The heart of Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge is a lowland basin of forests and wetlands that forms the floodplain of the meandering Nowitna River. The Refuge's climate is typically marked by light precipitation, mild winds, long, hard winters and short, relatively warm, summers. The hills that circle the refuge lowlands are capped by alpine tundra.

It takes a week in a canoe, or more than an hour in a small plane, to traverse the Refuge's 2.1 million acres of pristine wildlife habitat. Approximately 223 miles of the Nowitna River's 283-mile length flow within the boundaries of the Refuge. Fish species inhabiting the river and its related lakes and streams include sheefish, burbot, whitefish, sucker, king and chum salmon, northern pike and arctic grayling.

The slow, meandering lower reaches of the Nowitna wander through one of Alaska's many productive waterfowl nurseries. The grassy margins of the river, surrounding lakes, and waterways provide breeding habitat for trumpeter swans, white-fronted geese, canvasback ducks, cranes, and many other migratory species. More than 120 bird species have been sighted on the Refuge during summer months, but only a few dozen hardy species remain through winters.

Mature white spruce in the forested lowlands provide cover and den sites for marten, and trapping these and other furbearers remains important to the economy of people in the region. In fact, refuge lands have been used for centuries by Koyukon Athabascans for hunting, fishing, trapping and other subsistence activities. Moose, wolves, lynx, wolverine and both black and grizzly bears might be encountered anywhere on the Refuge.

Whatever your reason for visiting Nowitna, be sure to come well equipped with headnets and bug dope during summer months (May through September), when mosquitos and other biting insects are by far the most numerous of the Refuge's abundant wildlife! Also be prepared for travel in a remote area, and bring first aid supplies, well-tested equipment and extra gear for weather changes and emergencies.

Refuge programs are aimed at maintaining its lands in their natural state, gathering baseline biological data, maintaining healthy populations of fish and wildlife, and providing information and education to the public. Refuge management is complicated by a matrix of differing land jurisdictions and authorities (federal, state and private), especially near Ruby and Tanana, two villages along the Yukon River near the Refuge.

The task of monitoring refuge resources extends beyond its borders, and involves partners including local village tribal councils, other State and Federal agencies, and research associates in other countries. The Refuge currently has cooperative studies underway in Canada and Mexico, two countries which host many of Nowitna's important migratory bird species during parts of their annual life cycles.

Subsistence hunting, gathering and trapping by local residents, mainly Koyukon Athabascan Indians, is the main public use on the Refuge. However, moose are eagerly sought by locals and visitors alike, and moose management has required increased attention in recent years. Controversies about allocation of fish and game resources (especially salmon and moose) among user groups, along with increased commercial guiding and transporting activities for moose hunting and pike fishing, have made dialog between refuge staff and the various user groups a priority of the Service.

The Refuge strives to maintain the region's natural fire cycle by carefully managing fires near settlements but allowing nature to take its course in areas where naturally occurring fires pose little hazard to humans.

The Nowitna River is a congressionally-designated Wild River, and special efforts are made to protect the river and its corridor. The Nowitna River provides a rare chance for hunters, floaters, and fishers to enjoy a unique wilderness experience in the heart of Alaska.