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Eagle, Alaska
Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve is located on the US-Canadian border and comprises 2.5 million acres of Alaskan wilderness. The preserve includes nearly 160 miles of the 1,800-mile Yukon River and the entire Charley River basin (1.1 million acres).
Numerous rustic cabins and historic sites are reminders of the importance of the Yukon River during the 1898 gold rush. Peregrine falcons nest in the high bluffs overlooking the river, while the rolling hills that make up the preserve are home to an abundant array of wildlife. The Charley, a 100-mile long wild river, is considered by many to be the most spectacular river in Alaska.
Recreation in the preserve is limited primarily by difficulty of access. There are no roads into the preserve and most trails are used only in the winter. In general access is via plane or boat. People wishing to get a Yukon River experience may take the Yukon Queen, which plies the waters upriver from the preserve between Dawson and Eagle.
The Visitor Center at the Eagle, AK Field Office offers exhibits depicting the area, history, and ecology of Yukon-Charley Rivers. Scheduled nature hikes, talks, and campfire programs are posted at the Visitor Center and at the nearby BLM campground. There are currently seven public use cabins located within the preserve. The cabins are along the Yukon River and its tributaries; located at Nation Bluff, Glenn Creek, Washington Creek, Kandik River mouth, and three cabins in the Coal Creek area. These cabins are available on a first come, first served basis. Rafting, kayaking and canoeing are popular on the Yukon River. Power boats are also permitted; however, personal watercraft such as jet skis are not. Many people start in Eagle and end in Circle, either arranging to be picked up, or to be flown back to Eagle. Longer trips, from Dawson or Whitehorse to the lower Yukon or Bering Sea, are also popular ways of traveling the Yukon through the preserve. Rafting or kayaking the Charley River is also an excellent way to visit Yukon-Charley Rivers. The entire 1.1 million acre watershed of the Charley River is protected inside preserve boundaries and the river itself is a National Wild River.
Within the preserve's 2.5 million acres, we have the highest nesting density of peregrine falcons in North America. A number of wolf packs roam freely throughout the forty mile region. Grizzly and black bears as well as moose and caribou move about freely. Many birds spend their summers in the area before flying south to winter in South America.
Operating Hours & Seasons
The Preserve is open year round. The National Park Field Office in Eagle is open 7 days a week, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., from mid-May to mid-September. From mid-September to mid-May the Eagle field office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Fairbanks office is open all year, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Getting There
Plane
Scheduled air taxis from Fairbanks serve Eagle and Circle, located up river and down river of the preserve, respectively.
Car
Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve is primarily a wilderness. There is no road access. Two highways serve towns near the Preserve boundaries. The 161-mile Taylor Highway begins at Tetlin Junction on the Alaska Highway and ends at Eagle, 12 miles from the preserve. It is usually open from mid-April to mid-October and is suitable for cars. The Steese Highway is open year round. It begins in Fairbanks and travels 162 miles to Circle, 14 miles from the preserve. In good weather it takes about five hours to drive either of these gravel roads. Check locally about road conditions before setting out.
Contact TourAlaska.com for information on a custom built excursion to Yukon - Charley Rivers National Preserve.
Return to Alaska National Parks Index
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