Nenana, AK

Gauge Information

River Description

Season: May to September. Expect peak flows in late June with a second peak in mid September.

Description

This short section can be paddled as a continuation of runs beginning upstream

• 1. Carlo Creek to McKinley Village
• 2. McKinley Village to Riley Creek

or as a warm-up for the Nenana Canyon run that continues downstream.

• 4. Twin Rocks to Healy (Nenana Canyon)

From the put-in at Jonesville Bridge, the rapids include Squirrel Corner, Rooster Tail, Ice Worm, and Twin Rock. At Twin Rock you can exit the river or continue on down the next section through the canyon.

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. Kayaks may be able to put-in directly on Riley Creek at the George Park Highway bridge across the creek (located just south of the entrance to Denali National Park). The more typical access is at Jonesville Bridge where the George Park Highway crosses the Nenana River to the north (and downstream) of Riley Creek and just north of the entrance to Denali National Park.

Additional Information

• Nenana River description on the Fairbanks Paddlers website.
• Denali National Park