Bering Land Bridge National Preserve

This little-visited national park is north of Nome on the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska. Covering 2.7 million acres, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve was part of the first migration of people into the Americas. During the Pleistocene epoch much of the earth's water was locked up in ice, causing sea levels to drop 300 feet. This exposed the continental shelf between Siberia and Alaska, making it possible for people to move southward all the way to South America. This "land bridge" was again flooded when the ice melted. Today the area — just 50 miles from Siberia — is a broad expanse of tundra, low mountains, rivers, and lakes, ...

This little-visited national park is north of Nome on the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska. Covering 2.7 million acres, Bering Land Bridge National Preserve was part of the first migration of people into the Americas. During the Pleistocene epoch much of the earth's water was locked up in ice, causing sea levels to drop 300 feet. This exposed the continental shelf between Siberia and Alaska, making it possible for people to move southward all the way to South America. This "land bridge" was again flooded when the ice melted. Today the area — just 50 miles from Siberia — is a broad expanse of tundra, low mountains, rivers, and lakes, including Devil Lake, the world's largest maar (a lake formed by a rimless volcano). Serpentine Hot Springs is the main attraction, with a bunkhouse (free), fascinating hiking among tall granite tors, fishing for grayling and char, and the chance to relax in these warm hot springs just 45 miles from the Arctic Circle. Access is by bush plane from Nome. The preserve also has a handful of remote shelter cabins, but there are no roads, trails, or other developments, so visitors must come prepared for a true wilderness experience. The preserve is home to musk ox, grizzlies, moose, reindeer, wolves, raptors, waterfowl, and some rare Asiatic birds. Park Service headquarters and a small visitor center are located in Nome.

About the Expert

Don Pitcher has written or photographed 10 travel guidebooks to Alaska, Wyoming, Yellowstone-Grand Teton, and the San Juan Islands for Avalon Travel Publishing, Random House, and Sasquatch Books.