Upper Falls
Bethel Census Area, Alaska
Your visit at a glance
- Waterfall height
- Not recorded
- Location
- Bethel Census Area, Alaska
- Access status
- Partial: expedition access only; exact drop and portage unresolved
- The walk
- No parking-to-waterfall walking distance established.
- Ground & access
- Remote whitewater, sharp boulders, slippery portages and difficult rescue access.
Alaska DNR identifies Upper Falls as two drops on the Kisaralik River. A local outfitter describes reaching this stretch on a fly-in float trip beginning at Kisaralik Lake. Its account describes a river-right portage trail around the second drop. This is not a complete navigational itinerary: the historical DNR account describes a different portage bank, and American Whitewater documents a fatal accident at these falls in 2024. Obtain current river-specific guidance from an experienced local outfitter; this guide does not recommend running the drops.
Plan your visit
Remote Kisaralik River float access; no road-based walking itinerary
River mile systems differ by source. Neither river mileage nor portage estimates are a parking-to-falls hike distance.
Remote whitewater, sharp boulders, slippery portages and difficult rescue access.
Where to start
No road parking or public trailhead serving the falls was established. The documented access begins with a flight to Kisaralik Lake and a multiday river journey, with transport and pickup arranged separately.
Timing & water
Current access and seasonal conditions require confirmation with the land manager.
Before you go
Unknown: current fees or reservation requirements were not established in the reviewed source.
Visitor informationVisit sources
More waterfalls nearby
Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.