Alaska

At the edge of beyond, you’ll find the solitude and majesty of Kobuk Valley. Framed by the Baird and Waring mountains, it comprises 2,736 sq miles (7,085 sq km) of river, meadow, forest, and even sand dunes.

The park is famous as the staging area for one of the greatest migrations on earth, when each spring a quarter million caribou embark on a 600-mile (950-km) journey to their summer grounds up north. In the fall, when 24-hour days begin to fade to dark, the herd returns. Witnessing the migration from the air or on a multiday river trip is on a par with any safari in the Serengeti, Tanzania—only more challenging and a lot colder.

For the brave souls who make it here, the rewards are rich: some of North America’s boldest predators, including gray wolves and grizzly bears, live in the park, along with fun big animals like Dall sheep and moose. This is the summer home of millions of migrating birds. Expect to see Arctic terns—coming from Antarctica on the world’s longest bird migration—along with ducks, cranes, loons, geese, and swans.

Human history here dates back 12,000 years, and one Arctic dig turned up evidence of nine unique cultures. Native Alaskans still gather at their ancestral grounds of Onion Portages to hunt caribou and get ready for a long winter under the Northern Lights.

Caribou bulls, with their distinctive antlers, swim across the Kobuk River

There’s no better way to grasp the glory of the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes than from the air

Ways to Explore

Camping ▷ This park is only accessible by plane, so be prepared to forgo creature comforts. A singular experience is a night in the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes or the Onion Portage, where you can ascend the nearby bluffs for views of the Jade Mountains and the migrating herds of caribou.

Kayaking ▷ One of Alaska’s best river trips runs through here. From Walter Lake in the Gates of the Arctic National Preserve, you can paddle for five to eight days down 115 miles (185 km) of river. Along the way, you will meet subsistence hunters and fishers camped along the riverbank and encounter any number of natural delights.

Flight-seeing ▷ This roadless wilderness takes on a whole new dimension from the air. During the migration, a bird’s-eye view is the best way to witness the movement of the great caribou herd in all its grandeur. Along the way, you’ll see countless lakes, technicolor sand dunes at Little Kobuk and Hunt River, and many wild animals going about their business.

Lodge stays ▷ At the Kobuk River Lodge and Bettles Lodge, warm up with a hot shower and a steaming cup of coffee before venturing out on day trips into the wilderness. For the ultimate in adventure, come in winter for dog-sledding and cloud-free night views of the Aurora Borealis.