Sitting above the Arctic Circle in Alaska is the remote and wild Kobuk Valley National Park. The park is an untouched wilderness with no roads or amenities. The park is also known for its massive sand dunes, formed by glaciers in the last ice age, although the park contains no glaciers currently. In the park you’ll find mountains, the massive Kobuk River and amazing wildlife. The park contains massive herds of caribou, along with bears and wolves. Every spring and fall, the herd of a quarter million caribou pass through the area during their migration.

Established as a national park in 1980, the park is one of the least visited in the park system. Only Gates of the Arctic, which is adjacent to the park sees fewer visitors. Getting to the park is challenging. There are no roads in or to the park. To get there, you’ll need to fly to Kotzebue and then fly into Kobuk Valley. The park is a recreational paradise with plenty of opportunities for hiking, backpacking, camping and fishing. You’ll want to visit in the summer, when temperatures are comfortable and you’ll have very long days. It’s also the best time to see the park’s amazing wildlife. In the winter, temperatures are likely to be below zero, there is little sunlight and much of the park will be inaccessible.