Chena River
Fairbanks’s home river and interior Alaska’s premier grayling fishery. The Chena drains the White Mountains and flows through the Chena River State Recreation Area to the Tanana River near downtown Fairbanks. The river is legendary for wild Arctic grayling — catch-and-release only — plus burbot, pike, and sheefish in the lower river. The upper Chena is a classic canoe trip through taiga spruce forest with dozens of public-use cabins available by permit. Road access along Chena Hot Springs Road makes the upper river one of the most accessible wilderness floats in the state.
River conditions are community-verified. CFS ranges, difficulty ratings, and access points may not reflect every flow level or seasonal change. Always check current conditions, scout unfamiliar rapids, and paddle within your skill level.