Second only to the Yukon among Alaska's Rivers, the Kuskokwim (which means slow-flowing) drains the remote southwest region of the State's mainland, far from the tourist sites and most populated areas. Its North Fork rises along the northwest flank of the Alaska Range before angling southwestward to flow between that range and the Kuskokwim Mountains, to its north; the latter range angles northeast to southwest and has summits that are generally below 4000 feet.
After merging with its East and South Forks and several other tributaries, the Kuskokwim angles northwest to slice through the Kuskokwim Mountains, and then meanders across Alaska's vast Coastal Plain, coming within 50 miles of the Yukon River, to its north. Resuming its southwestward journey, the Kuskokwim passes Bethel, the largest town along its course, and eventually empties into the Bering Sea within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.
The primary channel of the Kuskokwim is 724 miles long while the North Fork, its longest tributary, is 250 miles long; together, they represent the longest free-flowing river in the United States. While secondary and tertiary tributaries rise in high terrain, the entire course of the Kuskokwim and its North Fork runs below an elevation of 1600 feet. Renowned for its fishing, this wide, braided river, like the Yukon, connects the varied ecosystems of Alaska, home to a fabulous diversity of wildlife.
