Alaska has few roads and even fewer trails—only a few hundred miles of maintained footpaths exist outside the cities—so paddling the state's thousands of miles of rivers and lakes is the best way to get off the beaten track. Paddling Alaska describes the best and most accessible routes—forty classics in all, from downtown Anchorage to the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys and the Kenai Peninsula, and from the southern interior north to the Yukon. Carefully chosen to accommodate most beginning-to-intermediate paddlers, each route is within easy driving distance of population centers, providing quick access to wilderness for city residents and visitors alike. Look inside to find: • Detailed river descriptions • Maps showing access points and river miles • Level of difficulty, optimal flows, rapids and other hazards • Gear and packing recommendations specific to Alaska conditions