Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve is a
U.S. National Monument and
National Preserve, consisting of the region around the
Aniakchak volcano on the
Aleutian Range of south-western
Alaska. The monument is one of the least visited places in the National Park System due to its remote location and difficult weather. The area was proclaimed a National Monument on December 1, 1978, and established as a National Monument and Preserve on December 2, 1980. The National Monument encompasses and the preserve . Visitation to Aniakchak is the lowest of all areas of the
U.S. National Park System, according to the NPS, with only 134 documented recreational visits in 2014. Most visitors fly into Surprise Lake inside Aniakchak Crater, but the frequent fog and other adverse weather conditions make landing in the lake difficult. It is also possible to fly into the nearby village of Port Heiden and proceed overland to the Aniakchak Crater.