John River (Alaska)
The John River (Iñupiaq: Atchiiniq) is a 125-mile (201 km) tributary of the Koyukuk River in the northern part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It was named after John Bremner, a prospector and explorer who was one of the first non-native persons to go there. It flows south from Anaktuvuk Pass in Alaska's Brooks Range, into the larger river at a point near Bettles, slightly north of the Arctic Circle.
| John River | |
|---|---|
John River near Bettles | |
Location of the mouth of the John River in Alaska | |
| Etymology | John Bremner |
| Native name | Atchiiniq (Inupiaq) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| District | North Slope Borough, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | confluence of Contact and Inukpasugruk creeks |
| • location | Endicott Mountains, Brooks Range, North Slope Borough |
| • coordinates | 68°07′34″N 151°45′23″W |
| • elevation | 2,076 ft (633 m) |
| Mouth | Koyukuk River |
• location | 1 mile (2 km) northeast of Bettles, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area |
• coordinates | 66°54′49″N 151°39′13″W |
• elevation | 600 ft (180 m) |
| Length | 125 mi (201 km) |
National Wild and Scenic River | |
| Type | Wild |
| Designated | December 2, 1980 |
In 1980, the 52-mile (84 km) segment of the John River within the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve were designated "wild" and added to the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. The designation means that the segment is unpolluted, free-flowing, and generally inaccessible except by trail.
The John River Valley is an important migration route for Arctic caribou.