Alaska River Trips

Operating June 1st to August 20th

Experience Alaska’s Whitewater

WITH THE PIONEERS OF THE INDUSTRY

Take on the rush of Alaska’s untamed beauty with our expert-guided river trips. Whether navigating Class II rapids or feeling the thrill of Class V runs, we have trips tailored for every adventure level. From the lush rainforests of the Chugach to powerful glacial-fed waters of the Matanuska, our guides navigate you through some of Alaska’s wildest rivers. Offering both single-day and multi-day trips, we equip you with top-of-the-line gear and prioritize safety every step of the way. Get ready for an action-packed experience through Alaska’s most stunning and rugged landscapes.

Great experience! The guides are kind and funny, they’re very knowledgeable about the river and make you feel super safe. We did the Lion’s Head rafting trip–it was a little milder than expected, but still lots of fun! Definitely got splashed and thrown around a little!

~ Sidney D. 2024 Lions Head River Trip

Cannot recommend this company enough! Outstanding experience with top-notch guides. Luc was awesome and we had a memorable experience. 6 mile creek is a must do Alaska excursion and you MUST use Nova!

A low river tale…
6 mile creek ejects the weak
splash! goes Grant again.

~ Chander L. 2024 Six Mile Creek

Dang, NOVA strikes again. I’d never taken a guided raft trip before this summer (have only been with friends) but I had a heckuvatime. Such a good time, that we came back again a month later when my family was in town. Perfect afternoon when you’re bringing family into town and you want to show off the beauty of the Matanuska.
Shout out to JJ who guided our boat both times. Super knowledgeable, fun, and a skilled raft guide. Vance, Newbie, and Gavin all get shout outs too. Adam takes spectacular pictures. Everyone was a hoot and great times were had by all. Totally recommend if you’re looking for a spectacular way to entertain guests (and yourself) 🌊

~ Christie H. 2024 Lions Head River Trip

Amazing White Water Rafting experience, with amazing guides and moral!! 110% recommend these guys, so worth it!

~ Nicolette G. 2024 River Rafting Trip

Had a great first ever whitewater rafting experience with Nova and it was great fun. Vance was my guide and he was knowledgeable, tolerant and fun :) thank you all for a great time and memory!

~ Rachel S. 2024 River Rafting

Our River

Adventures

Six Mile Creek
3 Canyon

Hope, Alaska

Duration: 4 Hours

Adventure Level: Challenging+

Minimum Age: 16 Years Old

Price: $225/person
+Kenai Tax

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Six Mile Creek
2 Canyon

Hope, Alaska

Duration: 3 Hours

Adventure Level: Challenging

Minimum Age: 12 Years Old

Price: $149/person
+Kenai Tax

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Matanuska River
Lions Head

Glacier View, Alaska

Duration: 3 Hours

Adventure Level: Moderate+

Minimum Age: 12 Years Old

Price: $139/person

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Matanuska River
Midnight Sun Run

Glacier View, Alaska

Duration: 3 Hours

Adventure Level: Moderate+

Minimum Age: 12 Years Old

Price: $139/person

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Private Matanuska
River Overnight

Glacier View, Alaska

Duration: 1.5 Days

Adventure Level: Easy/Moderate+

Minimum Age: 5 Years Old

Price: $550/person

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Private Talkeetna
River Fly-In

Talkeetna, Alaska

Duration: 3 Days

Adventure Level: Moderate

Minimum Age: 12 Years Old

Price: $2499/person

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The NOVA Experience

Reasons to Choose Nova Alaska Guides for Your Adventure

Experienced Guides

With 50 years of river guiding experience, NOVA sets the standard for professionalism in the industry and is proud to be the first company to offer commercial guided trips on the Matanuska River and Six Mile Creek.

Top of the Line Gear

We provide top-of-the-line gear, prioritizing safety and performance for every adventure. Our equipment is carefully selected and maintained, so you can focus on enjoying the river with confidence.

Safety First

Our guides have an intimate knowledge of the rivers. They undergo annual swiftwater rescue and river safety training to ensure the highest level of expertise and safety.

Caring for the Environment

NOVA is an advocate and steward for keeping Alaska wild. We follow responsible travel and ‘leave no trace’ ethics. Our goal is to enrich your appreciation and knowledge of this special place.

2 Amazing Locations

Raft the turquoise waters of Six Mile Creek, surrounded by lush rainforest walls, or run the glacial-fed waters of the Matanuska River, amidst the mountains.

Learn More About NOVA

Getting to Your River Trip

Location Information

Our river trips begin in two different locations. Please refer to your trips confirmation email after booking for additional location guidance.

Lion’s Head & Midnight Sun Run river trips begin at Nova’s office in Glacier View which is just 2 hours north of Anchorage.

Six Mile Creek river trips begin at Silvertip Station; a public parking area just off the Seward Highway about an hour and a half south of Anchorage.

Six Mile Creek Trips

Silvertip Station; a public rest area. Just off the Seward Highway on Hope Rd.

Matanuska River Trips

38100 W Glenn Highway, Glacier View, AK 99674

Our River Guides

Our guides are professional, personable, and passionate about their work. With extensive river guiding experience in Alaska, they prioritize safety and environmental protection. They educate clients, tailoring each trip to provide in-depth knowledge of the river while ensuring an unforgettable, safe and fun experience. Meet our team!

Learn More About NOVA

Preparing For Your River Trip

Frequently Asked Questions

Our whitewater guides are the best of the best, with years of prior whitewater guiding experience, usually on the toughest rivers in the lower 48, before coming to guide for us in Alaska.

Six Mile Creek is located about 1.5 hours south of Anchorage

Take the Seward Highway south towards Seward. Enjoy the views of this National Scenic Byway until mile maker 57 and the Hope Road intersection. It is a well-marked junction and the Hope Road only turns one-way.Turn onto the Hope Road, travel about 100 yards and turn into the first driveway (public rest area) on the right. The rest area is called Silvertip Station.

The NOVA crew and vehicles will be there waiting for you.

The drive is about 1 hour 30 minutes from Anchorage, 45 minutes from Girdwood, 60 minutes from Seward, 90 minutes from Soldotna.

Check in for Lions Head and Midnight Sun Run is at our Hicks Creek Facility located about 2 hours North of Anchorage

38100 West Glenn Hwy Glacier View, Alaska

Take the Glenn Hwy (Hwy #1) and head north from Anchorage; you’ll be traveling on the Glenn Highway National Scenic Byway all the way to Hicks Creek. About 1 hour out Anchorage you will take the overpass to Palmer and continue on the Glenn Hwy (Hwy #1) east through Palmer then Sutton and Chickaloon before arriving at Hicks Creek; Mile 96 of the Glenn Hwy.
Watch for the NOVA sign on left at Trailhead Rd. after crossing the Hicks Creek Bridge; take that left and follow the NOVA driveway underneath the highway bridge to the main building for check-in.

Dress Warm! We will provide a drysuit to keep the cold water out, but you will need to insulate under that! We recommend wearing a warm base layer top and bottom, fleece or wool is great. Wear warm socks as well!
We recommend bringing a change of clothes for after your river trip. Even with brand-new drysuits, a bit of water can get in.

In Alaska, river conditions can change dramatically due to fluctuating water levels. Unlike dam-controlled rivers, natural, free-flowing waterways are highly variable and can significantly affect the intensity and safety of trips. High water levels are more serious than low water, potentially increasing the difficulty of Class IV river sections to Class V conditions.

To maintain safety, Nova uses strict water-level cutoffs and may make necessary adjustments such as changing boat types, group sizes, or even canceling trips. Our guides monitor USGS gauges daily and are authorized to make on-the-spot safety decisions, including trip denial.

Environmental conditions may also impact the length of your trip. If a trip is canceled due to unsafe conditions, guests will receive a full refund or may reschedule.

Boat Load Guidelines:

High Water: Max 5 people per boat

Low Water: Max 4 people per boat

Ideal Group Size: 4–5 people (to fill your own boat)

Smaller groups may be combined with consent

All trips involve active participation, and oar-assisted boats are used in high water for enhanced control.

Still Have Questions?

Visit Our FAQs Page

Reviews from Real Adventurers

Wild glacier water
Watch out for big rhino rock
Smiles for miles

Thanks for a great adventure Nova Guides! We had an incredible trip on Lions Head river! Can’t wait to come back!

Ali B. 2024

The best white water rafting experience. The whole adventure was very enjoyable because it was well organized, the guides were very knowledgeable and professional with a such a awesome sense of humor. We had rain through our whole trip, but it wasn’t bothering us at all, because we laughed, going through the rapids and learning about the enchanted Alaskan river and forest.
We will be back next year!

Macie K. 2024

Very fun whitewater rafting trip! We are visiting from Texas.Great tour guides, funny and engaging- the trip was well worth the money!!!

Russ S. 2024

Went with NOVA Alaska for the second year in a row and had an unbelievable time. The guides were amazing and I couldn’t recommend them enough for your Six Mile Creek Rafting experience.

Tyler S. 2024

What an awesome trip! We went for my son’s 18th birthday and did the Lions Head run and it was so much fun. The guides were awesome, thank you Gavin and Lucas for entertaining the group during the set up/ take down period, and Gavins experience on the river was apparent and appreciated.

Jamee G. 2024

Amazing experience rafting Lion’s Head with Nova and their knowledgeable, funny and awesome guides! We sure laughed, got soaked and couldn’t stop raving about the adventure afterwards on our drive home. Quyana (thank you in Yup’ik) for an awesome rafting experience!

Francine M. 2024

We had the best time rafting on the Matanuska! Christian was an awesome guide… he made everyone feel comfortable, taught us some interesting things about the area, and gave us an exciting trip through the rapids. We will definitely be back next year for more rafting and the glacier tour! Thank you, Nova!!

Heidi 2024

The best time I’ve had all summer!!!
We did the Lionshead rafting trip, there were crazy jumps and lots of splashes. Vance and Gavin are the best, they were very informative and made sure we stayed safe. If you are questioning whether you should raft or not, do it!

Kate 2024

The best rafting experience in Alaska. Would recommend to anyone

Connor S. 2024