John River (Alaska)
Encyclopedia
The John River is a 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 Koyukuk River
at a point near the Arctic Circle
. On December 2, 1980, the 52-mile segment of the John located within Gates of the Arctic National Park was designated a National Wild and Scenic River
.
The John River Valley is an important migration route for the Arctic Caribou Herd.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
in the northern part of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. It was named after John Bremner
John Bremner
-Early life:John Bremner was born in Rhynie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and emigrated to Iowa. At some point he abandoned his farm and family and probably worked as a sailor.-Life among the Indians in Alaska:...
, a prospector and explorer who was one of the first non-native persons to go there. It flows south from Anaktuvuk Pass
Anaktuvuk Pass
The Anaktuvuk Pass is a mountain pass located in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in North Slope Borough in northern Alaska...
in Alaska's Brooks Range
Brooks Range
The Brooks Range is a mountain range in far northern North America. It stretches from west to east across northern Alaska and into Canada's Yukon Territory, a total distance of about 1100 km . The mountains top out at over 2,700 m . The range is believed to be approximately 126 million years old...
, into the Koyukuk River
Koyukuk River
The Koyukuk River is a principal tributary of the Yukon River, approximately 500 mi long, in northern Alaska in the United States.It drains an area north of the Yukon on the southern side of the Brooks Range...
at a point near the Arctic Circle
Arctic Circle
The Arctic Circle is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. For Epoch 2011, it is the parallel of latitude that runs north of the Equator....
. On December 2, 1980, the 52-mile segment of the John located within Gates of the Arctic National Park was designated a National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River
National Wild and Scenic River is a designation for certain protected areas in the United States.The National Wild and Scenic Rivers Act was an outgrowth of the recommendations of a Presidential commission, the Outdoor Recreation Resources Review Commission...
.
The John River Valley is an important migration route for the Arctic Caribou Herd.
External links
- "The John River, Alaska" - Photo documentary on YouTube
- Photo of Hunt Fork on the John River