Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve, national preserve in east central Alaska, United States
Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve lies in east central Alaska on the Canadian border, protecting 130 miles of the Yukon River and the whole Charley River basin. The Yukon runs through a broad valley between bluffs and terraces, while the Charley drains higher tundra and boreal forest country. Elevations run from about 600 feet where the Yukon leaves to some 6,000 feet at the Charley's headwaters.
Native tribes inhabited the region for thousands of years, using the rivers and land for hunting, fishing, and trade. In the early 1900s, gold prospectors arrived seeking riches, leaving behind old trails and camp sites that remain visible along the riverbanks today.
No roads enter the preserve. The nearest road approaches are Eagle on the Taylor Highway, upstream to the southeast, and Circle at the end of the Steese Highway, downstream to the northwest; from either, access is usually by air taxi or boat. The Charley River can be floated June through August, mostly Class II with some Class III and IV at high water, and the Yukon May through September. Camping is allowed on any publicly owned land within the preserve.
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