Things to know before exploring Kobuk Valley National Park

Kobuk Valley National Park has a unique wildness in its atmosphere that attracts adventure towards. The national park provides care, protection, and shelter to not only living beings but also other geographical characteristics, including the most important Kobuk River, the Great Kobuk dunes, Hunt River dunes, & Little Kobuk dunes. Kobuk Valley includes wolverines, moose, grizzly bears, porcupines, etc. As the place has no entry fee, those who love to travel and enjoy exploring new places will not have to worry about the costs here. All the activities that are conducted within the park, such as traveling or backcountry camping, don’t require any fee payment.

 

 

Specialty of Kobuk Valley National Park –

 

Kobuk Valley National Park is renowned for its vast and amazingly spread landscape. The landscape is so huge that it covers the existence of the wild & domestic animals, birds, and other living beings very fluently. The Kobuk Valley National Park Alaska provides shelter and support to the Onion Portage, which handles the responsibility of the whole Arctic culture on its shoulders. 

 

 

The Onion Portage covers the topmost side of the Arctic Circle completely but is bound and protected solely by the Kobuk Valley National Park. Kobuk Valley National Park supports & offers complete protection to all the natural resources available locally. This way, the traditional touch of the place is not lost and the customary importance of the place also remains intact. 

 

Not to forget, the beauty and perfection of the Kobuk Valley NP are not only limited to travelling & exploring but also include comfortable places to stay. Hotels or resorts like The Ketch Inn, Igloo Lodging, etc., provide both beautiful landscape balcony views and comfortable stays with all the amenities to the visitors and tourists. Highlighting the beauty of Kobuk Valley National Park is possible because of the comfortable lodging places available there.

 

How to Reach the Kobuk Valley National Park?

 

Taking Kobuk Valley National Park tours may seem to be a very easy task but no roads can help to reach there. Travelling only by plane is possible to reach Kobuk Valley National Park till the end. The roadmap of the planes is from Anchorage to Kotzebue & the other route is from Fairbanks to Bettles. 

 

 

After reaching either Bettles or Kotzebue, further travel can be done with the help of air taxis. These air taxis have the authority of tourist travel & they help reach Kobuk Valley National Park safely. It takes about 5-6 hours to reach from Anchorage to Kobuk Valley National Park. However, the complete tour can be even more than 12-13 hours. The total time required to reach kobuk valley national park depends on the distance between the visitor and tourist’s location to the park. So, the details about how to get to Kobuk Valley National Park and its total travel time calculation need to be made accordingly. 

 

What are the Usual Weather Conditions of the Kobuk Valley National Park?

 

 

Kobuk valley national park is a place that is under the strong influence of the Arctic Circle. That is why it experiences changes in its weather and atmosphere according to the conditions there. Mostly, this national park experiences cold weather, where summers are very rare. Also, the summer season exists for a very short period in which the temperature doesn’t go up to a great extent. The summer season experienced by Kobuk Valley National Park is very mild.

 

On the contrary, the winter season that this place experiences is very extreme and lasts for a much longer period. As the year extends till December, sunlight is seen merely for 1-1.5 hours in this place. All the animals, plants, birds, and other creatures present in this national park or around Kobuk Valley have adaptability to cold weather conditions. That is why they may face complications in adjusting their bodies to a somewhat warmer or hotter habitat. Also, the rate of precipitation in this place is almost negligible throughout the year.

 

 

Interesting Facts about the Kobuk Valley National Park –

 

There exist some very interesting facts about the Kobuk Valley National Park in Alaska, some of which are known while the others are completely unknown.

 

• Establishment & Total Area of the Park –

It is estimated that the total area of Kobuk Valley National Park is 1,669,813 acres (or 2609 square miles). This national park was made in the year 1980 on 2nd December. The main purpose behind its creation was to support the immensely wild animals, birds, and other creatures in the Kobuk Valley. This national park is a huge geographical support for the Kobuk valley and that is why it has a lot of national importance all over Alaska.

 

 

• Highest & Lowest Elevations of Kobuk Valley National Park –

As can be seen from various Kobuk Valley National Park photos present on the Internet, the highest and the lowest elevations of this valley are Mount Angayukaqsraq (which is about 4760 feet tall) and the Kobuk River (about 40 feet). This is one of the well-known facts about the Kobuk Valley, as it can be available for research freely. Before visiting the Kobuk Valley, it is recommended to research the place properly and then start exploring the individual tour options for better results.

 

• Home to a Lot of Beautiful Landforms –

Kobuk Valley National Park is not merely a place but consists of a lot of natural landforms that are completely secure from the outside world. Along with the various animals, birds, and other beings, it is home to many amazing landforms. Some of these landforms are Great Kobuk Sand Dunes (considered as the largest currently active dune throughout the Arctic), Baird Mountains (on the south side), and so on. Also, the Kobuk River smoothly flows and is completely protected by the massively spread Kobuk Valley National Park. 

 

• Private Jets or Charters are allowed in the Kobuk Valley National Park –

With authorized permission from the higher authorities and by following all legal procedures properly, it is allowed for private jets or charters to land in the Kobuk Valley National Park. However, it takes a lot of legal formalities to be completed systematically to make this possible. Due to the absence of appropriate roads in the Kobuk valley, only airways are open for reaching the valley, for both personal as well as public use.

 

 

• Joins Gates for Arctic National Park –

Kobuk Valley National Park is the link between the gates of the Arctic & kobuk Valley trip from the North. It becomes easy to reach the North side of the Gates of the Arctic National Park through the Kobuk Valley National Park. This may also be the reason for the increased tourist visits to both these national parks in the past few years. The exact distance of this valley from the Gates of the Arctic National Park is about 25 miles from the North. 

 

Considering the above facts about the Kobuk Valley National Park, it is quite clear that this is a very fun and exciting place to visit. Being able to experience the beauty of nature becomes easier here (also without any additional costs). 

 

Fun Activities to do in the Kobuk Valley National Park –

 

Apart from experiencing the beauty of nature, there exist a lot of fun activities that can be done in the Kobuk Valley National Park. These activities include:

 

 

• Floating/Boating –

Visitors can enjoy floating or boating in the Kobuk River as a part of the tour to Kobuk Valley National Park. There exist around 350-400 rivers in the complete Kobuk Valley area. Among these, around 60-62 rivers flow from the national park. 

 

That is why either floating or boating in these rivers is a very interesting activity. In the slow-flowing water of the rivers, kayaks, small rafts, and collapsible canoes work very efficiently.

 

• Fishing –

Fishing is another fun activity in the Kobuk Valley National Park for tourists and visitors. Many unique types of fish live in the Kobuk rivers, and that is why fishing here is a very entertaining activity. Fish types such as Arctic grayling, lake trout, slimy sculpin, shellfish, etc., live freely in the rivers of Kobuk Valley National Park. 

 

• Backpacking –

Backpacking (also called camping) can be enjoyed in the Kobuk Valley National Park as well. Throughout the valley, a lot of camping spots can be traced where tourists can stay for a night or two and enjoy the camping experience. This also includes Tundra hikes, Baird Mountain peak climbs and walks along the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes. Mountains in the national park are the best spots for hiking because of the dryness and sponginess of the ground.

 

Apart from the activities mentioned above, even sightseeing can be another interesting activity that can be done in the Kobuk Valley National Park. Enjoying the view while walking, hiking, or even during air travel can become memorable moments from the short or long trip to Kobuk Valley National Park.

 

Facilities provided in Hotels or Resorts of Kobuk Valley National Park –

 

 

Hotels or resorts near Kobuk Valley National Park are available with a lot of facilities and comfort. Some of the topmost and most important facilities among these are:

 

• Breakfast and Snacks Arrangement –

The breakfast or special snack arrangements are done completely in the house. This way, tourists are refreshed in the morning and can enjoy the whole day travelling very comfortably. Also, extra meals or complementary items are served according to the orders to cherish the presence of the tourists and show gratitude. This may encourage the tourists to either extend their stay or be extremely satisfied with their lodging and boarding experience. 

 

• Spacious Rooms, both With or Without Air Conditioning. Facility –

Hotels and resorts in the Kobuk Valley are available with both air conditioning and non-air conditioning facilities (just like the resorts in other tourist places). This makes it easier to choose based on the budget, health convenience, and duration of the stay. Also, the packages are adjusted according to the AC or non-AC requirement, and various tourist discounts are offered. 

 

• Buffet and Restaurant Dinner Facilities –

Special buffets are arranged on particular days of the week, and the regular dinner facilities are versatile. Hospitality is maintained and the staff members are trained to be considerate towards the customers. Also, the food served includes specialty dishes from Kobuk Valley, which tourists can enjoy with a touch of culture there. Musical nights or small events can be hosted on special recommendations to entertain the tourists and make them aware of the culture of Kobuk Valley. 

 

• Balcony Rooms with Landscape Views –

Tourists who are not only visiting the Kobuk Valley to explore but also to rest in nature will love the balcony rooms of the resorts with landscape views. This will be a treat to their eyes in the morning, even before starting to trek or hike in the valley. Also, these rooms will be budget-friendly and available in customized packages as per the requirement. 

 

• Time to Time Room Service with Expert Cleaning –

From time to time, room service is provided to tourists so they always feel clean and fresh inside their rooms. Also, on special request, food can be served inside the room itself, and the after-cleaning will be done without any delay. Toiletries and other required materials are provided separately according to the number of tourists staying in the room. 

 

Considering the above facilities available for tourists in the hotels or resorts of Kobuk Valley, it is very easy to be comfortable. Exciting weekend plans can be made by individuals or groups for a trip to this valley & staying there will also not be a matter of concern. 

 

 

Conclusion

 

Kobuk Valley National Park can be a very interesting place to visit for short vacations and can take humans much closer to nature. The time zone followed by this national park is the Alaska time zone. Those living in the Greenwich Time Zone have to plan their trips considering the 9-hour difference between the 2 time zones. Kobuk Valley National Park is located in the North American continent and has different time zones, atmosphere, weather conditions, etc., from the remaining. 

 

So, travelers need to make sure that they have properly planned their trip, checked the time zones correctly, and calculated their travel time accordingly. Once they reach either Fairbanks or Anchorage (2 of its closest airports), taking direct airways becomes easier from there. All this sums up to make the trip to Kobuk Valley National Park very memorable.