The Bering Land Bridge National Preserve is a preserve in Arctic Alaska. The preserve, which is crossed by the Continental Divide, is dotted with lava fields, tundra, and crossed by the Arctic Circle.

Understand

History

Native Americans

A few thousand years ago, the Bering Strait was above sea level. Native Americans were able to cross this land, go through the Bering Land Bridge Preserve, and enter North and South America. However, some tribal groups settled in the region, with tribal populations scattered similar in number to today.

Around 1900, the gold rush in Alaska brought American settlers. They colonized the Nome region, south of the preserve. Population in the Bering Strait region must have been at least 20,000, since 12,000 lived in Nome and 5,000 lived in Teller for a brief period.

However, by the 1910 census, populations had declined dramatically. This continued to decline as diseases swept through the area, resulting in the Nome Serum Run in 1925.

The Bering Land Bridge Preserve now receives thousands of tourists a year, despite the remote location and bears.

Get in

You must get into the preserve by foot.

Get around

Apart from grizzly bear habitats, the Bering Strait Preserve is open to the public to explore. There are multiple lodges around the preserve, one of which contains a bathhouse.

There are no roads in the preserve.

See

There are lava fields in the south of the park. Mountains are scattered around the park, the highest of which passes 3,000 feet (914 m).

Sleep