Tonsina: River Landscapes and Trails

Tonsina is a destination for travelers who want to combine river landscapes, trails through nature, and different ways of enjoying the outdoors. The Tonsina River flows east from Tonsina Lake to the Copper River near Mile 19 of the Edgerton Highway. For your trip planning, this creates a clear choice between experiences on foot, by the water, and on the water.

River and Trails Around Tonsina

The Tonsina River Trail provides on-foot access to the lower Tonsina River. Its access point is at Mile 12.3 on the southern section of the Edgerton Highway. The trail leads for about 2 miles to the steep banks of the Tonsina River. If you would like to include a hike in your daily itinerary, you should take this route and its specific starting point into account rather than viewing the river merely as a scenic backdrop.

The Tonsina Lake Trail provides another point of reference. It is 3.0 miles long and designated for motorized use year-round. This designation makes it a different kind of route from the access point to the lower Tonsina River. Travelers with different interests can use this to put together varied day plans: an outing to a riverbank, a ride on the designated trail, or time by the water.

Rafting, Floating, and Fishing

There are various ways to experience the Tonsina River. The section between Tonsina Lake and Squirrel Creek Campground is a comparatively easy-to-navigate and scenic wilderness stretch for rafting or floating. By contrast, traveling the Tonsina River from the Richardson Highway to the Edgerton Highway takes at least 8 hours; the first hour leads predominantly through Class IV rapids. This information helps you compare the desired scope of a water activity with your daily itinerary in advance.

The area is also practical for anglers: The Tonsina River can be reached on foot from the Richardson Highway and the Edgerton Highway. Nearby, a gravel road south of Tonsina along the Richardson Highway also provides access to the confluence of the Tonsina River and the Little Tonsina River.

Distinctive Landscape Points

Squirrel Creek State Recreation Site is bordered on one side by Squirrel Creek, on the east by the Tonsina River, and on the south by a small lake. This allows the site to be included as a distinct landscape point in your exploration without combining the various waterways and trails into a single loop.

At the mouth of Hurtle Creek on Tonsina Lake, Hurtle Creek Outfitters has an existing five-acre site for guided services and commercial recreational use. This is especially interesting if you prefer to include an organized activity in your itinerary. When choosing a vacation rental or vacation home in Tonsina, you can therefore first decide whether your days should be shaped more by hiking, fishing, the motorized trail, or a trip on the water. The different landscapes and activities provide various points of reference, without requiring you to combine all the experiences into a single tour.

More Places to Help Plan Your Trip

If you would like to compare Tonsina with other destinations, you can find Copper Center, Copperville, Slana, Valdez, Glennallen, Cordova and Tatitlek here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Valdez-Cordova Census Area.