When I think of sand dunes (and deserts in general), I think of the Sahara, the Arabian, and the Namib. But I wouldn't necessarily think Alaska had dunes. However, Alaska's northern slope is classified as a "cold desert", and yes, there are some pretty amazing sand dunes that lie within one of the most remote U.S. national parks: Kobuk Valley. You have to fly by bush plane to get here, and there are no roads, trails, or infrastructure to speak of. But that is also its magic! We spent four days camping and exploring these Arctic dunes, and it was like walking on another planet.
Kobuk Valley National Park (36 of 59)
Shot with FUJIFILM X-T1 and XF16-55mm F2.8 lens
Photo by @jonathan_irish // Photographer Jonathan Irish (@jonathan_irish) is on an epic road trip to visit and create incredible content in all of the 59 U.S. National Parks in 52 weeks during the centennial of the National Park Service. He'll be sharing his images and stories along the way here, on his own Instagram feed, and on the following link at Nat Geo: www.natgeo.com/59in52 . #59in52 #onassignment #nps100 #findyourpark