The Fortymile River and its many forks drain a large area of eastern Alaska’s early twentieth-century gold mining region. Almost due east of Fairbanks, this clear wilderness river flows east through gently rolling mountains and white marble bluffs to the Yukon River in the Yukon Territory. Fortymile got its name, not because of its length, but because of its confluence 40 miles (64 km) downriver from an old Hudson’s Bay Company trading post.
      Fortymile’s scenery is interesting, and its waters are not difficult. Rafting begins on the Class I-II Middle Fork near the old mining town of Joseph or at the historic mining town of Chicken. Once the North Fork meets the Middle Fork, the pace quickens, and The Chute, a Class III rapid, is encountered. Shortly afterwards, the Kink, a Class V mining sluice, must be portaged.
      The Fortymile offers an excellent opportunity to see moose, bears, and other wildlife. In early September, large herds of migrating caribou are frequently seen.