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Cape Krusenstern National Monument

Kotzebue, AK

Cape Krusenstern National Monument is a treeless coastal plain dotted with sizable lagoons and backed by gently rolling limestone hills. Cape Krusenstern's bluffs and its series of 114 beach ridges record the changing shorelines of the Chukchi Sea over thousands of years.

Because the ridges accumulated over time, the earliest ridges lie inland, and the most recently formed ridges near the shore. This unusual series of beach ridges present, in sequence, detailed evidence of an estimated 9,000 years of prehistoric human use of this coastline. Some archeological sites here are older than well-known remains of ancient Greek civilizations on the Mediterranean Sea.

In summer, wildflowers color the beach ridges and nearby hills. Large numbers of migratory birds come from all over the world to Cape Krusenstern to nest. In fall, these migrating birds use the lagoons as feeding and staging areas. Shifting sea ice, ocean currents, and waves continue to form spits and lagoons possessing important scientific, cultural, and scenic values.

Along the outer beaches, Alaska Natives still hunt marine mammals. Local rural residents are allowed to hunt in the Monument. A road to the Red Dog mine crosses the northern boundary. Trucks haul zinc from open pit mines to a tidewater port. Cominco Alaska operates the mine, along with the NANA Regional Corp., a Native corporation based in Kotzebue.

CONTACTS

Email - WEAR_Webmail@nps.gov

Fax- 907-442-8316

Write to
National Park Service
P.O. Box 1029
Kotzebue, AK 99752

Phone
Headquarters - 907-442-3890
Visitor Information - 907-442-3890
summer Visitor Information - 907-442-3760

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
Park is open year around. Headquarters office hours 8:00am to 5:00PM Monday through Friday. Visitor Center 8:00AM to 5:00PM daily, June through September. Arctic winter conditions - snow, ice, wind, and below-freezing temperatures exist in the park from October through April. Temperatures rarely exceed 65 degrees F. in July-August; snow or freezing temperatures may occur any time.

Getting There
PLANE - Commercial airlines provide service from Anchorage or Fairbanks to Nome or Kotzebue. There are scheduled flights to villages and chartered flights to specific park areas. Summer access may include motorized/non-motorized watercraft, aircraft, or by foot. Winter access may include snowmobiles, aircraft or by foot.

Weather & Climate
Weather is a central concern to those planning to visit the park at any time of year. Summer temperatures on the coast are usually in the low 50?'s F, with mid 60? to 70? with an occasional period of 80's or 90's in the interior. Average January lows are -15?F on the coast and -50?F in the interior.

Winds average 8 to 12 mph, but 50 to 70 mph winds commonly accompany storms and produce extremely low and dangerous wind chill factors.

Annual averages are not always good guidelines; in summer, visitors can see snow, near freezing temperatures, and long periods of clouds, wind, and rain.

Summer days are long, almost without darkness; winter days are short, with only a few hours of sunlight.

Any time of year, exposure and hypothermia are real threats to visitors and park personnel. Be prepared.

Accessibility
There are no accessible trails in the park. Contact charter services to check availability of required services.

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