Tree and Plants

The park's northern latitudes dictate its plant communities.

Plan Around Tree and Plants

A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.

Add to trip View park guide

Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.

Tree and Plants Details

The park is located north of the Arctic Circle. The soil is almost entirely permafrost and conditions are harsh. Cold, windy, and covered with a thin soil layer, the landscape supports only a short growing season. Here, the boreal forest and tundra meet. Any plants that can survive here have special adaptations to protect them from the extreme conditions. Permafrost soils allow very little drainage, making the surface area of the soil - where plants grow - almost constantly water-logged. Along rivers and streams, you'll see birch, spruce, and willow, although even these species struggle with the drainage and often grow only on south-facing slopes. Even old trees look small and stunted here, as they are unable to grow for much of the year. The tundra is made up of a thick mat of moss and lichen. The park is mostly contained within a sheltered valley, guarded on both sides by the Baird and Waring Mountains. Due to this sheltered location, many of the plants here survived the Last Ice Age, making them relics from Beringia - the grassland that once connected Asia and North America.

Difficulty

Open

Distance

N/A

Estimated time

N/A

Region

Learn About the Park