Chuit River
Frequently Asked Questions

Q. "Do I need to get permission from the landowners before I begin my trip?" 
A. Yes, if you plan to cross, enter, or use private land. Where you intend to begin and end your trip, as well as the length of time you want to spend in a particular area, will determine what land use permits are required. As previously mentioned, there are public use easements available at various locations along the river for anyone to use, but they are limited in number, and there are restrictions on uses.

Q. "What type of restrictions are there on the use of these easements?"
A.  The easements exist only to provide access across privately owned lands to reach public lands or major waterways. No hunting or fishing from or on an easement is permitted. There are two types of easements: site easements (marked as a triangle on the Chuit River Land Status Map and described as a campsite), and trail easements (marked with bold dashed lines on the map). Site easements may be used for temporary (up to 24 hours) camping, loading, or unloading; and vehicular parking, including boats and aircraft where appropriate. Trail easement are 25 feet wide and may be used for travel by foot, dogsled, animals, snowmobiles, two and three-wheel vehicles, and small all-terrain vehicles under 3,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight. Camping is not allowed on trail easements. There is no access from trail easements to the river except at one of the designated site easements. If you are on the river and wish to go on the land for any reason, you may do so only at a site easement unless you have permission from the landowner.

Q. "How do I find these easements?"
A. Easements shown on the map are described under the Easements tab. Some easements may be identified by a Bureau of Land Management (BLM) marker. It is your responsibility to make sure you are located on the easement. For additional information on the location of easements, you may contact Alaska Department of Natural Resources or the BLM.

Q. "Whom do I contact for a land use permit for private lands?"
A. Some landowners issue permits for recreational use of their lands. Such uses include fishing, camping, and sometimes hunting. For permission to access private lands shown on the map, contact Tyonek Native Corporation.

Q. "May I travel by boat or stand in the river (below the Ordinary High Water Mark) without obtaining a land use permit?"
A. Yes. Under state law the public has a right to use the entire water column of the Chuit River below the ordinary high water mark for public purposes, including fishing, boating and recreation. The public has this right regardless of the ownership of the river bed. The right to use the river does not, however, include a right to enter, cross or use private uplands without permission of the landowner. The "ordinary high water mark" can usually be identified by the vegetation line along the bank, or other distinctive signs such as erosion, shelving, or changes in soil character caused by action of the water. For more information on your rights to use public waters, visit the Alaska Department of Natural Resource - State Policy on Navigability page .