Beaver Creek

Beaver Creek WSR https://www.blm.gov/visit/beaver-creek Flowing through the heart of the White Mountains National Recreation Area, Beaver Creek passes through boreal forests, past jagged limestone cliffs with falcons circling high above, and across the Yukon Flats to the Yukon River. Beaver Creek is a class I (smooth water) river float with a few short sections of class II water. Numerous gravel bars along the way provide excellent places to camp, fish, and observe a variety of wildlife, such as moose, caribou, wolf, bears, eagles, falcons, and migratory waterfowl.

Beaver Creek is your pathway to adventure. Flowing through the heart of the White Mountains National Recreation Area, Beaver Creek passes through boreal forests, past jagged limestone cliffs with falcons circling high above, and across the Yukon Flats to the Yukon River. Beaver Creek is a class I (smooth water) river float with a few short sections of class II water. Numerous gravel bars along the way provide excellent places to camp, fish, and observe a variety of wildlife, such as moose, caribou, wolf, bears, eagles, falcons, and migratory waterfowl. The first 127 miles of Beaver Creek are designated a wild and scenic river. Most of this segment lies within the White Mountains National Recreation Area. Beaver Creek begins at the confluence of Bear and Champion creeks. The last 16 miles are in the Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge. After meandering slowly for another 154 miles through the “Flats,” Beaver Creek joins the Yukon River. From there, the take-out at the Dalton Highway bridge is 84 miles downriver. This road-to-road trip, from the put-in on Nome Creek Road to the take-out on the Dalton Highway, is more than 360 river miles. Bureau of Land Management Fairbanks District Office 222 University Avenue Fairbanks, Alaska 99709-3816 Local: 907-474-2200 Toll Free: 1-800-437-7021 www.blm.gov/alaska Gravel bars make great campsites. Photo by Daniel Krza. National Landscape Conservation System Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River is part of the BLM’s National Landscape Conservation System, which conserves, protects, and restores nationally significant landscapes and places that have outstanding cultural, ecological, and scientific values for the benefit of current and future generations. National Conservation Lands include 900 areas (27 million acres) of National Monuments, National Conservation Areas, Wilderness Areas and other federally designated special places. Beaver Creek rafters float along a jagged limestone ridge in the White Mountains. Visit us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BLMAlaska Photo by Daniel Krza. Follow us on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/BLMAlaska Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River BLM/AK/GI-00/026+8354+020 Rev 2018 Planning Your Trip Natural History Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River Beaver Creek flows through a remote area of Interior Alaska. Once you put in at Nome Creek, you will encounter no roads or services until you reach the Dalton Highway crossing over the Yukon River. There is no cell phone coverage in the area. The White Mountains are made up of massive white limestone formations up to several thousand feet thick. Wind, rain, and freezing temperatures have weathered away the surrounding soil to expose the jagged cliffs and peaks seen along Beaver Creek. These high ridges are home to Dall sheep and peregrine falcons. In contrast, the valley bottoms usually consist of permafrost (permanently frozen soil) about a foot beneath the surface. Growing on the permafrost are forests of short, stunted black spruce, deep sedge tussocks, and thick stands of willows. Moose, caribou, grizzly bears and black bears live throughout the area. Along the creeks, the gravel soils support tall white spruce trees and dense brush that line the banks. Eagles, peregrine falcons, and owls hunt the river corridor. Migratory waterfowl, such as mergansers, buffleheads, goldeneyes, and harlequins spend the summers along Beaver Creek. Known for its large dorsal fin, the arctic grayling is the predominant fish species in the White Mountains area. Other types of fish include northern pike, sheefish, burbot, and salmon. Beaver Creek winds through limestone peaks of the White Mountains. Cultural History Early Athabascan people used the White Mountains seasonally for hunting caribou and fishing. In the late 1890s, gold miners began mining the tributaries and headwaters of Beaver Creek and formed the Beaver Creek Mining District. Mining continued in this area until the 1990s. Miners and trappers built small cabins throughout the area to support their operations and many still exist along Beaver Creek. While most of these structures are in decay, please respect these sites and do not disturb them. Several private cabins and landing strips are located along Beaver Creek. Please do not disturb these sites or land aircraft at them, as they are not public lands. Map & Guide Be alert for bears among the willows and on the gravel bars. Cover photo: A kayaker enjoys an evening on Beaver Creek. Those continuing onto the Yukon River should be respectful of large areas of private lands owned by Alaska Native villages and regional corporations. Tribal members, landowners, and Alaska Native corporation shareholders are the only people eligible to enter these lands, including for hunting or fishing. It usually takes six days to reach Beaver Creek’s confluence with Victoria Creek at river mile 111. Many people end their float trips near here by arranging to be picked up by an air taxi service and flown back to Fairbanks. If you