Alatna, Alaska

Alatna /əˈlætnə/ (Alaasuq in Iñupiaq [ɐˈlaːsoq]) is a census-designated place (CDP) in the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area of the Unorganized Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.

Alatna is on the north bank of the Koyukuk River, southwest of its junction with the Alatna River, approximately 190 miles (310 km) northwest of Fairbanks and 57 miles (92 km) upriver from Hughes.

Alatna lies just west of the municipal boundaries of the city of Allakaket.

The area experiences a cold, continental climate with extreme temperature differences.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has an area of 36.5 square miles (95 km2), all of it land.

Several Alaska Native groups have lived in the area, including Koyukon Athabascans and Kobuk, Selawik, and Nunamiut from the north and northwest.

The Koyukon lived in several camps throughout the year, moving as the seasons changed, following the wild game and fish.

In September 1994, flood waters destroyed nearly all of the community's buildings, homes, and food caches for the winter.

The Alatna population consists largely of descendants of Kobuk Eskimos; Athabascans predominantly live in Allakaket.

The population returns for 1930 combined Alatna and neighboring Allakaket, as the latter did not report a separate total.

Allakaket incorporated in 1975 and included the village of Alatna within its boundaries[13] on the 1980 census.

[15] In 1994, flooding of the Yukon River forced residents to relocate to higher ground a mile to the west, leaving the city limits of Allakaket.

[16] The post-1994 flood "New" Alatna village, located just outside of the boundaries of the city of Allakaket, was recognized and classified as a census designated place (CDP) in 2000.

Salmon, whitefish, moose, bear, small game and berries provide most food sources.

Alatna has no road link, but winter trails connect it with Hughes, Bettles and Tanana.

Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area map