Tazlina River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tazlina River |
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 Location of the mouth of the Tazlina River in Alaska
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| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Census Area | Valdez–Cordova |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Tazlina Lake downstream of Tazlina Glacier, Chugach Mountains 1,800 ft (550 m) 62°00′38″N 146°14′11″W / 62.01056°N 146.23639°W |
| River mouth | Copper River 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Glenallen 1,089 ft (332 m) 62°02′19″N 145°23′14″W / 62.03861°N 145.38722°W |
| Length | 30 mi (48 km) |
The Tazlina River is a river in Alaska, USA. It is about 30 miles (48 km) long. This river flows into the Copper River. The Tazlina River starts from Tazlina Lake. It flows east and joins the Copper River near Glennallen.
River's Journey
The Tazlina River begins at Tazlina Lake. This lake is found near the Tazlina Glacier in the Chugach Mountains. The lake is north of Valdez.
From the lake, the river winds its way towards Glennallen. Along its path, smaller streams join it. Durham Creek and Nickel Creek flow into the river from the right side. Moose Creek joins the river from the left side.
The Glenn Highway runs mostly parallel to the river on its north side. Further downstream, the Tazlina River flows under the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. It also passes under the Richardson Highway. Finally, it empties into the Copper River.
Fishing in the Tazlina River
The Tazlina River is not usually good for sportfishing. This is because its water often carries a lot of silt. Silt is like fine mud, which makes the water cloudy. Tazlina Lake also has silty water.
However, some smaller streams that flow into the Tazlina River are clear. These streams and their lakes offer great fishing. You can reach them from the Glenn Highway. You can also get there by floatplane or boat.
The main types of game fish you can catch here are:
- King salmon
- Red salmon
- Dolly Varden
- Arctic grayling
Boating Adventures
If you enjoy whitewater boating and have good skills, you can float down the Tazlina River. One way to start is by taking a floatplane to Tazlina Lake. From there, you can begin your journey downstream.
Another option is to start on the Little Nelchina River. You can launch your boat where it meets the Glenn Highway. This route involves:
- About 4 miles (6.4 km) on the Little Nelchina River.
- Then, about 23 miles (37 km) on the Nelchina River.
- Finally, about 10 miles (16 km) of paddling across Tazlina Lake. This takes you from the mouth of the Nelchina to the start of the Tazlina River.
This longer boating trip includes some exciting rapids. These rapids are rated Class II (medium) to Class III (difficult) on the International Scale of River Difficulty.
Boaters should be aware of some challenges:
- There might be logjams in the river.
- The Little Nelchina River might not have enough water at times.
- Strong winds can make paddling difficult on Tazlina Lake.
- The Tazlina River has swift, cold, and silty water.
- There is a tough set of rapids called Oxbow Drop. This is just upstream from where you take your boat out near the Richardson Highway bridge.
