UAF Toolik Field Station open for Visitor’s Day

A bluethroat perched on a willow shrub with leaves just emerging
Photo by Seth Beaudreault/Toolik Field Station
A bluethroat perches on a willow and sings near Toolik Field Station, north of ֱֻ’s Brooks Range in June 2025.

Toolik Field Station will host a Visitor's Day on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering the public an opportunity to get an up-close look at the world's largest Arctic research station.

Visitors will have the chance to meet station staff and scientists, tour Toolik facilities and long-term research sites, and learn about ongoing research at the station. A Toolik naturalist will guide guests through the unique sights and sounds of ֱֻ's North Slope.

Toolik Field Station, located at mile 284.5 of the Dalton Highway on ֱֻ’s North Slope, is a leading, year-round Arctic observatory and research facility. The station is operated by the ֱֻ Institute of Arctic Biology with cooperative agreement support from the National Science Foundation.

For over 50 years, Toolik has served as a base for thousands of scientists and students as they conducted “boots on the ground” field science in a rapidly changing Arctic. The observations and experiments at the station have led to countless advancements in scientific fields ranging from space physics to animal physiology and from ecology to atmospheric chemistry. 

A group of students walk across a bridge at Toolik Field Station with their reflections in the pond below them.
Photo by Erin Towns
A group tours long-term research sites near Toolik Field Station in Arctic ֱֻ in August 2025.

Visitors can join scheduled tours or venture on self-guided science and nature walks.

Tours and walks are free. Lunch is available for purchase in advance from the .

Visitors are responsible for their travel to and from the station. No overnight accommodations will be provided. Camping is not allowed in the Toolik Research Natural Area but is available at the nearby Galbraith Lake Campground.

Travel on the Dalton Highway is remote and rugged, with limited services, including cell service and internet connectivity. Visitors should know the risks before traveling to best prepare for the journey. More information on traveling the Dalton Highway is available in the Bureau of Land Management’s .

Toolik Field Station merchandise, such as T-shirts, hats and posters, will be available for purchase on site. 

More information can be obtained by visiting Toolik’s Visitor’s Day website and or by emailing uaf-iab-toolik@alaska.edu.

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