2024 Map of Circle A-1 SW

About this map

The Steese National Conservation Area protects the northern portion of this landscape, where the headwaters of the South Fork Birch Creek begin their journey through the Interior. This interior wilderness is defined by the high divide separating major drainage systems, with the Salcha River winding through the central and western reaches of the quadrangle. The terrain is marked by significant elevation changes, from the depths of Little Windy Gulch to the complex ridges along the border of the Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area and Fairbanks North Star Borough. Farther south, Cottonwood Creek feeds into the network of waterways that once served as vital travel corridors for local inhabitants. This map documents a region largely free of permanent settlements, focused instead on the preservation of the vast watershed and the naturally occurring boundaries between Alaskan administrative districts.