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Vortac Lake

Kotzebue, Alaska — Northwest Arctic Borough.

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53Surface acres

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID {483977B4-21F3-4D78-9027-64A980F482B4}).

Nearest airports

The closest airport with scheduled passenger flights to Vortac Lake, plus larger airports within about 150 miles:

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Airports with scheduled airline service from OurAirports (large and medium airports); larger airports are FAA large, medium and small hubs by FAA CY2025 enplanements ("major airport" = FAA large hub). Distances are straight-line from the lake's center, not driving distance; road routes are longer.

Location & fast facts

Where Vortac Lake is in Alaska

The red circle marks Vortac Lake.

Fast facts

About Vortac Lake

  • Borough or census area: Northwest Arctic Borough
  • City or town on the shore: Kotzebue
  • Mapped as: Reservoir (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 441 mi from Fairbanks and 536 mi from Wasilla, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and boroughs & census areas: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline (Alaska: incorporated places touching the lake, otherwise the nearest one).

Fishing in Alaska

Official ADF&G pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

    Watch for

    • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

    Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

    Lake map

    Vortac Lake shoreline

    0.1 mileN

    No public access sites are listed for this water in the OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used) data.

    Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID {483977B4-21F3-4D78-9027-64A980F482B4}), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: OpenStreetMap boat ramps (no statewide agency ramp layer used). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

    Conditions right now

    Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
    Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

    Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (66.8876, -162.5363). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Vortac Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

    Sun, moon & best fishing times

    Sun & moon at Vortac Lake

    Best fishing times

    Major periodMinor periodDaylight

      Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in AKT (America/Anchorage), and accurate to within a few minutes.

      Contact & official info

      Questions about Vortac Lake

      How big is Vortac Lake?

      Vortac Lake covers about 53 acres in Kotzebue, Alaska (Northwest Arctic Borough).

      What towns are on Vortac Lake?

      Vortac Lake touches Kotzebue in Northwest Arctic Borough, Alaska.

      Share a tip or fishing report

      Know Vortac Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

      Lakes & ponds nearby

      Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Alaska lakes & ponds · All waters in Kotzebue