Swanson River

The Swanson River (Dena'ina: Yaghetnu) is a stream, 40 miles (64 km) long, on the Kenai Peninsula of south-central Alaska in the United States.^[1] Beginning at Gene Lake in the Swanson Lakes district, it flows southwest then north to Number Three Bay on the Gompertz Channel^{[clarification needed]} of Cook Inlet.^[3]

Swanson River
Location of the mouth of the Swanson River in Alaska
Etymology	'Good (Land) River'
Native name	Yaghetnu (Tswana)
Location
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Borough	Kenai Peninsula
Physical characteristics
Source	Gene Lake
• location	Kenai National Wildlife Refuge
• coordinates	60°50′46″N 150°29′04″W[1]
• elevation	224 ft (68 m)[2]
Mouth	Number Three Bay on Cook Inlet
• location	Kenai Peninsula, 19 miles (31 km) northeast of Kenai
• coordinates	60°48′01″N 151°01′23″W[1]
• elevation	16 ft (4.9 m)[1]
Length	40 mi (64 km)[1]

The majority of the river's course lies within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. In its lower reaches, it passes through the Swanson River Oil Field east of Nikiski before turning sharply north. Near its mouth, it flows through Captain Cook State Recreation Area and under Kenai North Road to enter Cook Inlet.^[3]

Recreation

Swanson River and the many lakes around it are popular places for trips in light canoes and kayaks. Two canoe trails involve lakes and streams rated Class I (easy) on the International Scale of River Difficulty. The Swan Lake Route of 60 miles (97 km) includes 30 lakes with portages of up to 0.5 miles (0.80 km). The Swanson River Route, 46 miles (74 km) long, crosses 40 lakes and requires portages of up to a mile. The portages, which may cross swampy ground, vary from easy to difficult. In addition to boggy terrain, hazards include wind-driven waves, mosquitoes, and a dearth of good campsites.^[4]

It is possible to float the Swanson River itself from the outlet at Gene Lake to the North Kenai Road bridge. A shorter float goes 19 miles (31 km) by river from Gene Lake to Swanson River Landing near Swan Lake Road and the Rainbow Lake Campground.^[4]

The Swanson system of lakes and streams supports large populations of game fish. The main species are silver salmon, rainbow trout, and Arctic char and Dolly Varden.^[5]

See also

• List of rivers of Alaska

References

1. "Swanson River". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. March 31, 1981. Retrieved December 10, 2013.
2. Derived by entering source coordinates in Google Earth.
3. Alaska Atlas & Gazetteer (7th ed.). Yarmouth, Maine: DeLorme. 2010. pp. 69–70. ISBN 978-0-89933-289-5.
4. Jettmar, Karen (2008) [1993]. The Alaska River Guide: Canoeing, Kayaking, and Rafting in the Last Frontier (3rd ed.). Birmingham, Alabama: Menasha Ridge Press. pp. 256–58. ISBN 978-0-89732-957-6.
5. Limeres, Rene; Pedersen, Gunnar; et al. (2005). Alaska Fishing: The Ultimate Angler's Guide (3rd ed.). Roseville, California: Publishers Design Group. p. 322. ISBN 1-929170-11-4.

External links

• Captain Cook State Recreation Area – Alaska Department of Natural Resources
• Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Campgrounds – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service