EventThe price of a gallon of gasoline in Shungnak spiked to $26.82 on Aug. 21, 2026 – the highest in the U.S. – after low Kobuk River water forced fuel to be flown in twice that summer. NANA Regional Corp. shareholders can buy at $21.46 per gallon, but hunters worry the cost will hurt their hunting season.
Gasoline in Shungnak surged to $26.82 a gallon because low Kobuk River levels stopped barge deliveries, forcing costly air transport; the spike strains hunters’ budgets and signals even higher prices as fall barges resume.
$26.82 per gallon – the steepest U.S. fuel price recorded in Shungnak – resulted from low Kobuk River levels that halted barge deliveries, forcing expensive air shipments. The spike threatens hunters and residents who depend on gasoline for subsistence travel.
Gasoline in the remote Alaskan village of Shungnak reached $26.82 per gallon after low river levels forced fuel to be flown in, sparking concerns among subsistence hunters who rely on gas for hunting season.
