Kobuk Valley National Park guide · 1 min read
Air Taxis from Kotzebue and Bettles
Kobuk Valley National Park has no road access, so most visits depend on a flight. Scheduled airline service runs from Anchorage to Kotzebue and from Fairbanks to Bettles, and those two towns serve as the gateways.
From either one, the last stretch is flown by an authorized air taxi, so book that connection with local operators before you set out.
Kotzebue is the place to buy anything you might need, since the park offers nothing to fall back on once you arrive. Many travelers end up spending a good part of their time in town while waiting on their next leg. Because flights hinge on the weather, and conditions can shift without warning, leave room in your plans for delays.
Flightseeing suits anyone with little time or no backcountry experience. Charter operators in Kotzebue and Bettles carry three to ten passengers, and flights can be booked for an hour or a full day. Many flights head for the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, and some pilots will touch down so passengers can get out.
Float trips on the Kobuk River work differently. Paddlers can fly all of their gear in with a commercial transporter and start from a backcountry landing spot. Or a boat can travel as cargo to Kobuk, Shungnak or Ambler to begin there. Trips can finish at Kiana or Noorvik. Folding canoes, kayaks and small rafts suit the calmer water.
The Northwest Arctic Heritage Center in Kotzebue is worth a stop before you fly, about 80 miles west of the park. It serves as the hub for the Western Arctic National Parklands, which also take in Cape Krusenstern and Noatak. Inside, a museum at no cost covers arctic wildlife, geology and Iñupiaq culture, and staff can help with trip planning.
