The answer?: Not many. For most of the year, ANWR is unbearably cold and dark. For several weeks, the sun doesn't even rise and leaves the windswept landscape a very inhospitable environment. Only a few hundred people visit ANWR each year.

Understanding the visitors of ANWR How many people actually visit this 'national treasure', America's Serengeti'?

In 1997, between 1,000-1,500 recreational visitors actually spent time within the 19 million acre Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), a region the size of the State of South Carolina.

"Currently, exact number of recreationists are unknown. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conservatively estimates the total at 1,000 to 1,500."

Tom Edgerton, Arctic NWR, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Less than half of the total ANWR visitors, approximately, 500 - 750 visited the Coastal Plain area for such activities as rafting, hiking and hunting.

Most visits occurred between mid-June and late August.

Visitors to ANWR were down by half in 1997 compared to the highs of 1990.

Recreational groups average eight people and spend an average of 10 days in the refuge.

The Sierra Club conducts 6-10 activists group training trips every year to ANWR. These tours make up a major portion of the commercial visitors to the Coastal Plain. Costing $3,000 to $4,000 per person.

In 1997, 46% of ANWR commercial clients visited the Coastal Plain.

ANWR (entire including the Coastal Plain figures below)

Hunters 215 clients

Guided 78

Private 137

Hikers - guided (approximately) 92 clients

Rafters - guided (approximately) 160 clients

Coastal Plain (only) approximately

Hikers - guided 56 clients

Rafters - guided 60 clients

Source: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Tom Edgerton, Arctic NWR; October 28, 2000