Noatak Wilderness, Arctic wilderness area in northwestern Alaska.

The Noatak Wilderness covers 5,765,427 acres of the Noatak River basin in northwestern Alaska, bounded by the Brooks Range to the north and the Baird Mountains to the south. The river runs about 354 miles from its headwaters in Gates of the Arctic National Park to the village of Noatak. Most of the vegetation is low tundra, with boreal forest only in the lower valley.

The area was designated as protected wilderness in 1980 through the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act, safeguarding one of North America's largest unaltered river basins. This protected status came at an important moment to prevent industrial development.

The Iñupiat have lived here for generations and continue to hunt and fish using traditional methods within the wilderness. Stone markers and remains of old camps scattered throughout show the long connection between people and this landscape.

You can only reach this wilderness by air since there are no roads, and licensed operators run air taxi services and guided river trips. Plan to spend several days to experience the landscape properly.

The Noatak is fed by the 354-mile (570 km) course running from its headwaters in Gates of the Arctic National Park to the village of Noatak. Most float trips start high on the river, from Twelve Mile Creek to Lake Matcherak, and the few rapids reach Class II+. Below Noatak village the channel turns braided and harder to navigate.