicotts to the west – will steal your breath away.
Once you reach the turnoff for the undeveloped Galbraith Lake Campground at Mile 275, the Brooks Range is largely behind you. From here on down it’s all rolling tundra. In this terrain, hiking and camping options are limitless, wildflowers and berries grow in profusion, and wildlife is rather easy to spot, not least because from May 10 to August 2 the sun never sets.
At the beginning and end of summer, watch for migrating waterbirds thronging roadside ponds, and caribou – members of the 22,000-head Central Arctic herd – grazing nearby. Also, keep an eye out for weird polar phenomena such as pingos – protuberant hills with a frozen center – and ice-wedge polygons, which shape the tundra into bizarre geometric patterns.
After a few bazillion hours (kidding…sort of), you’ll reach the Arctic Coastal Plain, a sure sign that you’re almost at Deadhorse. This is what the wrapper says: an utterly flat expanse of tundra grass broken by the odd pingo and countless small, shallow lakes, formed from permafrost melts. These lakes are pretty, and often have good fishing, but fair warning: each one is home to veritable clouds of mosquitoes, who are all eager to dine on your sweet, sweet blood.
Deadhorse
%907 / Pop 50
Sprawling, industrial Deadhorse supports the humongous Prudhoe Bay Oil Field at the north end of the Dalton Hwy. It’s a gray, windswept and pebble-strewn dystopia, with a skyline of oil rigs and warehouses. Throw in expensive gas, wandering bears and lots of mosquitoes, 54 days of consecutive darkness in winter, a permanent population of less than 50, and an architectural style best described as Stalinist Siberian meets Mad Max 2.
No right-minded traveler would come here if it wasn’t the end point of a truly epic journey. That said, a night in the military-camp-like confines of the Prudhoe Bay Hotel, with its industrial carpets and nail-biting, calendar-checking oil workers, makes for the conclusion of an exhausting road trip you probably won’t forget in a hurry.
TTours
Having come this far, most travelers venture to dip their toe in the Arctic Ocean on a brief organized excursion with the Arctic Ocean Shuttle (%907-474-3565; www.arcticoceanshuttle.com; Deadhorse Camp; tours per person $69; htours 8:30am & 3:30pm). But you can skip this tour if you love the Arctic and are intending to travel to Utqiaġvik – you can see and swim in the ocean there for free.
4Sleeping
There’s a limited number of (expensive) hotels in Deadhorse, and if you want to stay at them, you’ll need to book in advance. Camping is technically not allowed due to wildlife concerns, but in practice, some people camp south of town off the highway. We can’t recommend this practice, as bears are not uncommon in the area.
Prudhoe Bay HotelHOTEL$$
(%907-659-2449; www.prudhoebayhotel.com; Airport Way; dm with shared bath $125, r with private bath $160; pW)
‘Take your boots off at the door!’ proclaims the sign. The Prudhoe Bay is that kind of hotel. Long corridors with industrial carpets are full of weather-beaten oil workers wandering around in their hole-y socks. But, after the long haul up the Dalton Hwy, it’s – weirdly – just what you need: a truly Alaskan experience.
Rooms are surprisingly cozy (with TVs), but the best deal is the cafeteria. Grab as much food as you can stuff in your rucksack – it’s all included. Nonguests can also eat here (breakfast/lunch/dinner $12/15/20).
Aurora HotelHOTEL$$$
(%907-670-0600; www.theaurorahotel.net; 123 E Lake Colleen Dr; s $150-170, d $270; pW)
The Aurora overlooks Colleen Lake and is located almost a mile from the airport. It’s newer and larger than the Prudhoe Bay Hotel and comes with some handy extras. The fitness room will save you jogging around outside with the grizzly and polar bears.
Deadhorse CampHOTEL$$$
(%907-474-3565; www.deadhorsecamp.com; Mile 413.6, Dalton Hwy; s/d with shared bath $219/259; W)
On the edge of ‘town,’ this accommodation option is not as conveniently situated as others. It’s a more downbeat version of the Prudhoe Bay Hotel. Bathrooms are shared.
THE ALASKA PIPELINE
Love it or loathe it, if you’re driving Alaska’s Richardson or Dalton Hwys, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline will be your traveling companion. The steely tube, 4ft wide and 800 miles long, parallels the highways from Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean down to Valdez, Alaska’s northernmost ice-free port. En route, it spans 500-odd waterways and three mountain ranges, transporting about 600,000 barrels of crude oil per day – 12% of US domestic production – to tankers waiting in Prince William Sound. Back in its heyday, the pipeline was carrying around 2 million barrels per day. With dwindling reserves, however, they’ve cut down the flow and expect to continue to reduce it unless new sources, such as those in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, are opened up for drilling.
Before construction began in 1974, the debate over the pipeline was among America’s hardest-fought conservation battles. Both sides viewed themselves as defenders of the Last Frontier; boosters viewed the project as a grand act of Alaskan pioneering, and opponents called it an affront to all that’s wild and wonderful about the 49th state. After the pipeline’s completion – three years and $8 billion later – the late University of Alaska president William R Wood likened it to ‘a silken thread, half-hidden across the palace carpet.’ Many have had less kind words for it, especially in light of the numerous spills that have occurred over the years.
For about 380 of its miles, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline – like most pipelines – runs underground. Elsewhere it can’t, because the 110°F to 55.6°F (43.3°C to 13.1°C) oil it carries would melt the permafrost. It’s in those places – particularly where it crosses the highway – that you’ll get your best look at the line. Especially good views can be had at Mile 243.5 of the Richardson Hwy south of Delta Junction, on the Dalton Hwy at the Yukon River crossing, and at the spur road to Wiseman. Just north of Fairbanks you can walk right up to the pipeline, stand under it, and even move in for a kiss if you are so inclined (as some are).
Be forewarned, however: elsewhere it’s a bad move to get too close to the pipeline. After September 11, 2001, officials identified the pipe as Alaska’s number-one terrorist target, ramping up security and for a while even operating a checkpoint on the Dalton Hwy. Their fears weren’t entirely unfounded: in 1999 Canadian Alfred Reumayr was arrested for plotting to blow up the pipeline (apparently to make big profits on oil futures). In 2001 a drunken hunter shot it with a .338-caliber rifle and 285,000 gallons spewed out. Officials say the pipeline has been shot – with no spillage caused – dozens of other times.
5Eating
As there are no restaurants in Deadhorse, each hotel runs its own cafeteria where you can eat as much as you like (included in the room price). It’s good chow, too.
8Getting There & Away
The only road connection is via the Dalton Hwy. Dalton Highway Express heads south at 8am on Sundays and Wednesdays (June to August). The 16-hour journey to Fairbanks costs $250 one-way.
From Deadhorse Airport (%907-659-2553) there are daily flights to Anchorage, plus connections to Utqiaġvik. The ultra-friendly airport is opposite the Prudhoe Bay Hotel.
Gas in Deadhorse is as expensive as you’ll ever find in the USA, which, given all the oil around, is kind of ironic.
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve
Unchanged in four millennia, this massive preserved space protects a contiguous wilderness that stretches for over 27,000 sq miles – the equivalent of nearly two Switzerlands – harboring no roads, no cell-phone coverage and a population of precisely zero.
Not surprisingly, you don’t come here to stroll along interpretive boardwalks, or even follow something as rudimentary as a trail (there aren’t any). Tackled alone, this is a land for brave travelers with advanced outdoor experience, plenty of time on their hands and a flexible budget (read: it’s costly). Alternatively, you can sign up with one of a handful of agencies and go on a guided backcountry or flightseeing tour.
1Sights
Kobuk Valley National ParkNATIONAL PARK
(%907-442-3890; www.nps.gov/kova)
This park has a desolate, severe beauty, and is best known for its Arctic sand dunes – like a Saharan desert in the midst of the tundra – and migrating caribou.
Noatak National PreserveNATIONAL PARK
(%907-442-3890; www.nps.gov/noat)
This enormous tundra river basin is home to some of the most pristine, intact Arctic ecosystems in the USA.
2Activities
Hiking
Most backpackers enter the park by way of charter air-taxis, which can land on lakes, rivers or river bars. Once on the ground they often follow the long, open valleys for extended treks or work their way to higher elevations where open tundra provides good hiking terrain.
While this appears to make planning an impossibly vague task, the landscape limits the areas that aircraft can land or pick you up, as well as where you can hike. Park staff suggest consulting flight and guide companies, as well as topographic maps, for possible routes and then running it by them to make sure the area is not overused. If it is, they can suggest alternatives.
The only treks that don’t require chartering a plane are those beginning from the Dalton Hwy (near Wiseman), or from the village of Anaktuvuk Pass. For hikes from the highway, which lead into several different areas along the eastern border of the park, stop at the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot for assistance and advice on trip planning. Several well-known routes in this area are showing too much wear and are even beginning to affect the livelihood of subsistence hunters.
Hiking into the park from Anaktuvuk Pass is surprisingly one of the more economical options, as you only need to pay for a regular scheduled flight to the village from Fairbanks. From the airstrip it’s just a few miles’ hike into the northern edge of the park. You can camp for free by the airstrip if needed, but elsewhere get permission until you enter the park.
Paddling
Floatable rivers in the park include the John, Alatna, Noatak, Kobuk, Koyukuk and Tinayguk. The waterways range in difficulty from Class I to III, and you should consult the park or guide companies about possible routes.
Canoes can be rented in Bettles at the Bettles Lodge for around $270 per week.
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
ACCESSING THE PARK
Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve is more accessible than Kobuk Valley National Park and Noatak National Preserve in that it starts just 5 miles west of the Dalton Hwy, meaning you can technically hike in, although charter flights out of Coldfoot and Bettles are more common. Kobuk Valley and Noatak are both reached via charters out of the small settlement of Kotzebue.
Bettles (population 12) is the main gateway to Gates of the Arctic, offering meals, lodging and air transport into the backcountry. Other visitors fly in from Coldfoot on the Dalton Hwy, or hike in directly from Wiseman, just north of Coldfoot. To the north, the remote Alaska Native village of Anaktuvuk Pass is another access point if traveling by foot, though you’ll need to fly here first. Contact the Anaktuvuk Ranger Station for more information on visiting the park from here.
TTours
Brooks Range AviationSCENIC FLIGHTS
(%800-692-5443; http://brooksrange.com; Bettles Field; per 2- or 3-person plane $2035, per 6-person plane $3120)
These guys run four- to 4½-hour flightseeing tours of Gates of the Arctic and Kobuk Valley National Parks, with a brief landing in each. You are encouraged to overnight in Bettles. Note that rates are by plane (either a two- or three-seater Cessna 185 or a six-seater de Havilland Beaver), not per person.
Arctic WildADVENTURE
(%907-479-8203; www.arcticwild.com)
Arrange a fantastic eight-day guided backpacking trip in the Gates of the Arctic National Park for $4300 per person, a four-day journey into Kobuk Valley National Park for $5700, or a 10-day canoeing/hiking trip on the Noatak River from $5600. Trips run in August.
4Sleeping
Bettles LodgeLODGE$$$
(%907-692-5111; www.bettleslodge.com; tour packages incl accommodation per person s/d $890/1020, plus $250/275 each additional night)
This 1952-vintage six-room lodge (now a National Historic Site) provides accommodations in the tiny settlement of Bettles. There’s a common area with books and games, and decent meals are provided. Even better, the lodge organizes multiple trips and tours in Gates of the Arctic National Park. It’s not posh but it’s peaceful.
Lodging here is arranged by package tours, which take in some of the most fantastic scenery in the Arctic. The list of package options is enormous; visit the website or call for details.
8Information
For more information, check out the park’s website (www.nps.gov/gaar). If the ‘Plan Your Visit’ section doesn’t answer all your questions, contact the park directly.
Anaktuvuk Ranger Station (%907-661-3520; www.nps.gov/gaar; h8am-5pm Jun-Sep) Can help you plan your trip from Anaktuvuk.
Bettles Ranger Station & Visitor Center (%907-692-5495; www.nps.gov/gaar; h8am-5pm Jun-Sep) In a log building less than a quarter mile from the airstrip.
8Getting There & Away
Wright Air Service (%907-474-0502; www.wrightairservice.com) flies into Gates of the Arctic daily from Fairbanks to Bettles ($340 round-trip) and Anaktuvuk Pass ($380 round-trip).
From Bettles it’s necessary to charter an air-taxi to your destination within the park. Most areas can be reached in under two hours. Check with Brooks Range Aviation or Coyote Air Service (%907-678-3993; www.flycoyote.com) for air charters.
A changing list of concessionaires flies into Noatak and Kobuk. Check the park websites for a complete list of air services that are authorized to fly into these parks.
Utqiaġvik (Barrow)
%907 / Population 4335
The northernmost settlement in the USA, and the largest Iñupiat community in Alaska, Utqiaġvik – still most commonly referred to as Barrow – is a flat, bleak, fogbound and strangely evocative place situated 330 miles above the Arctic Circle. It’s a town of surprising contradictions, the greatest being that the weather is perpetual winter, yet the people are some of the warmest in Alaska.
The paradoxes don’t end there. Utqiaġvik’s wealth is famous: due to the spoils of North Slope petroleum it boasts excellent modern facilities, such as its Iñupiat Heritage Center and North Slope Borough offices, that are unusual in a town this size. On the flip side, it’s an Arctic slum packed with ramshackle structures wallowing in frozen mud. It’s expensive, the weather is hostile and the wind howls, yet a visit here is utterly unforgettable, a chance to witness life at the true edge of the world.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
ST LAWRENCE ISLAND
Way out in the Bering Sea only 40 miles from mainland Russia and 125 miles southwest of Nome, St Lawrence Island isn’t the kind of place you pop into on your way to somewhere else. Inhabited primarily by Alaskan and Siberian Yupik, it provides a good opportunity to watch birds and sea mammals. There are basic hotels in its two main settlements Gambell and Savoonga, and a new road system allows for easier access to birding areas. If you want to make an independent visit out here contact Sivuqaq, Inc at %907-985-5826; they’ll help arrange lodging and can direct you to the supply store in Gambell.
Ravn Alaska and Bering Air fly to Gambell from Nome daily for around $530 to $540 round-trip. Birders are probably better off hitching onto an organized trip with Wilderness Birding Adventures (%907-299-3937; www.wildernessbirding.com) 
S. Trips, which start at $3700, are run to coincide with the spring and fall migrations (ie early June and early September).
1Sights
End of the RoadLANDMARK
(Point Barrow) F
The northernmost extremity of the US (though not, as locals sometimes claim, North America) is Point Barrow, but it’s tough to get to this narrow strip of land. Tours drive almost all the way, but the last two to three miles is a beach full of soft, sandy sinkholes. Rather, drive to the end of the road and enjoy the surreal scenery.
For what it’s worth, getting to the end of the road still feels like driving to the end of the world. You roll up a cold, windswept, lonely road, flanked by the occasional shack and ‘palm trees’ fashioned from whale baleen. To the north, you’ll see the Arctic Ocean, shaded from slate gray to icy black and breaking on the pebbly shore – assuming the water isn’t filled with ice pack. Occasionally, you’ll see a walrus carcass swelling on the beach. Point Barrow is roughly 12 miles north of Utqiaġvik proper.
We can’t stress this enough: do not attempt to drive all the way to Point Barrow. Once the road ends, driving conditions become extremely hazardous. Locals know their way through the area, but we saw tourists sink their rented SUVs into the sand; they had to be towed out, and at no small expense. Your best way out to the point is to make friends with a local who will give you a ride. We can’t recommend hiking from the end of the road because of frequent polar bear activity in the area.
Iñupiat Heritage CenterCULTURAL CENTER
(%907-852-0422; www.nps.gov/inup; Ahkovak St; $10; h8:30am-5pm Mon-Fri year-round, plus 1-5pm Sat & Sun mid May–mid-Sep; p)
This 24,000-sq-ft facility houses a museum, gift shop and a large multipurpose room where short traditional dancing-and-drumming performances take place each afternoon. Local craftspeople work in a studio in the back of the facility, and are happy to talk about their art. They also set up kiosks for their goods from 2pm to 4pm in the foyer.
In the center’s galleries, displays include everything from poster-sized, black-and-white portraits of local elders to a 35ft-long replica of a bowhead skeleton to a detailed (and artifact-rich) breakdown of traditional whaling culture and hunting practices. You can also try on an Iñupiat parka, undoubtedly the warmest article of clothing you’ll ever have the privilege of donning.
Ilisagvik CollegeCOLLEGE
(%907-852-3333; www.ilisagvik.edu; 100 Stevenson St; p)
Ilisagvik is the only tribal-controlled college in Alaska, and the northernmost community college in the country. The campus consists of a main building where you can find most classrooms and faculty offices, surrounded by the usual lunar-landing-style Utqiaġvik facilities. In the main building, you’ll find friendly local students and teachers who are usually happy to tell you about their community.
The college hosts permanent and visiting academics who are some of the world’s foremost experts on Arctic ecosystems, cultures and folkways; for obvious reasons, scientists studying the impact of climate change are also working here on an increasing basis. Call ahead to find out about free lecture series that are open to visitors and the community. There are no official hours for visiting the college, although obviously students aren’t likely to be around later in the evening. Free wi-fi is available in the main building.
North Slope Borough OfficesNOTABLE BUILDING
(%907-852-2611; www.north-slope.org; 1274 Agvik St; p) F
Encompassing some 88,695 sq miles of land area, the Alaskan borough of North Slope is larger than all but 10 American states, but with a population of just under 10,000, lower than that of many American small towns. This is the administrative office for this vast, sparsely populated land division; the lobby is filled with indigenous artifacts.
There’s usually a security guard on duty; if you’re asked why you’re here (you usually won’t be), just say you’d like to see the local arts and crafts on display. There are no set hours for visiting as security is on hand 24 hours a day, but the doors are locked after the last office workers head home (usually around 6pm; folks arrive for work around 9am).
Utqiaġvik Presbyterian ChurchCHURCH
(%907-852-6566; 1265 Agvik St; hSun service in English/Iñupiat 11am/7:30pm)
This old church stands humble but strong, battered by the unceasing sea salt and snow winds of the far north. The church welcomes visitors to its services, one of which is conducted in the Iñupiat language on Sunday evenings, but please be respectful, and don’t be surprised when they offer you communion.
UkpiagvikARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
(Apayauk & Ogrook Sts) F
In the southwest corner of town, you’ll see – well, you may or may not see, but you’ll be on top of – the remains of the ancient village of Ukpiagvik. The site is marked by the remains of semi-subterranean sod huts, which appear as little rises upon the flat landscape.
2Activities
The main thing to do at the ‘top of the world’ is bundle up, stand on the shore of the Arctic Ocean, dip something of yourself in the water and gaze toward the North Pole.
Hiking
You can stroll the gravel roads, or gray-sand beaches, that parallel the sea to view umiaks (traditional kayaks), giant jawbones of bowhead whales, fish-drying racks and the jumbled Arctic pack ice that even in July spans the horizon.
On the waterfront opposite Apayauk St at the southwest end of town (turn left as you exit the airport) is Ukpiagvik, the site of an ancient Iñupiat village. From that site, continue southwest out of town and when the road splits go left toward Freshwater Lake. After about 3 miles you’ll come to a row of satellite dishes that face directly out and not up. It’s an odd sight, making for an interesting photo, and drives home just how far north you are.
Birding & Wildlife-Watching
Not many people would describe Utqiaġvik as ‘paradise,’ except, perhaps, for dedicated birders. At least 185 avian species make a stop here during the summer months. Most serious twitchers are on organized tours, but anyone with a pair of binoculars will find a few hours out of town a rewarding experience. In the absence of trees, birds nest on the ground and are easy to spot. Snowy owls are common.
If you want to see a polar bear, it’s best to take a tour. But don’t get your hopes up too high: they’re tough to spot, especially in the summer months.
TTours
Tundra ToursTOURS
(%907-852-3900; www.tundratoursinc.com; 3060 Eben Hopson St; tours per person $160)
Taking a three- to four-hour summer tour (mid May to mid-September) with Tundra Tours, run out of the Top of the World Hotel, is one of the better ways to piece together Utqiaġvik’s essential sights and spot wildlife. Trips includes a tundra walk to Iñupiat sod huts and a look around the Iñupiat Heritage Center.
At other times of the year, Tundra Tours offers a condensed, two-hour version of the above for $75, on weekdays only.
Wilderness Birding AdventuresBIRDWATCHING
(%907-299-3937; www.wildernessbirding.com; tours $1600-5950)
Run by a band of passionate avian wildlife enthusiasts, this outfit leads small-group birding tours to the Arctic region. Their Utqiaġvik trip is a quest to spot the elusive, pink Ross’s Gull; a three-day tour with all meals and lodging included runs $2600 and departs in early October.
zFestivals & Events
NalukataqCULTURAL
(Whaling Festival; hJun)
The Nalukataq festival is held in late June, when the spring whaling hunt has been completed. Depending on how successful the whaling captains have been, the festival lasts anywhere from a few days to more than a week. It’s a rare cultural experience and one of the best reasons to visit Utqiaġvik.
The main event of the festival is the blanket toss, in which locals use a sealskin tarp to toss people into the air – the effect is much like bouncing on a trampoline. For the jumper, the object is to reach the biggest heights (this supposedly replicates ancient efforts to spot game in the distance) and inevitably there are a number of sprains and fractures.
One Iñupiat tradition calls for whaling crews to share their bounty with the village, and during the festival you’ll see families carrying off platters and plastic bags full of raw whale meat. Dishes served include muktuk, the pink blubbery part of the whale, which is boiled, pickled or even eaten raw with hot mustard, seasoning salt or soy sauce.
While we recognize the importance of whaling in Native Alaskan communities, the practice is condemned by conservationists and the sale of whale meat is illegal in the US. Customary and traditional use of whale meat is regulated by Alaskan state law.
4Sleeping
Camping is ill-advised around Utqiaġvik due to extreme weather and the potential for up-close encounters with curious, carnivorous polar bears.
Given Utqiaġvik’s compact size, it’s possible to catch a morning flight in and a late evening flight out and still see just about everything you’re likely to see.
Book well in advance if you do plan to spend the night, and note that there’s a 5% bed tax.
King Eider InnINN$$
(%907-852-4700; www.kingeider.net; 1752 Ahkovak St; r/ste from $189/239; W)
With a snug log-cabin feel, wood-post beds and an inviting fireplace in the lobby, the Eider is a pleasant antidote to the dystopia outside. It’s almost directly across from the airport exit.
Barrow Airport InnHOTEL$$
(%907-852-2525; airportinn@barrow.com; 1815 Momegana St; r winter/summer $168/195; W)
This place is a few minutes’ walk from the airport, and has rooms that are simply furnished but do the trick for a night’s stay. Some have kitchenettes, but these are usually booked far in advance by research teams.
Top of the World HotelHOTEL$$$
(%907-852-3900; www.tundratoursinc.com; 3060 Eben Hopson St; s/d $304/338; 
iW)
The Top of the World lives up to its name (it’s the northernmost hotel in North America), and is also surprisingly plush, with large airy communal spaces, topical Arctic mosaics, boutique-style rooms and a pretty decent restaurant.
The catch? Like most things in Utqiaġvik, it’s mega-expensive.
5Eating
Utqiaġvik has a handful of places to eat, though none of them look much like restaurants from the outside. Pizza, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican and Korean are all on offer.
OsakaJAPANESE$$
(%907-852-4100; 980 Stevenson St; mains $14-30; h6am-midnight)
We’re partial to any place that has reindeer sausage and a BLT and teriyaki platters, bento boxes and sushi rolls. You can even get Hawaiian loco moco (two burger patties served on rice with an egg and gravy – yum).
Arctic PizzaINTERNATIONAL, PIZZA$$
(%907-852-4222; 125 Apayauq St; mains $17-37; h11:30am-11:30pm)
Pizza’s just half of it. This Arctic Ocean–abutting restaurant’s multifarious menu also includes pasta, Chinese food, burgers, salads, soups, sandwiches and nachos. The decor (unkempt-diner chic) promises little, but the food, spurred on by the vicious winds outside and the very friendly owner, warms you up nicely.
Sam & Lee’s Chinese RestaurantAMERICAN, CHINESE$$
(%907-852-5555; 1052 Kiogak St; mains $15-38; h6am-2am)
Don’t be fooled by the name – yes, there’s Chinese food dishes like cashew chicken, but this joint also has good American-style breakfasts and a cheeseburger that is roughly the size of a small child. In addition to the food, the bright diner atmosphere and lively staff make this a popular local hangout.
Niggivikut RestaurantAMERICAN$$
(%907-852-3900; 3060 Eben Hopson St; mains $15-33; h6am-10pm Mon-Sat, 8am-10pm Sun)
You can get pancakes pretty much anywhere in the US, but only in the Niggivikut can you enjoy them while gazing in wonder at the iceberg-choked Arctic Ocean. This restaurant in the Top of the World Hotel has booths in front of large Arctic-facing windows and a no-surprises American menu.
Cruz’s Mexican GrillMEXICAN$$
(%907-852-2253; off Brower St; mains $20-35; h11am-6pm Mon-Thu, to 8pm Fri & Sat)
We’ve never seen simple Mexican fare sold at this price, but then again, we’ve never had it north of the Arctic Circle either, so that’s a decent trade-off. All of the usual Tex-Mex favorites – tacos, enchiladas, burritos and chimichangas – are available, and honestly, pretty damn good. It has a bakery selling scones and cheesecake too, because why not?
Located across from the Top of the World Hotel.
AC StoreSUPERMARKET$$
(%907-852-6711; www.alaskacommercial.com; Ahkovak & North Star St; h7am-10pm Mon-Sat, 9am-9pm Sun)
Over in Browerville across from the Iñupiat Heritage Center, this supermarket has quick eats and groceries at diet-inducing prices. Many visitors come by just to take pictures of the $10-plus gallons of milk. It also has a small selection of Iñupiat art, handicrafts and parkas.
8Information
INTERNET ACCESS
The airport has strong and free wi-fi, as do hotels.
MONEY
Wells Fargo (%907-852-6200; cnr Agvik & Kiogak Sts; h10am-5pm Mon-Thu, to 6pm Fri) Has a 24-hour ATM.
TOURIST INFORMATION
You can pick up a map and information guide at the airport and most restaurants and hotels.
8Getting There & Away
While you can get to Utqiaġvik in the winter by ice road, it’s best to fly. Wiley Post–Will Rogers Memorial Airport (%907-852-6199; 1747 Ahkovak St) is served by Alaska Airlines and Ravn Alaska, with daily flights to Fairbanks, Anchorage and Deadhorse.
8Getting Around
The airport is an easy stroll from all three of Utqiaġvik’s hotels, and most other points of interest can also be reached by walking. However, cabs are available for a flat fee of $6. Try Arctic Cab (%907-852-2222).
You can rent cars through local hotels, or call UIC Car Rental (%907-852-2700; cnr Ahkovak & Tapak Sts; hhrs vary), but be ready for sticker shock – car rentals here are expensive.