Alaska’s annual land auction puts nearly 100 parcels into Alaskans’ hands

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources closed out its 2025 annual land auction last week, putting nearly 100 parcels of state land into the hands of Alaska residents through the Division of Mining, Land and Water.

\This year’s auction drew 350 bids from across the state, with 92 winning bidders securing 99 parcels totaling about 707 acres and generating approximately $3.8 million in revenue.

The auction, held entirely online, continues a long-standing state tradition of encouraging Alaskans to put down roots and take direct ownership of land. The DNR makes select parcels available each year through public auctions restricted to Alaska residents, often drawing interest from individuals seeking recreational cabins, remote homesteads, or future home sites in areas such as the Mat-Su Valley, Kenai Peninsula, Interior, and Southeast.

Properties that went unsold in the October auction will move into the state’s Over-the-Counter sales program starting Nov. 19. That program allows both residents and nonresidents to purchase remaining inventory on a first-come, first-served basis through the DNR’s land sales portal.

In addition to the annual auction, DNR manages several other pathways for land ownership. The Remote Recreational Cabin Staking program allows Alaskans to stake out a parcel in designated areas, lease it during survey and appraisal, and later buy it at market value. Agricultural land sales offer opportunities for farm and ranch development, with parcels restricted to agricultural use to preserve Alaska’s working lands.

Revenue from the auction helps fund future land offerings and administrative costs, sustaining the state’s broader mission to make Alaska lands accessible for residential, recreational, and economic use. For many Alaskans, these sales represent one of the few affordable ways to secure private property in a state where the vast majority of land is federally or publicly owned.

Full auction results, program details, and signup links for upcoming land sale notifications are available at landsales.alaska.gov.