|
mile 39/km 62.7-Upper Chatanika River State Site. 25 camp sites in timbered area, 4 picnic sites, water and toilets. Fishing for grayling. There is a road to a gravel bar which
is the access point for Chatanika River canoe trail, it terminates at mile 11 on the Elliott Highway. There are many
canoe trail access points along the Steese Highway. A good trip is from mile 66 (uppermost access point) to mile 39-see mile 66 for description.
mile 43/km 69.2-Hiking Trail to Nome Creek, 15 miles.
mile 44/km 70.8-End of Pavement.
mile 47/km 75.6-Camp Creek Road. Access point
for Chatanika River canoe trail to the north, 1/4 mile.
mile 51/km 82-Grouse Creek, short trail leads from highway.
mile 57.5/km 92.5-U.S. Creek
Picnic Ground. Tables, firepits, no toilets. Giant pipe running through picnic ground was once part of an 83-mile-long system of pipes and ditches which transported over 3 million gallons of water per hour to
gold mining dredges near Fox at mile 11 on the Steese Highway.
mile 58/km 93.3-Upper Nome Creek Road. 4-wheel drive vehicles only.
mile 59/km 94.9- Cripple Creek. Public use cabin is available only during fall, winter, spring, on a reservation basis. Contact BLM in Fairbanks for reservations.
mile 60/km 96.5-Cripple Creek
Campground. 21 large camp sites with picnic tables and firepits, walk-in tent camping area, firewood, nature trail. Cripple Creek bridge and access point for Chatanika River canoe trail.
mile 66/km 106.2-Miracle Mile Roadhouse. Farthest upstream access
point to Chatanika River canoe trail. The Chatanika is rated as a class 2, medium difficulty, stream. There are no major obstacles, but canoeists should watch for low overhanging trees (called sweepers), log jams, and fast white water. The Steese Highway parallels this stream for 28 miles and there are many access points from the highway. One possible trip is from this point (mile 66) to mile 39 at the Chatanika River Campground.
A longer trip is possible by continuing downstream to mile 11 on the Elliott Highway, or perhaps onto Minto Flats, to the Tolovana River, and then upstream 10 mile to the village of Minto.
The BLM brochure, "Alaska Canoe Trails," gives more details.
mile 69/km 111 Faith Creek Bridge, private RV
Park, gold panning.
mile 81/km 130.4 Highway Maintenance Camp.
mile 85.6/km 137.8 Hiking Trail. Access point to Pinnell Mountain
National Recreation Trail. This trail is 24 miles long and traverses ridge-tops above 3,500 ft. Although quite steep and rugged in many places, the trail is well marked. Trailheads are at mile 85.6 and mile 107.3 on the Steese Highway.
mile 86/km 138.4 Twelve Mile Summit. 2,982 ft. Located 12 miles from
a group of mining claims on Birch Creek. From late July to mid-September, large herds of migrating caribou cross the highway between here and Eagle Summit at mile 108.
mile 101/km 162.5 Eagle Creek Roadhouse.
mile 101.5/km 163.3 Ptarmigan Creek Bridge.
mile 107.3/km 172.7 Hiking Trail. Access point to Pinnell Mountain National Recreation Trail. See information at mile 85.6 for a description of the trail.
mile 108/km 173.8 Eagle Summit. 3,624 ft.
Highest of three summits on highway. Around June 21, weather permitting, 24 hrs. of sunlight fall on this peak. Wild flowers grow in profusion here. This area was prospected for gold 2 years before the 1898
discovery of gold in the Dawson City region.
mile 114/km 183.5 Side roads rough, leads to mining areas, and should be attempted only if you have 4-wheel drive.
mile 116/km 186.7 Mammoth Creek Bridge. Fossil remains of many species of pre-glacial Alaskan mammals have been excavated here.
mile 119/km 191.5 Bedrock Creek
Campground. 5 camp sites, firewood, untreated water from creek.
mile 127/km 204.4 Central. This small community has post office, BLM fire station, meals, lodgings,
groceries, gas, campground.
mile 128/km 206 Junction. Circle Springs and Arctic Circle Hot Springs Resort (8 miles), Circle City is (34 miles). Ketchum Creek Campground is at
mile 6 on the road to Circle Springs.
mile 147/km 236.6 Birch Creek Bridge. Take out point for Birch Creek canoe trail.
mile 162/km 260.7 Circle. Post
office, store, cafe, gasoline. Circle Public Campground is maintained by residents of Circle. Access to Yukon River.
Back to Top of Page
|
