Native Village of NapaimuteBethel

Kuskokwim Ice Road (Native Village of Napaimute)

In winter the frozen Kuskokwim River becomes a plowed, signed ice road linking Bethel with villages up and down river. It is built and maintained each season by the Native Village of Napaimute ice road crew with state (DOT&PF) funding and help from village search-and-rescue teams. The 2025–26 road ran about 350 miles from Tuntutuliak to Crooked Creek and closed for the season April 10, 2026; it usually opens once ice reaches roughly 18+ inches (December/January) and closes early-to-mid April. Follow the Native Village of Napaimute Facebook page for openings, closures and hazard notices, and KYUK's Thursday 1pm 'River Watch' program. Stay on the marked road, carry an ice pick, and never drive on unmarked ice.