| Yukon-Charley Rivers National Preserve | |
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IUCN Category III (Natural Monument)
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| Location | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska, USA |
| Nearest city | Fairbanks, Alaska |
| Area | 2,525,512 acres (10,220 km²) |
| Established | December 1, 1978 |
| Visitors | 12,784 (in 2005) |
| Governing body | National Park Service[1] |
The Yukon–Charley Rivers National Preserve is located in east central Alaska along the border with Canada. It encompasses 115 miles (185 km) of the 1,800-mile (3,000 km) Yukon River and the entire Charley River basin.
Numerous rustic cabins and historic sites are located in the preserve. These are reminders of the importance of the Yukon River during the Klondike Gold Rush. Paleontological and archeological sites here add much to our knowledge of this environment thousands of years ago.
Peregrine falcons nest in the high bluffs overlooking the river, while the rolling hills that make up the preserve are home to an abundant array of wildlife. Dominant trees are the Black Spruce and White Spruce. This general area of the Yukon catchment is the westernmost limit of the Black Spruce, Picea mariana.[2]
The area was proclaimed as a United States National Monument on December 1, 1978, and was redesignated a National Preserve on December 2, 1980. The Charley River has been named a National Wild River.
Because of the isolated nature of the region, few man-made structures exist within the preserve. Two of the more notable buildings are Slaven's Cabin, which is occupied by the preserve's superintendent during the winter, and Biederman's Cabin, which is one of the oldest intact buildings in the area.