Kobuk Valley National Park

Year Established: 1980
Annual Visitors: 11,500
Size: 1.75 Million Acres
State: Alaska

Best Time to Visit Kobuk Valley National Park

June to September

If you are planning to visit more national parks, check out our complete list of all US National Parks.

Best Experiences in Kobuk Valley National Park

• Kobuk Sand Dunes
• Take a flightseeing tour

A Brief History

Kobuk Valley National Park is about 25 miles north of the Arctic Circle in the Arctic region. The Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act set up the park in 1980 to protect the 100-foot-high Great Kobuk Sand Dunes and the area around them, which has caribou migration routes.

When entering the backcountry for camping, hiking, boating, or dog sledding, park visitors need to bring all of their own gear. There are no marked trails or roads in the park.

And the park is about the same size as the state of Delaware at 1,750,716 acres! 

Kobuk Valley is one of Alaska’s eight national parks. Only California, which has nine national parks, has more national parks than Alaska. The National Park Service is in charge of taking care of the park.

Kobuk Valley RV Camping

If you are looking for nearby RV camping options for Kobuk Valley National Park or in Alaska, consider checking out our other post:

• Best RV Parks in Alaska
• Best RV Resorts in Alaska
• How to Conserve Water in Your RV
• How To Plan An RV Trip
• Dependable RV Water Fill Stations

Visitor Information

Fees

No fees or registration are needed to get into the park.

Contacting Kobuk Valley National Park

Phone Number

(907) 442-3890

Visitor Centers

Northwest Arctic Heritage Center

Northwest Arctic Heritage Center is a large blue and gray building in the shape of a half-dome with just over 11,000 square feet of space. The museum is a little over 1,800 sq ft and features displays of animals, soundscapes, exhibits that you can touch, and more. There is also a bookstore, a bathroom, an art gallery, and a place to sit in the Heritage Center. The Northwest Arctic Heritage Center is where people can get information about the Western Arctic National Parklands, which include Kobuk Valley, Cape Krusenstern, and Noatak.