It is best to call each office prior to arrival to confirm hours. Closed on Holidays. Closed on Holidays. Congress recognized that a special value of the Park and Preserve is its wild and undeveloped character, and the opportunities it affords for solitude, wilderness travel, and adventure. Some of the most important aspects of wilderness are its intangible qualities.
Space is critical - space for animals to roam and for people to wander.
Another critical element is the dominance of the forces of nature, allowing almost no evidence of human activity. The national park system comprises over 300 areas of special importance to the people of the United States - a system that includes superlative natural, historical, scientific, and recreational areas in every region of the country. Within this broad spectrum of resources and opportunities, Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is distinguished by its special wilderness purposes. Gates of the Arctic encompasses several congressionally recognized elements, including the national park, national preserve, wilderness, six Wild Rivers and two National Natural Landmarks. The National Park Service is entrusted to manage this area to protect its physical resources and to maintain the intangible qualities of the wilderness and the opportunity it provides for people to learn and renew its values.