Season: May to September. Expect peak flows in late June with a second peak in mid September.
Description
With easy access off the George Park Highway (Hwy. 3) along the eastern boundary of Denali National Park, and located on the main highway between Anchorage and Fairbanks, the Nenana River is perhaps Alaska's most popular whitewater trip. The headwaters orginate from the Nenana and Yanert glaciers to the east, and then the river turns north where it joins the Tanana which is a major tributary of the Yukon. Several outfitters offer commercial trips on this stretch which is the most convenient river trip for visitors to the Park; they offer options from a couple hours to a couple days .
The character of this river is bigwater with numerous playboating opportunities. The river has also been the site of an annual gathering of Alaska paddlers in July that includes wildwater and slalom races
Trips on the Nenana can be extended by starting your run further upstream.
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1\. Carlo Creek to McKinley Village
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2\. McKinley Village to Riley Creek
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3\. Riley Creek to Twin Rocks
Multi-day float trips beginning further upstream or continuing on downstream are possible, but the sections above include the majority of the best whitewater.
Logistics
From Anchorage, drive approximately 250 miles north on the George Park Highway (Hwy. 3) towards the entrance of Denali National Park. If you're coming from Fairbanks it's just over 100 miles to the southwest. Access is available at Twin Rocks along a pull-out just before the river plunges into the canyon section. This pullout is along the George Park Highway and located north (downstream) of the entrance road to Denali National Park. The take-out is off the highway down a short road to the east which meets the river downstream of the point where it emerges from the canyon.
Additional Information
- Nenana River
description on the Fairbanks Paddlers
website.
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Denali National Park
Fun Fact
The Nenana is an unusual river, in that it bisects a huge mountain range, the Alaska Range. Typically, streams flow out from such a range in one direction or another; they don't flow across such a range. The explanation for this behavior of the Nenana (and the
Delta, to the East--both of these flow North to a confluence with the Tanana) may be that huge glacier flow and recession cut a valley into the range. See
this article in Far North Science.com.