Middle Fork Koyukuk River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Middle Fork Koyukuk River |
|
|---|---|
 Location of the mouth of the Middle Fork Koyukuk River in Alaska
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Yukon–Koyukuk |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Confluence of Bettles and Dietrich rivers near Wiseman, Brooks Range 1,419 ft (433 m) 67°38′26″N 149°44′29″W / 67.64056°N 149.74139°W |
| River mouth | Koyukuk River 724 ft (221 m) 67°02′30″N 151°04′00″W / 67.04167°N 151.06667°W |
| Length | 62 mi (100 km) |
The Middle Fork Koyukuk River is a 62-mile (100 km) long river in Alaska, United States. It is a branch of the larger Koyukuk River. This river starts where two smaller rivers, the Bettles and Dietrich rivers, meet. This meeting point is near a place called Wiseman, in the Brooks Range mountains.
From its start near Sukakpak Mountain, the river generally flows south or southwest. A big road called the Dalton Highway and a large oil pipeline, the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, run next to the river. They follow the river from its source to an area south of Coldfoot. Further downstream, the river turns west before joining the North Fork Koyukuk River. When these two rivers meet, they form the main part of the Koyukuk River.
Boating on the River
The Middle Fork Koyukuk River is great for boating. You can use many different types of boats along its entire length. The river is rated as Class I (easy) on the International Scale of River Difficulty. This means it has calm water and is suitable for beginners.
When boating, it's important to be aware of the wildlife. Both black bears and grizzly bears live in this area.
Getting to the River
It's quite easy to get to the Middle Fork Koyukuk River. You can reach it from different spots along the Dalton Highway. Small planes can land at Dietrich, which is near the start of the river. There are also regular flights to Wiseman and Coldfoot. Further down the main Koyukuk River, you can find scheduled flights to Bettles and Allakaket.
