White Mountains National Recreation Area - Alaska Cabins

Overview

Located just an hour's drive from Fairbanks, Alaska, the one-million-acre White Mountains National Recreation Area offers stunning scenery, peaceful solitude and outstanding opportunities for year-round recreation including hiking, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, skiing, wildlife and scenic viewing. There are 13 beautiful log cabins throughout the White Mountains offering many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Be sure to carry your cabin permit at all times while in the White Mountains National Recreation Area. Also located in the White Mountains National Recreation Area are two trail shelters that are available on a first-come, first-served basis only.

Recreation

Winter visitors travel by ski, snowshoe, dog team, fat bike and snowmobile to enjoy the 12 public-use cabins and 250 miles of maintained trails that make the White Mountains one of Interior Alaska's premier winter destinations. The cabins must be reserved up to 30 days in advance. There are two trail shelters that are on a first come-first served basis, are free of charge and not reservable. In Summer, visitors to the White Mountains pan for gold, fish, hike and camp under Alaska's midnight sun. The Nome Creek Road provides access to two campgrounds, trails, a gold-panning area and a departure point for float trips on Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River.
Learn more about current trail conditions or call the Fairbanks District Office at (907) 474-2200.
For a winter trails condition report, go to the Trail Update 

Facilities

The White Mountains National Recreation Area offers 250 miles of maintained winter trails and 13 public recreation cabins and two trail shelters surrounded by jagged limestone mountains and cliffs, high mountain passes, and broad, rounded valleys. Whether you choose to explore by ski, snowshoe, snowmobile, or dog team, you'll find crisp, clean air, dazzling views, and if you're lucky, shimmering northern lights against a star-studded sky. 

Many of the trails used for winter travel may be difficult to travel during the summer due to wet, muddy conditions or difficult water crossings. To protect sensitive resources, vehicles must remain on BLM routes designated for their use unless traveling in an area designated open to cross-country motorized travel. The entire area is open to all forms of non-motorized use, so feel free to explore off-trail.  

The most popular places to ride OHVs are in the Nome Creek tailings and the Quartz Creek Trail.  

Most of the cabins become difficult to reach in the summer, but a few are regularly used such as Fred Blixt Cabin and Lee’s Cabin . 

Three campgrounds are open from late-May until the snow flies in October


Note : Not all trails are accessible to ATV's in the summer. Please contact the BLM Fairbanks District Office for further information at (907)474-2200
Note: Not all trails are suitable for hiking in the summer. They may be wet and boggy. Check with the Fairbanks District Office for more information.

Note: All lands to the north of the Nome Creek Rd. from the Bear Creek Trail, west to Ophir Creek Campground and the Beaver Creek Put-In are closed to the use of motorized vehicles in the summer from May 1 - October 14 or until there is adequate snow cover for use by snowmobiles. 

Nome Creek Valley Map
Winter Trails Map  

Summer OHV fact sheet 

Summer Recreation Map (Georeferenced PDF) 

Nearby Attractions

Traveling north from Fairbanks, take the Steese Highway on through Fox. There is a trailhead at Milepost 42 and 57 of the Steese Highway to access some of the cabins. Traveling north on the Elliott Highway from Fox, there are two trailheads at Milepost 28 and 57 of the Elliott Highway to access the White Mountains from the west side. For further information contact BLM district office.