Teklanika River
| Teklanika River | |
|---|---|
Teklanika River Valley in Denali National Park and Preserve | |
| Native name | Tach'edhaneek'a (Lower Tanana) |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Alaska |
| District | Denali Borough, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | Cantwell Glacier in Denali National Park |
| • location | Alaska Range, Denali Borough |
| • coordinates | 63°27′18″N 149°28′59″W / 63.45500°N 149.48306°W |
| • elevation | 4,370 ft (1,330 m) |
| Mouth | Nenana River |
• location | 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Nenana, Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area |
• coordinates | 64°28′15″N 149°19′02″W / 64.47083°N 149.31722°W |
• elevation | 413 ft (126 m) |
| Length | 90 mi (140 km) |
The Teklanika River (Lower Tanana: Tach'edhaneek'a) is a 91-mile (146 km) tributary of the Nenana River in the U.S. state of Alaska. The Nenana is a tributary of the Tanana River, which is part of the Yukon River drainage in the central interior region of the state. Flowing northward from headwaters at the Cantwell Glacier in the Alaska Range, the Teklanika drains an area widely visited by tourists to Denali National Park and Preserve. The park's only road crosses the river at milepost 31 and a National Park campground is located on its eastern bank at milepost 29.
On its course, the river travels north from the core Alaska Range as a braided river, becoming rapid and narrow as it traverses through the Primrose Ridge, braiding again through the Stampede Trail valley, narrowing again through the Tekla Ridge before ultimately meandering through a complex series of oxbow turns and lakes across the southern Tanana River valley.
The river is crossed by the Denali Park Road and the Stampede Trail, and was heavily prospected in the early 20th century for the many coal, gold, and platinum deposits found along its banks.
The name derives from the Lower Tanana (Athabascan) words meaning "water-amulet river".