Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve

Given its remote location and notoriously bad weather, Aniakchak is one of the least visited units of the National Park System. A vibrant reminder of Alaska's location in the volcanically active "Ring of Fire," the monument is home to an impressive six-mile wide, 2,500 ft. deep caldera formed during a massive eruption 3,500 years ago.The Aniakchak Caldera, is the result of a series of eruptions, the latest in 1931. Covering some ten square miles, it is one of the finest examples of dry caldera in the world. Located in the volcanically active Aleutian Mountains, the crater contains many outstanding examples of volcanic features, including lava flows, cinder cones, and explosion pits. Surprise Lake, located within the caldera, is the source of the Aniakchak River, which cascades through a 1,500-foot gash in the caldera wall. The site also contains the Aniakchak Wild River.