GATES OF THE ARCTIC NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE

formerly Gates Of The Arctic National Monument, national park and preserve in northern Alaska, U.S., lying entirely north of the Arctic Circle. Proclaimed a national monument in 1978, the area underwent boundary changes and the name was altered in 1980. It includes a portion of the Central Brooks Range, the northernmost extension of the Rocky Mountains, characterized by jagged peaks, gentle Arctic valleys, wild rivers, and many lakes. The southern slopes are forested, contrasting with the barren northern reaches at the edge of Alaska's North Slope. Wildlife includes caribou, grizzly bears, Dall sheep, moose, and wolves. The total area is 11,756 square miles (30,448 square km).