Coleen River

Coleen River in Detail.

The simplest way to get to the Coleen River is taking an air taxi some 250 miles out from Fairbanks. However is you're determined and on a budget, there's floating down the Yukon River from Circle, some 75-80 miles to Fort Yukon. Then traveling another approximately 150 river miles up Porcupine River, before reaching the mouth of the Coleen. However getting back, you better hope you packed enough fuel. Or call an air taxi from a sat phone to bring you some. If you're taking a boat you can only travel so far up the river before it's too shallow for a prop. Something to think about is fuel efficiency if you're considering taking a jet boat to go further. Make sure you can make it back.

Though in winter once the Yukon has frozen over you can get there by dogsled or snowmachine (snowmobile) as well.

heads at 684200N1432800W flows SSE to Porcupine River, 9 mi. E of Coleen Mtn., Brooks Range. 52 miles long.

The Coleen River begins in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, along the west slopes of Conglomerate Mountain, in the Davidson Mountains, on the western end of the Brooks Range.

It is a long boat ride down from Circle (see getting there section). But that doesn't stop a lot of hunters from making the journey packing lots of fuel. It has become a popular spot for moose and caribou hunting. The porcupine herd migrates often in dispersed groups along Coleen River.

It's name was first reported in 1895 by the USC&GS. It used to also be known as Tucker River.