Lower Chatanika River

Lower Chatanika SRA https://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/aspunits/northern/lrchatrivsra.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatanika_River The Lower Chatanika State Recreation Area encompasses approximately 400 acres at mile 10.5 of the Elliot Highway. Developed sites within the recreation area include Olnes Pond and Whitefish campgrounds. The Lower Chatanika recreation area provides access to the Chatanika River and an abundance of recreational opportunities including: Camping, Fishing, Picnicking, Hiking, Berry Picking, Boating/Floating, ATV/Snowmachining, Ice Fishing, Dog Sledding, Night Sky Viewing, and Cross Country skiing to name a few.

Welcome to Area History For More Information The name Chatanika is derived from the Lower Tanana Athabascan name Dradlaya Nik’a, meaning “whitefish river.” Native placenames record the geographic significance of this landscape to the Tanana Athabascans. In 1907, the Tanana Valley Railroad began operating a route from Fairbanks to Chatanika. The town site of Olnes, just southeast of the park, served as a railroad depot and had a general store, hotel, post office, and 300 residents at its peak. Named after Nels Olnes, a Norwegian prospector, the town of Olnes served as a transportation hub for mining areas near Livengood and Tolovana. The town bustled for over a decade, but once the easy gold had been taken, mining communities dwindled. When the railroad finally shut down the Chatanika route in 1930, Olnes quickly became a ghost town. All of its buildings have since been scrapped, dismantled, or burned, the last falling in the early 1990s. www.alaskastateparks.org Alaska State Parks Northern Area Office 3700 Airport Way Fairbanks, AK 99709 (907) 451-2695 Like “Alaska State Parks” on Facebook Alaska State Trails Program www.alaskastatetrails.org Lower Chatanika River Welcome Set between the winding banks of the Chatanika River, Lower Chatanika River State Recreation Area (SRA) gives riders a chance to travel a network of trails that explore the State Recreation Area forest and riverside. With a mostly flat profile, ATV Trail Map Chatanika River SRA’s trails are a great place for and only the occasional steep grade, Lower beginners to get riding. Olnes, photo 1930-1932. Photo courtesy of University of Alaska Fairbanks UAF-2003-63-47 Background photo: Olnes Pond A Division of the Department of Natural Resources Winter camping in Denali State Park Alaska State Parks Photo courtesy of Jason Nielsen Highlights Camping Whitefish Campground has eight campsites adjacent to the Chatanika River. If you’d like to camp near Olnes Pond, there are 12 sites around its edge. Olnes Pond Campground In the heart of the park, Olnes Pond and its waterside campsites are a great place to cool your heels and cook your dinner after a day of riding, fishing, or fishing and riding. Pipeline Right-of-Way Access Fishing the Chatanika Campsites are equipped with fire rings, picnic tables, and nearby water and toilets. These campgrounds have no RV size limit. Quiet hours are from 11 p.m.-6 a.m., so no midnight rides. Blueberries can be found in late summer for a quick snack. Olnes Pond Campground Whitefish Campground, in the northern part of the park, can be accessed from the Elliott Highway and offers camping and a boat launch onto the Chatanika River. Camping at Olnes Pond This area is a local hot-spot for lake and river fishing. The Chatanika River has Arctic grayling, Arctic lamprey, burbot, chum salmon, humpback whitefish, king salmon, least cisco, longnose sucker, northern pike, sheefish, and slimy sculpins. Olnes Pond has burbot, Arctic grayling, lake chub, longnose sucker, rainbow trout, and whitefish. A boat launch onto the Chatanika River is available at Whitefish Campground. Fans of fishing the oldway take note: Chatanika River has limited openings for spearfishing in fall. Check www.adfg.alaska.gov for regulations and information about local fisheries, before you head out. Do not ride your ATV in the river. Sediment stirred up by tires is bad for fry, which means less fish for your cooler. The Alyeska Pipeline gate and road, south of the park, accesses the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Right-of-Way. Security measures for the areas adjacent the pipeline require you to have a Right-of-way Use Guidelines, or RUG, issued within the past year to access this area. Contact Alyeska Pipeline Security for more information or to apply for a RUG. Fairbanks • (907) 450-5707 Anchorage • (907) 787-8971 / (907) 787-8244 Valdez • (907) 834-6480 ATV Trailrider Pro-Tips 1. •Always wear a he lm or Snell Certified- et -DOT and other protective gear. 2. •Avoid riding on public roads. 3. Don’t ride unde r the influence of alcohol or drugs. 4. •Never carry a passe single-rider vehicle nger on a . 5. •Ride an ATV t hat’s your size and age right for . 6. Children under 14 must be supervised while ri ding ATVs. 7. •Proper instruct ion a are important. AT nd practice Vs can be hazardous to ope rate. It’s the Law Children riding ATVs on state park lands must be at least 14 years old, unless they are supervised by an adult. Whitefish Campground Background photo: Lower Chatanika River Whitefish spawn in autumn and are most active at night, so pack your headlamp or lantern along with your spear and permit. Background photo: Looking down the Alyeska Pipeline. 11AAC 20.951: the use of off-road vehicles is allowed in Lower Chatanika SRA on designated trails and in areas posted as open to off-road vehicles. Access A Web of Trails Olnes Pond Legend Existing Trails Steep Grade Lower Chatanika River SRA is a great place for ATVs, bik

For More Information: Visit us online at Alaska is big, wild, and scenic, www.alaskastateparks.org with a state park system to match. Encompassing Area Offices over 3.3 million acres of rugged, unspoiled terrain, the Alaska State Park System provides endless recreational opportunities year-round, and is a priceless resource for residents and visitors alike. Chugach State Park Potter Section House 18620 Seward Hwy. Anchorage, AK 99516 (907) 345-5014 Northern 3700 Airport Way Fairbanks, AK 99709 (907) 451-2695 Kenai/PWS P.O. Box 1247 Soldotna, AK 99669 (907) 262-5581 Southeast 400 Willoughby Ave. P.O. Box 111070 Juneau, AK 99811 (907) 465-2481 Kodiak District 1400 Abercrombie Dr. Kodiak, AK 99615 (907) 486-6339 Wood-Tikchik State Park P.O. Box 1822 Dillingham, AK 99576 (907) 842-2641 Mat-Su/Copper Basin 7278 E. Bogard Road Wasilla, AK 99654 (907) 745-3975 DNR Public Information Centers Anchorage: (907) 269-8400 Fairbanks: (907) 451-2705 Welcome to Alaska State Parks Recreation From high alpine tundra to temperate rainforests, the state’s diverse landscapes are reflected in the parks, historic sites, recreation areas, trails, preserves, and special management areas that comprise the Alaska State Park System—a collection of 123 units Wood-Tikchik State Park Photo courtesy of Bill Berkhahn ranging in size from the half-acre Potter Section House State Historic Site to the 1.6-million-acre Wood-Tikchik State Park. Morgan’s Landing State Recreation Area Denali State Park Photo courtesy of Erik Schlimmer Recreational opportunities are equally varied: hike through fields of lupine; pick blueberries under the midnight sun; snowmachine in Denali country; observe a pod of orcas from your sea kayak; or fish the world-famous Kenai River. Alaska State Park units are an essential component of the Alaskan lifestyle, with locals participating in wilderness recreation at a rate twice that of the national average. Alaskans make up over two-thirds of the 5.4 million annual visitors to our parks. Outdoors is “where it’s at” in the last frontier, and with a square mile of land for every resident, we have plenty of room for you to find your Alaska! The Division of Parks and Outdoor Recreation provides outdoor recreation opportunities and conserves and interprets natural, cultural, and historic resources for the use, enjoyment, and welfare of the people. Harding Lake State Recreation Area Photo courtesy of Nicole Phillips 3rd Edition—2016 Rock ptarmigan, Chugach State Park Photo courtesy of Leanne Quirk Background, Hatcher Pass Management Area Photo courtesy of Matthew Johnson Chena River State Recreation Area Shrimping in Prince William Sound Eagle River Nature Center, Chugach State Park Photo courtesy of Ricketts Rafting Photo courtesy of Mary Wasche Photo courtesy of Jim Wood A Division of the Department of Natural Resources Camping History & Culture Historic preservation is embedded in the Alaska State Parks’ mission statement. Our uniquely Alaskan State Historical Parks (SHP) and State Historic Sites (SHS) represent several eras of Alaska’s history and are as diverse as the places in which they reside: tour a hard-rock gold mining camp at Independence Mine SHP in Palmer; explore a WW II Army artillery base at Fort Abercrombie SHP in Kodiak; or view Tlingit and Haida designs on the totem poles and the clan house at Totem Bight SHP in Ketchikan. Pitch a tent in the backcountry or slide your RV into a drive-in slip. With over 2,500 campsites and limitless backcountry settings, there is no shortage of camping options in Alaska State Parks. Explore the map inside for a list of developed campgrounds. Birch Lake State Recreation Site Big Delta State Historical Park Eklutna Lakeside Trail, Chugach State Park Public-Use Cabins Rupe Andrews Cabin, Alaska State Parks offers Shelter Island State Marine Park more than 60 public-use cabins for rent year-round. These coveted cabins are booked months in advance, so make your reservation today! For more information visit http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/cabins/index.htm. Kachemak Bay State Park Photo courtesy of Andre Kaeppele Wickersham State Historic Site Johnson Lake State Recreation Area Wood-Tikchik State Park Petroglyph Beach State Historic Site Photo courtesy of Kyle Joly Photo courtesy of Wayde Carroll Willow Creek State Recreation Area Photo courtesy of Donna Quante Chena River State Recreation Area Fort Abercrombie State Historical Park Photo courtesy of Kyle Joly Photo courtesy of Wanda Scholze Independence Mine State Historical Park Photo courtesy of Dan Kehlenbach Crow Pass Trail, Chugach State Park Photo courtesy of Justin Wholey Trails Totem Bight State Historical Park Photo courtesy of Mary Kowalczyk Background photo courtesy of Donna Olson Fort Rousseau State Historical Park Photo courtesy of Nicole Acevedo Independence Mine State Historical Park Photo courtesy of Wayne Biessel Alaska State Parks boasts an unrivaled multiuse