Located just three miles off the Dalton Highway and near the boundary of Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Wiseman is a jumping-off point for properly equipped backpackers who want to trek into the park on foot.
Today less than two-dozen people live in Wiseman, a century-old mining town that enjoyed its heyday in the 1920s. Thirty cabins from the gold rush era are still used today, mostly by seasonal residents. It can get cold here in the winter; easily dropping to minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit, but it’s hard to pass up Wiseman’s scenic surroundings as it fronts the Middle Fork of the Koyukuk River and is crowned by the peaks of the Brooks Range. From September to March, the northern lights are a common occurrence and can be especially vivid over Wiseman.
Wiseman is 260 miles northwest of Fairbanks and can be reached from the Dalton Highway. It is 13 miles north of Coldfoot and 75 miles north of the Arctic Circle. You can drive to Wiseman or leave the car or recreational vehicle behind and hop on a tour bus in Fairbanks to reach the tiny hamlet.
Travel information is available at the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center in Coldfoot (907-678-5209).
Nearby Parks
Attractions
Wiseman Historical Museum +
The Wiseman Historical Museum, near the entrance to town, is filled with historic photos and mining equipment and usually open for bus tours.
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