Alaska.com: Alaska's Travel Website

Northern Alaska, far from the madding crowds, has many rivers to choose from for kayaking and rafting.

In addition to the 13 national wild rivers, there are scores of rivers dashing down from the Brooks Range or meandering across the rolling plains.

Air charters are frequently used to ferry boaters and their craft into the Bush. Air taxis can be hired in most towns served by flights from Fairbanks, Kotzebue, Barrow and Nome. Guides can be hired as well; check with the agency overseeing the land for a list of guides and ask around for advice.

Air taxis aren't allowed to carry passengers and a kayak strapped onto the floats at the same time, so a trip out to the put-in and take-out spots may require more than one flight. A Beaver, which is a larger plane that can carry passengers and their gear, may cost $300 or more an hour for flight time.

Native corporations and private landholders own much land in the north. Visitors should be respectful of cabins and fish and hunting camps, passing by quietly and camping in the river bed instead of on the bank.

As you can imagine, many of Alaska's scenic rivers flow out of snowfields and glaciers, making them close to the freezing point themselves. Clearwater streams may be warmer, but they're unlikely to be above 60 degrees. Hypothermia -- the lowering of the body's temperature -- occurs quickly in the water, so be prepared with good rain gear, extra clothes that can be worn in layers and smart boat handling.