Angelica at Western Arctic National Parklands

Angelica is a beautiful plant, but it hides both great medicinal qualities and a deadly secret.

• You are standing next to the wooden edge of the garden. The Angelica stands several feet tall, making it eye level with the average person. It has a stem that is about as thick as a thumb with ridges running up it. There are leaves coming off the side that are wide, flat, and pointed on the ends. At the top of the plant is a flat cone-shaped cluster of flowers.

Copter Peak

Copter Peak is a popular area to visit in Noatak National Preserve. Many are drawn to the area thanks to the nearby backcountry landing strip.

• Upon landing at the remote airstrip, Copter Peak and many other mountain peaks of the same range will be surrounding you. These peaks are tall, craggy, and bare. In the valleys of these mountains, many of the tundra plants grow in abundance. All around will be willows as tall as the average person. There will be bright colors of wildflowers during the spring and summer and bare plants covered in snow during the winter months. The little streams that free-flow in the summer are frozen solid by mid-Fall. In the sky, during the Summer, the 24 hour sunlight keeps it bright and warm. In the Fall and Spring, the area is often cloudy. During Winter, this area experiences very little sunlight. It, instead, offers many cold views of the Northern Lights.

Desperation Lake in Noatak

Desperation Lake is located near the northern border of Noatak National Preserve and to the northwest of Feniak Lake. This area draws hunters and backpackers alike.

• Desperation Lake is a kidney shaped lake measuring about 3 miles long. Its water is practically clear in calm weather, but can turn dark during a storm. It is in the valley of some distant mountains and is surrounded by marshy, rocky land with tundra plants. The lake is creek-fed and maintains its level fairly well throughout the year.

Feltleaf Willow at Western Arctic National Parklands

Willows exist in many forms. The Feltleaf Willow is one of the more popular version of this plant. Like its relatives, this plant has great medicinal properties!

• You are standing along the wooden edge of the garden. The Feltleaf willow grows tall, making it about the height of the average man. It has long, skinny stems and grows oval shaped leaves that end in a point.

Fireweed Wayside at Western Arctic National Parklands

The purple/pink flowers of blooming Fireweed is one of the most recognizable sights in Alaska. But what makes this plant so important to medicinal traditions?

• In front of you is the corner of a short, wooden wall of the Heritage Center's garden. Beyond the garden is a road and a row of short houses and buildings. In the distance is the Kotzebue Sound. In this corner of the garden is a cluster of bright pink/purple flowers on tall, thin green plants. The small, four-petaled flowers start halfway up the stalk and continue to the tip of the plant. The leaves at the base of the plant are long and narrow.

Grand Canyon of the Noatak

The Grand Canyon of the Noatak towers over the river that carved it.

• The Grand Canyon of the Noatak is a 10 mile stretch of meandering river surrounded by towering, steep bluffs of bare earth. Some tundra plants cling to the sides to grown, but most grow at the bottom, along the river, or at the top, along the edge of the bluffs.

Lingonberry at Western Arctic National Parklands

Lingonberries are known by many names, but no matter the name you call it, there's no denying this beautiful plant has beautiful flowers, delicious berries, and powerful medicinal properties.

• Here you are standing along the wooden edge of the garden. The lingonberry bush is directly in front of you. This bush is circular in shape and low to the ground with small, shiny, oval leaves. In the spring and summer are bring flowers and in the fall are red berries. Growing off the side of this plant is the Tundra tea plant which has long, brown stems. On the stems are narrow, thick green leaves with a cluster of white flowers at the top.

Sourdock at Western Arctic National Parklands

Related to Rhubarb, Sourdock is a medicinal plant with many uses!

• In front of you is the short, wooden wall of the Heritage Center's garden. Beyond the garden is a road and a row of short houses and buildings. In the distance is the Kotzebue Sound. From this standing point, the Sourdock is about ten feet in front of you with the tall leaves of the Siberian Iris between you and it. Sourdock's leaves are low to the ground but wide spread. These leaves are elongated ovals with pointy ends. The entire leaf is green except from its ends which range from a light orange to bright red. For a short time in the summer, there is a two to three foot tall thin stalk in the center of the leaves. This stalk has the small buds for the plant and dies off quickly.

Stinkweed at Western Arctic National Parklands

Stinkweed isn't a pleasant name, but this plant is one of the most beloved medicinal plants in the Arctic. The number of uses seems to be endless!

• Stinkweed stands about 2-3 feet tall when fully mature. It has a thin, tall, green stem with leaves coming off in multiple directions. The leaves are narrow and oval shaped, ending in a point. Toward the top of the stem are small buds, ranging from green, to brown, to a faint red color.

Northwest Arctic Heritage Center

• Northwest Arctic Heritage Center
• Large, half-dome shaped, blue and grey building with just over 11,000 square feet of space. The museum space is just over 1,800 square feet and contains animal displays, soundscapes, tactile exhibits and more. The Heritage Center also contains a bookstore, restroom, art gallery, and sitting area. The Northwest Arctic Heritage Center serves as the visitor centers for the Western Arctic National Parklands: Kobuk Valley National Park, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, and Noatak National Preserve.

• Fishing the Noatak
• Fishing in the Noatak National Preserve is a dream trip for many enthusiasts.

• Visit the Northwest Arctic Heritage Center
• Trying to figure out where to go and what to do in Northwest Alaska? The Northwest Arctic Heritage Center is a great place to meet rangers and acquire information on Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Kobuk Valley National Park, and Noatak National Preserve.

• Float the Noatak
• A float trip by canoe on the Noatak River

Medicinal Garden Tour

Explore the Northwest Arctic Heritage Center's medicinal garden and learn about local plant life, their medicinal uses, and more!