Toolik Field Station

TFS is located 210 km south of Deadhorse and 600 km north of Fairbanks in arctic Alaska. The field station is situated north of Gates of the Arctic National Park, and its location allows scientists to access the Brooks Range, the arctic foothills and the arctic coastal plain.

TFS was first established in 1975 to support an aquatic research program. The field station evolved from a 10-person tent camp into a premier arctic research laboratory and science support facility capable of supporting up to 150 researchers. The field station includes several laboratory trailers and tents, a lecture hall, various dormitory accommodation styles, a kitchen and dining hall, shower and laundry facilities, and a tool shop. TFS is open year-round and provides transportation to and from the station, basic science support, high-speed internet, GIS services, general-use laboratory and field equipment, herbarium, and baseline environmental and meteorological data.

TFS is situated in the arctic foothills province of the North Slope, which is characterised by rolling hills and broad valleys underlain by continuous permafrost. The area is dotted with lakes, and the vegetation is dominated by dwarf-shrub and tussock tundra. Caribou and Arctic ground squirrels are frequently observed at the field station, and moose, musk-oxen, and grizzly bears are encountered occasionally.

TFS is located in the North Slope Borough of northern Alaska close to the Dalton High-way. Anaktuvuk is the closest native village, which is situated in the Brooks Range about 150 km west of TFS by air.

TFS is accessible by road from Deadhorse and Fairbanks. The field station provides transportation to and from these towns, and snowmobiles, boats, trucks, and bicycles are available for local transportation. A helicopter scheduled through the National Science Foundation is based at TFS.