Information About

Yukon River

Quick Facts

Open in The Map

Location

62 ° 35' 55" N,
164 ° 48' 0" W

Region

Wade Hampton (CA)

Nearest City

Nunam Iqua

Tributary to

Kwikluak Pass

Length

1500 mi (2414.02 km)

Wildlife

Chum Salmon, Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Pink Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, Arctic lamprey, Bering Cisco, Sheefish

Tributaries

Ickes Slough, Main Channel, Alakanuk Pass, Andreafsky River, Anuzukanuk Pass, Anvik River, Atchuelinguk River, Atutsak River, Azacharum Slough, Bessy Slough, Big Bend Slough, Big Salt River, Bonasila River, Bonasila Slough, Bootlegger Slough, Chandalar River, Circle Slough, Dall River, Deadmans Slough, Driftwood Slough, Fortymile River, Hadweenzic River, Hardluck Slough, Holtilyet Slough, Honeymoon Slough, Jimmy Slough, Kala Slough, Khotol River, Koyukuk River, Ladue River, Lamont Slough, Little Dall River, Louden Slough, Mason Slough, Melozitna River, Ninemile River, Nowitna River, Nulato River, Nuntragut Slough, Patsy Slough, Patsys Slough, Pilot Mountain Slough, Porcupine River, Ray River, Red Wing Slough, Rodo River, Soonkakat River, Summer Slough, Tanana River, Thirtytwo Kazyga Slough, Tozitna River, Tunuigak Slough, Twelvemile Slough, Twin Slough, Utakaht Slough, Walker Slough, Yankee Slough, Yokontoh Slough, Yuki River, Back Yukon Slough, Bering Slough, Clayhill Slough, Corbusier Slough, Crazy Slough, Fish Slough, Hodzana Slough, Jackson Slough, Jim Karse Slough, Joe Guay Slough, Kings Slough, Lower Birch Creek Slough, Mail Slough, Marten Slough, Pike Slough, Tozitna Slough, Whiskey Jack Slough, Bear Creek, Bear Creek, Bear Creek, Bear Creek, Bear Creek, Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek, Beaver Creek, Big Creek, Garnet Creek, Grant Creek, Illinois Creek, Moose Creek, Quartz Creek, Rogers Creek,

Yukon River in Detail.

About

One of the longest streams in North America, about 1,500 mi. long, and the principle river in Alaska; heads in Atlin Lake, British Columbia, then flows generally northwest through the Yukon Territory into Alaska, where it turns to the southwest and then to the north before entering the Bering Sea at Norton Sound. Incomplete record - should be at least 99 maps, LATLONGs truncated in PHASE I by GIPSY - 9512.

History

An Indian name first obtained by Hudson's Bay Company traders, led by Robert Campbell who explored the upper river in 1843 and established Fort Yukon in 1847. The Russians explored the lower river in the 1830's and 1840's establishing the post at Nulato in 1841. During the Klondike Gold Rush (1897-98), the stream was a major route to the gold fields. The Eskimo, who occupied the lower Yukon including its delta descriptively called it "Kuikpak" meaning "big river." The Indian name "Yukon" probably means the same thing. Lieutenant H. T. Allen recorded in 1885 another Indian name, "Nigato" ("Niga" is said to mean "river"), and Constatin Grewingk recorded the names "Juna" and "Jukchana." All of these names were variously spelled. The present form of the name was adopted by Canada and United States in the 1890's.