Yukon Canoe

Meet with your guide at 4 pm for a pre-trip meeting in Fairbanks at Arctic Wild headquarters for a question and answer, gear check, and safety briefing.

The flight from Fairbanks to Eagle departs at about 8 am, so the day is still fresh when we arrive on the banks of the Yukon. We have the day to walk around town, visit with locals, check-out the museum and settle into the Falcon Inn where we will spend the night.

It takes some time and effort to assemble canoes so we devote some of the afternoon to boat building which facilitates an early departure the following morning.

After a lovely breakfast at the Inn we load canoes, discuss river safety and let the current carry us away.

On this first day we refining our paddling skills and settle into the routines of river life. No need to travel very far and there is lots to see along the way.

Our time is ours to do what we please. We can start our day by climbing the bluff behind camp to smell the sweet sage and watch falcons circle above the river.

Or we can head out early and watch the glassy river slip beneath the canoe. At lunch we can follow a small creek back into the woods where we find an old cabin with a garden still producing rhubarb in the wilderness.

We will be on the water for five to six hours each day. If the wind is against us we may paddle longer, or we may hunker down for the afternoon and paddle at night when the winds drop. Each day is unique and planned on the go.

The schedule usually allows plenty of time for exploring from camp or making side trips during a leisurely lunch break. We will pass many clear water side streams that offer opportunities to fish.

Below the mouth of the Charley River on a high grassy bank we find Slaven’s Roadhouse and trails which penetrate the spruce woods heading inland to the mining relics at Coal Creek. This is a fun place to take a layover day and the walk to Coal Creek is a highlight of the trip for many.

Past Slaven’s Cabin, the river bluffs are lower and eventually disappear. We enter an area called the Yukon Flats, a fantastically productive area for waterfowl. As the river slows and splits into multiple channels, the sky is broad and colorful.

We leave the main river for a smaller, willow-lined side channel. After a few miles we see the log buildings of Circle, Alaska.

After disassembling our canoes and packing our gear we will load into our van for a four-hour scenic drive back to Fairbanks, arriving in time for a late dinner and a well earned shower.