Gulkana River
Encyclopedia
The Gulkana River is a river
in south-central
Alaska
. It was designated one of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers in 1980 and is administered by the Bureau of Land Management
. Its length runs 47 miles from Paxson Lake to Sourdough. The Gulkana River flows out of a large Paxson Lake. A clearwater stream provides fishing for rainbow trout and grayling, as well as salmon on the lower river. The Gulkana is one of Alaska's most popular sport-fishing
rivers. It is an important king and red salmon spawning
stream. The river flows through wild country affording views of the Wrangell Mountains
. This major recreation river is a 'Wild & Scenic River.' The river is also popular with canoeists
and river rafters
. A float trip down the Gulkana may take 4 or 5 days.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in south-central
South Central Alaska
Southcentral Alaska is the portion of the U.S. state of Alaska consisting of the shorelines and uplands of the central Gulf of Alaska. Most of the population of the state lives in this region, concentrated in and around the city of Anchorage....
Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. It was designated one of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers in 1980 and is administered by the Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Land Management
The Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
. Its length runs 47 miles from Paxson Lake to Sourdough. The Gulkana River flows out of a large Paxson Lake. A clearwater stream provides fishing for rainbow trout and grayling, as well as salmon on the lower river. The Gulkana is one of Alaska's most popular sport-fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
rivers. It is an important king and red salmon spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
stream. The river flows through wild country affording views of the Wrangell Mountains
Wrangell Mountains
The Wrangell Mountains are a high mountain range of eastern Alaska in the United States. Much of the range is included in Wrangell-Saint Elias National Park and Preserve. The Wrangell Mountains are almost entirely volcanic in origin, and they include the second and third highest volcanoes in the...
. This major recreation river is a 'Wild & Scenic River.' The river is also popular with canoeists
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
and river rafters
Rafting
Rafting or white water rafting is a challenging recreational outdoor activity using an inflatable raft to navigate a river or other bodies of water. This is usually done on white water or different degrees of rough water, in order to thrill and excite the raft passengers. The development of this...
. A float trip down the Gulkana may take 4 or 5 days.