Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska.
In 1980, more than 2 million acres of river valley, wetlands, forest and tundra became the Nowitna Refuge. Winding across the refuge, the Nowitna River forms a broad floodplain that comes alive each spring with the arrival of thousands of migratory songbirds and waterfowl. The river passes through a scenic 15 mile canyon with peaks up to 2,100 feet.
The grassy margins of ponds and lakes, and many miles of rivers and streams, are important breeding habitat for waterfowl, including ducks, geese, swans and cranes. King and chum salmon, northern pike, and one of only three resident sheefish populations in Alaska can be found in the Wild and Scenic Nowitna River. Arctic grayling are in most clear water streams on the refuge. Forested lowlands give rise to mature white spruce habitat that provides valuable cover and den sites for marten, furbearers that are important to the trapping economy for local residents. Moose, wolves, lynx, wolverine, black and grizzly bear range throughout the refuge.
The Nowitna Refuge lies in the vast roadless region of northern and western Alaska. Commuter aircraft provide regularly scheduled air transportation from Fairbanks and Anchorage to Galena, where the Refuge headquarters is located. The two villages nearest the Refuge, Ruby and Tanana, have less frequent air service, but there are local guides available. Visitors may charter small aircraft for transport to the Refuge from Galena or McGrath. Most visitors travel to the Nowitna Refuge by boat, coming 240 miles down the Yukon River from the Dalton Highway Bridge or 280 miles down the Tanana River from Nenana. Local residents travel extensively on the Yukon River by boat in summer and snow machine in the winter. Whatever your reason for visiting Nowitna, be sure to come well equipped with headnets and bug dope during summer months (May through September), when mosquitos and other biting insects are by far the most numerous of the Refuge's abundant wildlife! Also be prepared for travel in a remote area, and bring first aid supplies, well-tested equipment and extra gear for weather changes and emergencies.