Eagle River (Bradfield Canal)

For other uses, see Eagle River (disambiguation).

The Eagle River is a stream, 8 miles (13 km) long, in the borough of Wrangell in the U.S. state of Alaska.^[1] Heading at Eagle Lake in the Coast Mountains, it flows northwest through part of the Tongass National Forest into Eagle Bay on the Bradfield Canal.^[1][4] Near the midpoint of its course, the river passes through Little Eagle Lake.^[4] On the shore opposite Eagle Bay and the Eagle River mouth, the Harding River enters Bradfield Canal.^[4]

Eagle River
Location of the mouth of the Eagle River in Alaska
Location
Country	United States
State	Alaska
Borough	City and Borough of Wrangell
Physical characteristics
Source	Eagle Lake
• location	Coast Mountains, Tongass National Forest
• coordinates	56°04′19″N 131°29′02″W[1]
• elevation	376 ft (115 m)[2]
Mouth	Eagle Bay
• location	5 miles (8 km) southwest of the head of Bradfield Canal
• coordinates	56°09′49″N 131°35′51″W[1]
• elevation	0 ft (0 m)[1]
Length	8 mi (13 km)[3]

Recreation

The United States Forest Service manages a public-use cabin, accessible only by floatplane, at Eagle Lake. Eagle Lake Cabin, about 1 mile (2 km) from the Eagle River outlet, comes with a 14-foot (4.3 m) oared skiff for fishing. Eagle Lake supports a population of "trophy" coastal cutthroat trout.^[5]

Although the cabin is open year-round, lake ice may prevent floatplanes from landing. Amenities are minimal and do not include electricity or drinking water. Hunters as well as fishers sometimes rent the cabin.^[6]

Major game fish in the Eagle River itself include pink and chum salmon, and Dolly Varden char, as well as coastal cutthroat trout.^[7] These fish are accessible by boat traveling upriver from the mouth.^[8]

The Forest Service manages a public-use cabin, the Harding River Cabin, about 2 miles (3 km) across Bradfield Canal from the Eagle River mouth. Renters of this cabin sometimes fish along the Eagle River or hunt for waterfowl on its tidal flats.^[8]

See also

• List of rivers of Alaska