Wilderness area

Gates of the Arctic Wilderness

Gates of the Arctic Wilderness is a 7,154,000-acre wilderness area in Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska. It rises from about 545 to 8,067 ft. The nearest town is Anaktuvuk Pass, 2.2 miles away in a straight line.

Gates of the Arctic Wilderness map

Gates of the Arctic Wilderness boundary from USGS PAD-US or the managing agency, simplified for display. Not for navigation or legal boundaries.

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Fire restrictions

Agency fire restriction orders for this unit are not tracked here yet. Restrictions change with the season, so check the current orders before any campfire, stove or target shooting.

County and local burn bans may also apply on private, state, or county land nearby. On federal land, follow the land manager's order; off it, follow the strictest county or local rule that applies. When both touch your trip, obey both.

Common questions

The maximum group size at Gates of the Arctic Wilderness is 10.
Anaktuvuk Pass, AK is the nearest town, 2.2 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance).
The highest ground in Gates of the Arctic Wilderness is about 8,067 ft, and its lowest about 545 ft (USGS 3DEP elevation model). Its highest named summit is Mount Igikpak, about 8,067 ft.

Who manages Gates of the Arctic Wilderness

Agency Acres Permit Group size Stay limit Office
National Park Service 7,154,000 Not on record 10 Not on record Bettles Ranger Station, 907-692-5494

Getting to Gates of the Arctic Wilderness

  • Anaktuvuk Pass, AK is the nearest town, 2.2 miles in a straight line from the boundary (not a driving distance). (US Census places, accessed 2026-09-30)

Named summits, canyons, and springs in Gates of the Arctic Wilderness

  • Mount Igikpak summit about 8,067 ft
  • Cockedhat Mountain summit about 7,561 ft
  • Mount Doonerak summit about 7,416 ft
  • Reed River Hot Spring spring
  • Agiak Lake lake

Features whose official location is inside the boundary, from the USGS Geographic Names Information System, accessed 2026-09-30. Summit elevations measured on the USGS 3DEP elevation model, which can read a few feet under a surveyed summit height.

Public lands next to Gates of the Arctic Wilderness

Measured between the units' boundaries as mapped in USGS PAD-US. Distances are straight line, not driving.

Other wilderness areas in Alaska

Alaska wilderness areas

The sentences on this page are generated by software from the sourced records above, not written by hand. How this content is made.