LOCATION
Eastern interior Alaska, about 150 miles east of Fairbanks.

ADDRESS
Headquarters
201 First Avenue
Fairbanks, AK 99701
www.nps.gov/yuch/index.htm
Email: YUCH_Eagle_Office@nps.gov

Field Office
P.O. Box 167
Eagle, AK 99738

TELEPHONE
Headquarters: (907) 457-5752
Eagle Office: (907) 547-2247

TRANSPORTATION
Scheduled air taxis serve Eagle and Circle, located upriver and downriver of the preserve, respectively. Eagle is at the end of the Taylor Highway; Circle is on the Steese Highway. The preserve is generally reached by either river or air travel along the Yukon, or by flying into upper Charley River.

ACCESS
Primarily a wilderness, Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve has no road access. The 161-mile Taylor Highway begins at Tetlin Junction on the Alaska Highway and ends at Eagle, 12 miles from the preserve. It is usually open from mid-April to mid-October and is suitable for cars. The Steese Highway is open year-round. It begins in Fairbanks and ends 162 miles away in Circle, 14 miles from the preserve. In good weather it takes about five hours to drive either of these gravel roads. Check locally before driving. The towns of Eagle and Circle are both located on the Yukon River. The Yukon River is also accessible from Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada, approximately 100 river miles from Eagle. The Yukon River flows through the Preserve and is the best way to visit the area. The river is suitable for rafts, canoes, and motorboats. The lower portions of major sidestreams are accessible to motorized canoes and small boats.

Helicopters afford the opportunity to visit areas not accessible by airplanes. All helicopter use requires a permit from the superintendent. A number of companies are authorized to provide visitor services such as air taxi, helicopter, boat tours and river running.

MAPS
The 1:250,000 series U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps for Eagle, Charley River, Circle, and Big Delta cover the preserve. The two sheets for Eagle and Charley River cover 95% of it. They cost $4 each and are available, folded, from the Alaska Natural History Association, c/o NPS, P.O. Box 167, Eagle, AK 99738. Add $1 per order for postage.

VISITOR CENTERS
The visitor center at the Eagle Field Office offers exhibits depicting the area, history, and ecology of Yukon-Charley Rivers. Visitors can hear historic accounts of the area on an interactive CD-ROM program at the center.

TOWNS NEARBY
The towns of Eagle and Circle are both located on the Yukon River. The Yukon River is also accessible from Dawson City, Yukon Territory, Canada, approximately 100 river miles from Eagle.

Camping

There is no commercial lodging in the preserve. Commercial facilities exist in Eagle, Circle, and Circle Hot Springs.

There are currently four public use cabins located within the preserve. The cabins are along the Yukon River corridor; located at Kandik River mouth, Nation Bluff, Glenn Creek, and historic Slaven's Roadhouse at the mouth of Coal Creek. These cabins are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

There are several cabins located along the route that are private. These cabins are not open for public lodging. It is the responsibility of the visitor to obtain necessary information and avoid private property.

Backcountry camping is permitted on any federally owned land within the preserve. Breezes that reduce insect levels blow on sand bars. Please practice low impact camping techniques and leave camping sites free of refuse. Pack everything out and leave NO garbage. A few primitive cabins are also open to public use along the Yukon. The land on either side of the Yukon River between Calico Bluff, near Eagle, and just below the mouth of the Tatonduk River is native owned. Hungwitchin Native Corporation asks that visitors refrain from camping along this 16-mile section of their lands.

Campgrounds and waysides operated by the Bureau of Land Management are located along the Taylor and Steese Highways. Both Eagle and Circle have small campgrounds located in or near each community.

Books and Maps

Browse through the Adventurous Traveler Bookstore's database to find an extensive collection of books and maps on Alaska.

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RELATED GORP LINKS
GORP Parks and Preserves
Alaska Resources
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