Salmon River

Human settlement at the mouth of the Salmon River has been traced back over 10,000 years. While only three archeological sites have been documented to date, all three are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The river corridor holds tremendous potential for archeological and pal...Show More

Human settlement at the mouth of the Salmon River has been traced back over 10,000 years. While only three archeological sites have been documented to date, all three are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The river corridor holds tremendous potential for archeological and paleontological resources based on other limestone cave formations found in the area and Onion Portage, which is a national historic landmark about 30 miles upstream from the mouth of the Salmon River.

The Salmon River provides superlative opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation. Visitors are almost guaranteed solitude and a pristine soundscape free from the impacts of human activity. Visitors will have an especially challenging experience in the wilderness. Many boaters with pack...Show More

The Salmon River provides superlative opportunities for primitive and unconfined recreation. Visitors are almost guaranteed solitude and a pristine soundscape free from the impacts of human activity. Visitors will have an especially challenging experience in the wilderness. Many boaters with packrafts will usually have to hike in from outside the watershed to begin this Class I float trip. An adventure on the river requires advanced skills in self-reliance, backpacking, provisioning, and orienteering.

There are healthy populations of sportfish, such as chum salmon, Arctic char, and grayling. The water is crystal clear with deep green pools and many unnamed tributaries; exposed cliffs and bedrock add to the visual diversity.

Photographers and naturalists will enjoy a continuous range of scenery, from alpine tundra to low wetlands with a variety of wildlife. Wildlife viewing can be exceptional, with species such as caribou, moose, brown and black bear, and wolves present. Eagles and peregrine falcons nest in large trees and cliffs. The visiting season is a short three months, and in August the tundra and forest vegetation is spectacular with colors of red and gold.

The Salmon River is a quintessential example of the intact ecosystem processes of the northwestern Arctic and is inhabited by a representative suite of species. The river was designated as wild and scenic, in part, because of its use by the Western Arctic Caribou Herd during its spring and fall m...Show More

The Salmon River is a quintessential example of the intact ecosystem processes of the northwestern Arctic and is inhabited by a representative suite of species. The river was designated as wild and scenic, in part, because of its use by the Western Arctic Caribou Herd during its spring and fall migration, moose in winter, and waterfowl during nesting. The river drainage supports unaltered habitat for predators, raptors, and fish, and unaltered predator-prey dynamics.