<P> Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a U.S. National Park in Alaska . It is the northernmost national park in the U.S. ( the entirety of the park lies north of the Arctic Circle ) and the second largest at 8,472,506 acres ( 3,428,702 ha ) ( 34,287 km2 ) , slightly larger in area than Belgium . The park consists primarily of portions of the Brooks Range of mountains . It was first protected as a U.S. National Monument on December 1 , 1978 , before becoming a national park and preserve two years later in 1980 upon passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act . A large part of the park is protected in the Gates of the Arctic Wilderness which covers 7,167,192 acres ( 2,900,460 ha ) . The wilderness area adjoins the Noatak Wilderness Area and together they form the largest contiguous wilderness in the United States . </P>
<P> Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve is a U.S. National Park in Alaska . It is the northernmost national park in the U.S. ( the entirety of the park lies north of the Arctic Circle ) and the second largest at 8,472,506 acres ( 3,428,702 ha ) ( 34,287 km2 ) , slightly larger in area than Belgium . The park consists primarily of portions of the Brooks Range of mountains . It was first protected as a U.S. National Monument on December 1 , 1978 , before becoming a national park and preserve two years later in 1980 upon passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act . A large part of the park is protected in the Gates of the Arctic Wilderness which covers 7,167,192 acres ( 2,900,460 ha ) . The wilderness area adjoins the Noatak Wilderness Area and together they form the largest contiguous wilderness in the United States . </P>
when did gates of the arctic become a national park
when did gates of the arctic become a national park
1980
1980