From my favorite series, “short wilderness trips with easy access” :mrgreen:
Put in: Brushkana Campground, approximately 30 miles east of Cantwell on the Denali Highway.
Take out: Normal put-in point for the Nenana on the Denali Highway, 14 miles east of Cantwell.
Shuttle: Mountain bike with trailer along road (gravel), approximately 2 hours of riding. Day use area at campground provides handy covered and semi-hidden place to lock bike next to creek.
Total float time: Approximately 7 hours, with moderate paddling along slow sections.
Rating: PR3 for about 1 1/2 hours, then PR2 for 1 hour, then PR1 for 4 hours upon entering Nenana, then PR2 for last 1/2 hour.
Suitability for other craft: Good for kayaks. Canoists might have a handful early with the rocks, while larger rafts might run aground with same, but more than likely doable.
Drysuit recommended: Tough call, will get a little wet at first, but it would be overkill after the first 1 1/2 hours. Probably dependent on weather. Splash gear probably suffices.
Water level ran: Nearest gage Nenana at Healy = 10.6 approximately. Didn’t appear to be either high or low.
Hazards: Rocks on Brushkana, very few sweepers on Nenana that are very easily avoided.
Topography: Entirely below tree line, generally rolling terrain.
Camping options: Numerous gravel bars or small clearings along entire route. River right preferred as some sections on left are accessible and used by the ATV crowd. Brushkana CG (BLM, fee) looked clean, with toilets and drinking water.
Hiking/Wandering options: Good exploring river right before reaching Nenana. Along Nenana might be a little mushy.
Quick synopsis: Brushkana starts out similar (but not as challenging) to Crow/Glacier Creek near Girdwood, entertaining, a little technical due to many rocks, but not deep nor overly demanding. No big drops or waves, PR3. After coverging with the Monahan, widens out and starts to slow down, transiting through PR2 and becoming PR1 when joining with the Nenana. The Upper Nenana here is quite slow, good for relaxing and enjoying the scenery but perhaps a bit too slow for some (particularly if headwinds are encountered). The perhaps desirable current as seen from the takeout only manifests itself just prior to then, making the last 1/2 hour PR2. Note the takeout is on a left channel, fairly easily seen from afar but it is conceivable to miss the channel if not paying attention. Made for a good 2 day escape from reality with camping and wandering along the water, certainly could be done in one long day.