Teklanika River facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Teklanika River |
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Teklanika River Valley in Denali National Park and Preserve
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 Location of the mouth of the Teklanika River in Alaska
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| Native name | Tach'edhaneek'a |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| District | Denali Borough, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Cantwell Glacier in Denali National Park Alaska Range, Denali Borough 4,370 ft (1,330 m) 63°27′18″N 149°28′59″W / 63.45500°N 149.48306°W |
| River mouth | Nenana River 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Nenana, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area 413 ft (126 m) 64°28′15″N 149°19′02″W / 64.47083°N 149.31722°W |
| Length | 90 mi (140 km) |
The Teklanika River is a river in Alaska, United States. Its name, Tach'edhaneek'a, comes from the Lower Tanana language. The river is about 91 miles (146 km) long. It flows into the Nenana River, which then joins the larger Tanana River. This system is part of the huge Yukon River area.
The Teklanika River starts at the Cantwell Glacier in the Alaska Range. It flows north through Denali National Park and Preserve. Many tourists visit this area. The park's main road crosses the river at milepost 31. There is also a campground near the river at milepost 29.
As the river flows, it changes its shape. It starts as a wide, braided river in the Alaska Range. Then it becomes fast and narrow when it goes through Primrose Ridge. It widens again in the Stampede Trail valley. After that, it narrows once more through Tekla Ridge. Finally, it winds through many bends and lakes in the southern Tanana River valley.
People have looked for valuable minerals like coal, gold, and platinum along the river's banks. This happened a lot in the early 1900s.
The name "Teklanika" means "water-amulet river" in the Lower Tanana language.
The Famous Bus and the River
The Teklanika River became well-known because of a book called Into the Wild. This book tells the story of an American adventurer named Christopher McCandless. He saw the Teklanika River as a big challenge to cross.
McCandless lived for a time in an old bus in the wilderness. This bus was taken to the remote trail in the 1960s. It was used as a place for a road crew to stay. For many years, people tried to reach this bus. However, crossing the river could be difficult and sometimes dangerous.
Because of safety worries, the bus was removed in June 2020. A Chinook helicopter from the US army lifted it out. This was done to prevent people from getting into trouble while trying to reach it.
On September 24, 2020, the Museum of The North at the University of Alaska in Fairbanks announced something exciting. They said that McCandless' 'Magic Bus 142' would become a permanent exhibit there. The museum plans to fix up the bus and create an outdoor display for visitors to see.
