Nabesna River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Nabesna River |
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 Location of the mouth of the Nabesna River in Alaska
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| Native name | Naambia Niign |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Valdez–Cordova, Southeast Fairbanks |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Nabesna Glacier Wrangell Mountains, Alaska Range, Valdez–Cordova Census Area, Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve 3,061 ft (933 m) 62°10′10″N 142°51′00″W / 62.16944°N 142.85000°W |
| River mouth | Tanana River 41 miles (66 km) southeast of Tok, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge 1,690 ft (520 m) 63°02′57″N 141°51′57″W / 63.04917°N 141.86583°W |
| Length | 73 mi (117 km) |
The Nabesna River is a cool river in Alaska, a state in the United States. Its name, Naambia Niign, comes from the Upper Tanana language. The river is about 73 miles (117 km) long.
It starts high up at the Nabesna Glacier in the Alaska Range mountains. From there, it flows north through Wrangell–St. Elias National Park and Preserve. The Nabesna River then joins with the Chisana River near a place called Northway Junction. When these two rivers meet, they form the larger Tanana River.
Exploring the Nabesna River
The Nabesna River starts fast and wild in a deep valley. As it flows, the valley opens up into a wide, flat area. The river then slows down as it enters the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is a special place with marshes, hills, lakes, and forests. You can see spruce and birch trees growing there.
Boating Adventures
The Nabesna River is a great spot for boating. People often use rafts, hard-shelled kayaks, or decked canoes here. The river is rated as Class I (easy) to Class II (medium) on the International Scale of River Difficulty. This means it's generally safe for experienced boaters.
The top 40 miles (64 km) of the river have a strong current. After that, the water flows more slowly. It's important to know about some challenges. The water is very cold, moves quickly, and can be silty (full of mud). The river also has many braided channels, which means it splits into several smaller streams. On warm days, the river's water level can rise a lot between morning and afternoon. This happens because the glacier ice melts more quickly.
Fishing Fun
The Nabesna River is a popular place for fishing in Alaska. Many different types of fish live here. You might be able to catch some exciting species.
Fish you can find in the Nabesna River include:
- Rainbow Trout
- King Salmon
- Red Salmon
- Coho Salmon
