The largest national wildlife refuge, spanning more than 19,286,000 acres, is found in northeastern Alaska. Spread over various landscapes and regions, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is approximately the size of the state of South Carolina. Additionally, it is the biggest and wildest publicly owned land throughout the country.

About the ANWR

Also known as the Arctic Refuge, the massive area was established in 1960 and is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. By 1980, the area was renamed and expanded by 18 million acres. Today, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge covers over 19.6 acres.

The borders of the ANWR stretch from the Canning River to the west, the Beaufort Sea to the north, the Brooks Mountain Range to the south, and the Alaska-Canada border to the east.

Population and Villages

For thousands of years, two permanent villages have existed here: Kaktovik and Arctic Village. Kaktovik is an Inupiaq village that has approximately 250 residents. The Arctic Village houses a smaller population; 150 people reside within this Gwich’in village.

There is archeological proof that the Arctic Village may have been settled in 4500 BC, while the Gwich’in Village dates back to 500 AD. The permanent Gwich’in Village was settled around 1900 and is still vibrant with seasonal hunting and fishing camps.

The Inupiaq and Gwich’in (also known as “The Caribou People”) still reside within the ANWR today and rely on the refuge for their livelihood.

Getting There

Aside from the Arctic Village that is along the southern edge of the refuge, there are no roads, villages, campgrounds, or facilities anywhere throughout the refuge.

There are no roads leading into the refuge, and no facilities located within its borders. Dalton Highway brushes a slight portion of ANWR. This connection is just north of Atigun Pass and is where a few visitors will park, choosing to hike into the refuge. However, most travelers choose to take a flight from Fairbanks to either Kaktovik, Fort Yukon, Deadhorse, or Coldfeet. From there, chartered flights will land them on a river gravel bar or into the tundra portion of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

While most visitors bring their own gear and food with them and arrive via personal plane or a chartered air taxi, some attend as participants in a group guided tour.

Overview of Activities

There is plenty to do within this vast area, with a few examples being wildlife photography, rafting, and hiking. Some visit just for the peacefulness found in the remote wilderness. There’s no cell phone service here, but satellite phones are always a safe bet.

Plenty of exploration is available throughout the ANWR, with each day providing a different adventure. A popular way of traveling is by way of rafting. Outfitters lead trips down the Canning, Hulahula, Sheenjek, and Kongakut Rivers each summer. Custom tours can be set up for specific interests and scheduling needs.

For those looking for some true nature experiences, tour companies will provide the proper gear to explore a wild and incredible backcountry adventure, complete with an experienced guide.

For one-day, sightseeing trips, some air taxi operators might provide flightseeing trips. Choose a one-day or extended boat tour and see how many polar bears can be spotted along the shoreline.

Other activities enjoyed within the largest national wildlife refuge include hunting, rafting, fishing, canoeing, pack rafting, berry picking, birding, and wildlife viewing.

Wildlife

Throughout the massive ANWR, there are 42 species of fish, seven marine mammals, and 39 land mammals.

For the polar bears, the refuge serves as an important denning area. Further, it is also a critical calving area for the Porcupine caribou herd, one of the largest caribou herds that resides within the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The Porcupine caribou herd consists of nearly 200,000 animals and migrates throughout ANWR.

 Land Mammals (39)

The Arctic Refuge is home to all three species of North American bears: polar, black, and brown. Polar bears are listed as marine mammals, as opposed to black bears and brown bears which are land mammals. The polar bear is also considered to be the largest of the extant bear species. It has the highest number of land dens throughout the state of Alaska.

Brown bears, also commonly known as the grizzly bear, are the second largest bear. And, due to the long cold winters, these animals are known to hibernate for up to eight months each year.

Also, the largest national wildlife refuge is home to the largest herd of the Porcupine caribou. Additionally, living alongside the caribou are muskox, wolves, Dall sheep, wolverines, and the central Arctic caribou herd.

Caribou make the trip to the coastal plain during the summer months of June and July to give birth and raise their offspring.

Coyotes and gray wolves are residents within the Arctic Refuge, along with the Canada Lynx.  This breed of lynx is a cat medium in size with long legs, long tufts on ears, and a black-tipped tail. To help insulate during the cold temps, the paws of a lynx are heavily furred.

Marine Mammals (7)

With the Arctic Refuge, there are killer whales, humpback whales, blue whales, walrus, sperm whales, and the harbor porpoise. Ringed seals reside here as well, along with the northern fur seals.

Fish Species (42)

Among the many species of fish are the chum salmon, coho salmon, blueback salmon, rainbow smelt, arctic grayling, and dolly varden. Other species include the longnose sucker and burbot.

Birds (200+)

This refuge is also a great place to view a plethora of birds, as over 200 bird species can be found throughout the Alaska park. Both resident and migratory birds, they arrive from four continents from April to July each year, to feed, rest, or breed.

Birdwatchers can expect to capture a sighting of the northern goshawk, sharp-shinned hawk, golden eagle, mallard, or the short-eared owl. Additionally, birds that can be spotted include the Eurasian teal, the lesser scaup, ruffed grouse, and the upland sandpiper.

Many of the birds found within the refuge don’t reside here year-round. Rather, they migrate to and from one of the 50 states. Additionally, they migrate to six continents for reproduction and food practices.

Landscapes

There are some vast differences between portions of the largest national wildlife refuge. Stretching from Brooks Ranges to the east, which displays the treeless Arctic Coast, to the Porcupine River Valley, which consists of the taiga.

The coastal plain reaches from the coast to the foothills of Brooks Range and sees tens of thousands of snow geese that take a break here during September.

Dominating the refuge is the majestic Brooks Range. With peaks and glaciers, the rugged mountains run east to west, extending 75 miles wide. Contrasting with the tundra-covered, flat plain, the mountain range also provides numerous streams and rivers run through, with no trees to be found. However, the area resting south of the continental divide houses spruce trees decorating the valleys, highlighted with sloughs and lakes.

On the northern border, there are barrier islands, salt marshes, coastal lagoons, and river deltas that provide habitat for many migratory waterbirds. Sea ducks, swans, geese, and shorebirds land here each year.

Climate

Varied as much as the landscape options, the climate throughout the area runs the gamut of temps and precipitation. September through May is known to cover the ground with blankets of snow. Freezing temperatures can happen during any month of the year, in any region of the ANWR, especially the mountainous areas. June, July, and August are considered summer.

Near the coastline, expect strong winds with cooler temperatures, along with clouds and fog. However, inland areas boast blue skies and moderate temperatures with variable winds.

Travelers exploring the area south of the mountains can expect more rain, more extreme temperatures, with lighter winds.

The largest national wildlife refuge is often thought of as a crown jewel of Alaska. With varieties in landscape, temperatures, and wilderness, untouched nature, and plenty of activities, it’s no wonder nature and wildlife enthusiasts return every year.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Danita Delimont/Shutterstock.com