Kobuk Valley National Park guide · 1 min read
Hiking from the Kobuk River to the Dunes
The Great Kobuk Sand Dunes rise to 100 feet in Kobuk Valley National Park, in the Arctic region of northwestern Alaska.
Hikers can reach them on foot from the Kobuk River, a corridor for people and wildlife for thousands of years that remains one today. The park was set aside to protect the dunes and the caribou migration routes that surround them.
The day hike from the river to the dunes covers roughly two to three miles of tundra. The round trip is a four-hour orienteering challenge, so it calls for real planning. Hikers should carry a map and compass and know how to use them, because there is no established trail.
Expect off-trail navigation and bushwhacking on the way, since no established trail leads to the dunes. Tundra, boreal forest and brush all meet along the route. The dunes themselves are made of sand that glaciers pulverized.
Backcountry camping on the dunes is an option, and wheeled aircraft can set down right on the sand. A tent can go up on any level spot, and from camp you can set out on day hikes in any direction. Wind can be strong on the open dunes, so pack layers, rain gear and a head net for summer bugs. Tracks from grizzly bears, caribou and wolves cross the sand, so keep an eye out as you walk.
