Delta National Wild and Scenic River 146°15'W 146°W 145°45'W 145°30'W 540,000 550,000 560,000 570,000 The Delta Wild and Scenic River Watershed originates south of the

Highway and includes all of the Upper O

b and Lower Tangle Lakes, the Tangle e r River, and the Delta River. The Delta C r e River drains north through the Alaska e M k L o Range, eventually joining the Tanana it r tle n G R i River and emptying into the . k o n e l i re d C g N uby l R e s The watershed includes 150,000 acres C " MP 235 R y t u r a b y 0 of land, 160 miles of streams and 21 C e C r r k e 3 ee r

C ' k e r e lakes, providing excellent habitat for over e 7 k e k 3 N

100 species of migrating birds and ° " 3

waterfowl as well as arctic grayling, 0 6 3 whitefish, lake trout, burbot, and longnose ' suckers. Much of the watershed is 7 3 surrounded by arctic tundra with grasses ° 3 and sedges making it a popular place for 6 berry picking and for migrating caribou. Bear Creek Recreationists who visit during August and September can expect to encounter subsistence users and sport hunters.

The southern stretches of the Delta Wild k and Scenic River Corridor are located e Be e e e within the Tangle Lakes Archaeological a r C r k r C

District and contain hundreds of s i

v archaeological sites listed on the National r

a Register of Historic Places. Use of the J area for hunting, mining, and subsisting are evidenced for the last 10,000 years.

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Delta River: Season and Climate G M U 2 0 D The Delta River running season generally begins in early to mid-June, depending on ice breakup and G M U 2 0 A precipitation. Average annual Riley precipitation, measured at Paxson, is 11 Creek inches of rain and 120 inches of snow. Glacier July is commonly the wettest month. During the summer, temperatures range McGinnis from 35°F to 70°F with occasional highs Peak in the 80s. By mid-September the shorter McGinnis daylight and colder temperatures bring Glacier O n e mi l e Cr e e k the river recreation season to an end.

Lower Tangle Lakes and a un ny s c k C r ee k Upper Delta River G Begin your 2-to-3 day trip at the Tangle Lakes Campground at mile 21, where you will find a boat launch C a m p and campsites. From Round Tangle Lake, Te r r y C follow the Tangle Lakes north. The first 9 re e k miles of the trip goes through three of the Tangle Lakes which are all connected by shallow channels of slow-moving water. During low water levels, lining canoes and F a l l s Cr e e k N rafts might be necessary for short ' 0

distances. Ice can remain on the lakes 3 until early to mid June. The Delta River ° 3 flows north from Lower Tangle Lake and 6 N ' C re e k continues through the Amphitheater 0 zy Q 3 MP 225 Su

Mountains and the foothills of the Alaska ° Range. It is 20 miles from this outlet to the 3 e k 6 e S uz y Q C r take-out point. The first 1.25 miles of river e r ow Mount are shallow and rocky Class II water. L Silvertip

Following this first section, there is a 0 0 0 0

0 ee k 0 portage around unnavigable waterfalls. , r C r , 0 ld e 0 4 ou 4

The river portage take-out is on the right 0 B 0 , , side of the river and marked with a sign. 7 7 The .5 mile maintained portage trail leads you across steep, rocky terrain. Below W h the falls, the river narrows to approximately i s tl e r 60 feet and the velocity increases Cr e ek significantly. Boaters must have whitewater experience to successfully float this 1-mile section of shallow, rocky, Class II-III rapids.The next 12 miles of river are slow, meandering Class I water. At the confluence of Eureka Creek, the river k changes to cold, silty glacial water. The last e Black r e 7 miles are often shallow and braided with C Cap d oo numerous channels and gravel bars; the Fl water is swift and generally Class II.

Nearly everyone who floats the Delta takes out just north of Phelan Creek at mile 212.5 k on the . The exact k e e C r e e l r e take-out location varies from year to year C a l h due to changes in the river channel. e i c ha M Parking is available adjacent to the river Mic and the take-out is marked with a large MP 220 yellow sign. The vehicle shuttle distance eek C r s from the Tangle Lakes launch point to the m ri take-out is 49 miles one way. T Devils Thumb White Pump Station 10 Princess

Castner Glacier

Broken Glacier Traingle Peak

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The Delta River Falls 2

re e k 2 N The falls of the Delta River must be by- lle r C ° " M i MT HAYES B-4 3 passed by way of a half-mile portage. 0 6 3 '

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Lower Delta River: Black Rapids If you are an experienced kayaker or whitewater rafter, you can float from Mile er 212.5 on the Richardson approximately Delta Riv 18 miles downstream past Black Rapids eout (MP 212) Glacier. The river becomes very swift with Tak glacial silt as you travel further downstream. The Black Rapids Canyon e k has large hydraulics and high standing re A n n C waves that are greatly affected by water flow from the surrounding glacier fed Canwell streams that drain into the Delta River. Glacier Use caution and scout the canyon if possible. It is not recommended for open canoes and is rated Class III-IV. There are no designated take-out points for this trip, Rainbow but the Richardson Highway parallels the Ridge Delta River in numerous locations. Rainbow Mountain MP 210 0 0 0 0 0 0 Upper Tangle Lakes , , 0 0

2 N 2

To explore the Upper Tangle Lakes, use 0 0 , W o , 7 e r 7 the boat launch at the Delta National Wild s t t h F Minya Cony and Scenic River Wayside at mile 21.5 of F o o r Peak Mountain the Denali Highway. The first two lakes, ning r k Institute iny Mi k R a Ra Creek R in Peak separated by a .5, relatively flat portage, a y i n C offer easily accessible day trips with y r C e r e opportunities for wildlife viewing, berry e k ek picking and short hikes on winding esker ridges. West Skull Gulkana Peak Glacier One more short portage takes you to an unnamed muddy, shallow lake. Three R ai n y C re ek k routes may be taken from there: e e Broxson C r Ogive k a n (1) continue across the lake which then e e l Gulch e P h Mountain C r drains into the Tangle River and loops n e m back to the first lake. i c Rainy (2) two more short portages and a 1-mile- e Ra p Mountain in long portage to the south will take you to S bow Ri Dickey Lake (which flows into the Middle dge Fork of the ). (3) travel/line up the Tangle River out of W ure k a C r e the muddy lake and paddle to the 1-mile E e e k e s g t portage above Dickey Lake. d i P R MP 205 h e N '

k e l

n a o i 5 NOTE: Portage trails are not marked or o l n

l 1 r h maintained in the Upper Tangle Lakes. e ig C ° v r H 3 O e

Float planes may land at Dickey Lake and 6 e

N a t k ' l the Tangle Lakes. e 5 D 1 ° 3 6 T op k k o e e e f the re r W m C C orl ll u e d c Ca e g M C o ll ek C r e in a b C 0 0

Delta River: Fishing 0 0 0 0 , ,

Tangle Lakes and the Delta River contain 0 0 1 1 0 0 arctic grayling, round whitefish, lake trout, , W i , 7 l d h o r se C 7 burbot and longnose suckers, with re ek arctic grayling fishing as the most popular choice. Good lake trout fishing is available in late winter and early spring. MP 200 Salmon are not found in the Delta River G a due to the 15-foot-high falls and the r r e t heavy silt load entering from Eureka C r e Creek. e k

Isabel Pass C l e a r w a t e r C r e e k C o n t r o l l e d U s e A r e a

G Sevenmile u n Lake n D C e r l e t e Tarn a k rtage Valley F Po a l l G s Area l ac i e n G u n C r r G e e a Glacier k p Gap

MP 195 Oxbow Lake Consult current fishing regulations Sugarloaf before setting out on any fishing G M U 1 3 B Mountain trip. Regulation booklets are available at all Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) offices and most license vendors. MT HAYES A-3 Landmark Amphitheater N Lake trout and arctic grayling are found Gap " in many lakes and streams along the Mountains 0 3 Denali Highway. For further information, ' Landmark 7 0 0 ° 0 0 0 0 consult the BLM brochure Alaska N 3 , Gap , " 0 MT HAYES A-4 0 6

Freshwater Fishing or contact the 0 0 0 Lake 0 0 , , 3 7 7 Alaska Department of Fish and Game. ' MT HAYES A-5 7 ° Glacier https://www.blm.gov/ak/st/en/info/ 3 6 Lake gen_pubs/brochures.html

Tangle Lakes Campground G Tangle Lakes are connected by the la ci Summit Tangle River and form the headwaters er L Lake Ta n g l e L a k e s a of the Delta River. A boat launch provides k access to the lakes and is also the e F A r c h a e o l o g i c a l D i s t r i c t is h designated put-in for the popular 30-mile Ta n g l e L a k e s MP 190 C r e Delta National Wild and Scenic River A r c h a e o l o g i c a l D i s t r i c t ek F ish Cr float trip. eek

k e e R r o c High C k C r re Valley a ek l e Glacier Lake C Viewp oint Whistle Ridge Trailh ead MP 30 Rock Creek MP 10 Ten MP 5 Mile Lake Tangle Lakes Tangle Landmark Gap Camp ground Lakes Octopus Trailh ead Lake Boat e g Launch d i Tangle Lakes Archaeological Distric R More than 500 archaeological sites le n g MP 15 Wrangell a S indicate that ancient peoples inhabited this ad T w o e area for at least 10,000 years. Because R d tain p e Moun this district has some of the densest um Pavement M uth D ou concentrations of archaeological resources So Boat Ends n iewp oint p ta V in the North American subarctic, it is listed a in 0 G Launch 0 0 rk 0 on the National Register of Historic Places. 0 0 , ma Paxson , 0 nd 0 To protect these prehistoric reminders of 9 a 9

9 L 9 , , the past for 6 Swede Lake 6 further study, Delta WSR off-road vehicle Trailh ead travel is limited to designated roads and Wayside trails from MP 16 to MP 38. MP 185

Collection of artifacts is illegal. de Little Little Swe Paxson O Swede n Mountain e Delta Wild and Scenic River Wayside Lake M This BLM wayside is for day-use only (no i 1 le s camping) and is equipped with a picnic s e Wait-A-Bit c area and toilets. The boat launch provides c A Lake access and parking for extended e k N

a ° wilderness canoe trips in the Upper Tangle L 3 e Lakes system to the south, where d 6 e numerous lakes of all sizes provide w S important wildlife habitat. N ° 3 6 Ta n g l e L a k e s Big A r c h a e o l o g i c a l D i s t r i c t Swede Lake

s 2 cces e A ak Alaska Range Viewpoint (east) L e Several peaks in view have elevations d we greater than 12,000 feet. This range S l e R i v g e extends in a great arc from Cook Inlet n r a through the Mount McKinley massif and T on to the Canada border, a distance of verloo Hungry Hollow O k - 650 miles. The Gulkana Glacier, seen from No rth this point, was formed from the buildup of snowfields high in the Alaska Range.

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y Lake Upper Dicke L e ake d llow er D e H Ho ow ic w u ngry L k S Paxson Lake Campground ey L GULKANA D-3 50 campsites are available on a first-come ak e basis. Paxson Hungry Lake Hollow GULKANA D-4 GULKANA D-5 r e iv a R M on i ak dd G le F o rk - N ort hea Boat st unch Paxson Lake CG Road The Denali Highway La The Denali Highway parallels the south side of the Alaska Range for its entire th N Nor "

p 0 135-mile length between Paxson and Keg Round To 3 Cantwell. Although it was once the ' 2

original travel route to Denali National 5

N Paxson Lake ° "

Park, today it is often overlooked by 2

0 M iddle F 6 many motorists. Nevertheless, this 3 o Camp ground ' rk

2 - highway rewards the leisurely traveler So 5 uth with outstanding scenery, good ° opportunities to view wildlife, and 2 Gree

6 n majestic landscapes in all directions. C a The highway also provides access to the b in Gulkana and Delta Rivers at Tangle Lakes, which straddle the highway 22 Hufman’s Haunt 0 0 miles west of Paxson. 0 TaK’ ATS’ NA’ Cove 0 0 0 , , 0 0

Road Conditions 7 7 9 9 , ,

The highway is generally open from mid- 6 6 May to October 1; do not attempt to NitiniTAANI Camp travel the road by vehicle outside of Moore Island these dates as snowdrifts can block Meier's Roadh ouse your way and leave you stranded. The road is paved only for the first 21 miles west of Paxson and 3 miles east of the Dawson's Cabin k Cantwell Junction. There are no fueling e e options along the Denali Highway; plan Alpha r bet C Hill e accordingly. s il M To get the latest information on the e Denali Road condition, phone 511 in the elv Tw state of Alaska, phone 1-866-282-7577 Fork Mi dle outside of the state. Or check the web at d Ke g C r e 0 0.75 1.5 3 Meiers http://511.alaska.gov k e k e re Lake C e MiMlPe 1s70 il m e lv e w TTwweelvlTvewemmeilivelTe w mCeiCrllevr e ekmCkirle e kCre e k T 540,000 550,000 560,000 570,000 146°15'W 146°W 145°45'W 145°30'W

Contact Information Delta National Wild and Scenic River Milepost (MP) Wild and Scenic River Corridor Tangle Lakes Archaeological Administered Lands Department of Natural Resources District (BLM) Bureau of Land Management Southcentral Region Land Office Road Alaska Game Management Unit Bureau of Land Management Anchorage District Office 550 W. 7th Ave., Suite 1260 (7/1/2016) Tangle Lakes Archaeological 4700 BLM Road Anchorage, AK 99501-3577 Trail District (State of Alaska) Department of Defense Anchorage, AK 99507 Phone: 907-269-8400 USGS 1:63,360 Index Phone: 907-267-1246 http://dnr.alaska.gov/ Fairbanks Trans-Alaska Pipeline Clearwater Creek Controlled Native Allotment (Private) Cantwell Paxson (Pumpstation) Use Area Private Bureau of Land Management Alaska Department of Fish & Game Glennallen Field Office Glennallen Office Anchorage Trans-Alaska Pipeline Juneau State of Alaska Mile 186.5 Glenn Highway 186.3 Glenn Highway Map not to be used to determine federal subsistence hunting areas. P.O. Box 147 P.O. Box 47 Glennallen, AK 99588 Glennallen, AK 99588-0047 Phone: 907-822-3217 Phone: 907-822-3309 Disclaimer: No warranty is made by the Bureau of Land Management as to the accuracy, reliability, or completeness of these data for individual or aggregate use with other data. Original data https://www.blm.gov/alaska http://www.adfg.alaska.gov were compiled from various sources. This information may not meet National Map Accuracy Standards. This product was developed through digital means and may be updated without notification. Map Date: 3/27/2017 Macleran River Valley, approximately 20 miles west of the Delta River drainage. The information displayed on this map should be used for graphic display only. For official land status information, refer to Cadastral Survey plats, Master Title Plats, and landstatus case-files. Map Coordinate System: NAD 1983 UTM Zone 6N