Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve is a National Park & Preserve in Alaska. This guide combines the park's official information with computed sunrise, sunset and Milky Way times, satellite climate data and nearby photo locations.
Sunrise, sunset & golden hour
At this latitude the sun does not rise or set on some days of the year, so check the monthly table below for daylight and twilight.
| Month (15th) | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Sunset az. | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 11:40 AM | — | — | 3:06 PM | 204° | 3h 26m |
| February | 9:30 AM | 11:12 AM | 3:44 PM | 5:27 PM | 238° | 7h 57m |
| March | 8:34 AM | 9:48 AM | 6:58 PM | 8:12 PM | 267° | 11h 38m |
| April | 6:23 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:47 PM | 10:04 PM | 299° | 15h 41m |
| May | 4:04 AM | 5:58 AM | 10:23 PM | 12:17 AM | 333° | 20h 13m |
| June | — | 4:59 AM | 11:30 PM | — | — | — |
| July | — | 5:33 AM | 11:07 PM | — | — | — |
| August | 5:37 AM | 7:03 AM | 9:34 PM | 11:00 PM | 313° | 17h 23m |
| September | 7:32 AM | 8:44 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:47 PM | 280° | 13h 15m |
| October | 9:17 AM | 10:42 AM | 5:17 PM | 6:42 PM | 249° | 9h 25m |
| November | 10:24 AM | — | — | 3:34 PM | 217° | 5h 10m |
| December | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Computed for the park's reference point (67.7596, -153.2918); large parks span several minutes of difference.
Milky Way & dark skies
The Milky Way's bright core (in Sagittarius) barely clears the southern horizon at this latitude, so focus on winter Milky Way, aurora or star trails instead.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| February | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| March | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| April | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| May | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| June | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| July | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| August | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| September | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| October | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| November | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
| December | Not visible in darkness | — | — |
1 Estimated Bortle 1 — Excellent dark-sky site. The Milky Way casts faint shadows; zodiacal light and airglow are obvious.
Weather & best time to visit
The climate of Gates of the Arctic National Park & Preserve is generally classified as arctic and sub-arctic, with exceptionally cold winters, relatively mild summers, low annual precipitation, and generally high winds. The weather is influenced by many different systems, and can change rapidly.!!
Weather overview: National Park Service.
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show March as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (77%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
Average high (°F)
Photography permits, drones & fees
Permits. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones. Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Getting there
Gates of the Arctic is a wilderness park, with no roads or trails into the park lands, so visitors must fly or hike into the park. Access begins in Fairbanks, Alaska & there are several small airlines that provide daily flights into the communities of Bettles, Anaktuvuk Pass, and Coldfoot. Most visitors access the park by air taxi or hike in from the Dalton Highway or from the village of Anaktuvuk Pass. River crossings are necessary from both locations.
Directions: National Park Service.
Activities
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Climbing
- Rock Climbing
- Mountain Climbing
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Hunting and Gathering
- Hunting
- Paddling
- Canoeing
- Kayaking
- Whitewater Rafting
- Junior Ranger Program