Class II-III North Fork Fortymile River, AK

Fortymile National Wild and Scenic River - Main Stem (Confluence with Slate & Independence Creeks to Confluence with Main Stem & South Fork)

The upper North Fork is a narrow, entrenched river, with few gravel bars. The uplands are dominated by open, moist tundra areas with little terracing. This section is extremely remote. It is reachable by helicopter,or fixed-wing aircraft into a private airstrip on a ridge above Slate Creek and a 3 mile portage to floatable water. This section can also be reached during periods of high water by floating down Slate Creek from the Gold Run airstrip, 17 miles upstream. The river is swift, with numerous small rapids, and requires normal to high water for boating. The stream gradient is approximately 18 feet per mile. There are several habitable cabins in this stretch used for winter trapping purposes. (Bureau of Land Management) rivers.gov

Section Details

Trip Length 57.0 Miles
Fishing Yes
Camping Yes
Manager Bureau of Land Management, Fairbanks District Office
Wild & Scenic Yes
Partner Information https://www.blm.gov/visit/fortymile-river
https://www.rivers.gov/river/fortymile
Description American Whitewater