Kobuk Valley National Park guide · 1 min read
Camping on the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes
Aircraft with wheels can land right on the sand of the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, which is how most visitors get there.
That access makes it possible to set up camp on the dunes, which rise as high as 100 feet. The wide sweep of sand is one of the park's best-known views.
Dune camping here is a backcountry outing. You can pitch a tent on any flat patch of sand, and day hikes can leave camp heading in whatever direction you choose. Visits can be as short as several hours or as long as several days. Help is several hours away, so plan to look after yourself.
You can also walk in from the Kobuk River, a route of roughly two to three miles over tundra. No marked trail guides you, so you will need a map and compass to find your way. A round trip from the river takes about four hours, so plan your navigation with care.
Keep an eye out for wildlife tracks on the sand, which include those of grizzly bears, caribou and wolves. The dunes are a meeting point where boreal forest, tundra and brush run into sand that glaciers ground into fine powder. Snow drifts can still linger on the dunes in early June.
Conditions change quickly, so leave extra time in your itinerary for flight delays. The dunes are open and windy, which leaves you fully exposed, so bring layers. Pack a rain jacket and sunscreen as well, since you may need both on the same day. In summer, a head net is worth packing, because bugs are plentiful.
