Kotzebue

Introducing Kotzebue

Situated 26 miles above the Arctic Circle on the shores of the Chukchi Sea, Kotzebue - named after Polish explorer Otto von Kotzebue, who arrived here in 1816 - is one of Alaska's northernmost hubs. It could also be considered the state's biggest Alaska Native village. Unlike other aboriginal centers such as Bethel and Barrow, Kotzebue lacks a substantial white population. About 90% of residents are Inupiat, and - despite the financial injection provided by the massive Red Dog zinc mine, 90 miles north of town - eons-old hunting-and-gathering practises are the lifeblood of the community.

While this sounds exotic, take heed: it's a hard place for visitors to penetrate. There's no Alaska Native food at local restaurants (curiously, all six are run by Korean Americans), local hotels are sterile and costly, and there are few easy ways to meet people and get out on the land or water. Moreover, in-town attractions are practically nonexistent, especially since the closure of the once- impressive museum (though a new one, run by the park service, was in the planning stages at press time).

Thus, most visitors to Kotzebue will either want to be en route to wilderness expeditions in the surrounding parklands (charter flights from town can get you into nearby Noatak and Bering Land Bridge national preserves and Kobuk Valley National Park) or be satisfied with a sort of antiholiday, involving wandering the mere 17 miles of streets and being thankful global tourism hasn't made it this far.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009