Kobuk Valley National Park - Alaska

This nearly 2-million acre park lies above the Arctic Circle and is known for its extensive sand dunes, biannual migration of up to half a million caribou, the Kobuk River, and its vast wilderness. For 9,000 years, the area’s indigenous people harvested caribou at Onion Portage on the Kobuk River, a tradition that continues today.  No roads lead into the park, so visitors must access the park by chartered air taxi from surrounding small villages. Since the park has no maintained trails, hiking is limited to those who wish to explore the area on its own terms.