Wooden observation deck provides sweeping views of the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge. This 9 million acre refuge was established to conserve fish and wildlife populations and their habitats including; nesting waterfowl, migratory birds, dall sheep, bears, moose, wolves, wolverines, caribou and salmon. Official protection of this area began in 1978, stemming from a proposed hydroelectric project for the Yukon River. If the dam had been constructed, it would have flooded the entire Yukon Flats creating a very large lake. Many environmental groups, local hunters, Alaska Native groups and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service fought against the proposed project and eventually won. Today, it is the third largest conservation area in the National Wildlife Refuge system.
