Fodor's Expert Review Anaktuvuk Pass

Anaktuvuk Pass lies on a divide between the Anaktuvuk and John Rivers in the central Brooks Range. A small Nunamuit Iñupiat village of the same name sits atop this 2,000-foot pass. The economy and traditions here center on the caribou herds that supply residents with most of their meat. Surrounded by mountains, rivers, and lakes, this is one of the North Slope's most scenic spots. Daily flights from Fairbanks travel to the village, and you can walk from there into the national park. You can also do backpacking trips that start or end at the pass. As elsewhere in Gates of the Arctic, some of the terrain here is on private or Native corporation land, so inquire at the ranger station about where it's best to hike and camp—and whether or not you need permission to do so.