Nizina River, Brook in Copper River area, United States.

The Nizina River begins at Nizina Glacier in the Wrangell Mountains and runs about 70 km to the Chitina River, 19 km southwest of McCarthy. For its first 32 km it crosses a gravel flood plain 0.8–3.2 km wide beneath 1,800–2,400 m peaks, splitting into shifting channels. Its last 3–5 km pass through a box canyon of solid rock.

Gold discoveries around 1902 in the Nizina drainage transformed the area into a mining hub, drawing prospectors to the region. This period shaped development and settlement patterns in the surrounding country for decades.

The name was recorded in 1922 by F. H. Moffit of the United States Geological Survey. Dan, Chititu and Young creeks, entering from the east and south, form the Nizina placer district, where gold was found in 1902; their basins cover 42, 27 and 104 square miles.

Begin your visit from McCarthy, where you can arrange bush plane flights to reach the glacier area or plan a hiking approach through the valley. Visiting requires careful preparation as the area is remote and self-reliant travel is essential.

The Nizina's gravel flood plain, up to 2 miles wide in its upper course, is crossed by shifting channels that multiply as water rises. Below Young Creek the river cuts a deep trench through gravel and shale, and its last 2–3 miles run between solid rock walls in a box canyon.