{{short description|River in Alaska, United States}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Use American English|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox river | name = Goodpaster River | native_name = | native_name_lang = | name_other = | name_etymology = <!---------------------- IMAGE & MAP --> | image = | image_caption = | map = | map_size = 300 | map_caption = | pushpin_map = USA Alaska | pushpin_map_size = 300 | pushpin_map_caption= Location of the mouth of the Goodpaster River in Alaska <!---------------------- LOCATION --> | subdivision_type1 = Country | subdivision_name1 = United States | subdivision_type2 = State | subdivision_name2 = Alaska | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = Census Area | subdivision_name4 = Southeast Fairbanks, Copper River | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 = <!---------------------- PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS --> | length = | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location= | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg = | discharge1_max = <!---------------------- BASIN FEATURES --> | source1 = | source1_location = | source1_coordinates= {{coord|64|N|143|W|display=inline}} | source1_elevation = | mouth = Tanana River | mouth_location = Big Delta | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|64|10|17|N|145|37|36|W|display=inline,title}} | mouth_elevation = | progression = | river_system = | basin_size = | tributaries_left = | tributaries_right = | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = }}
The '''Goodpaster River''' is an {{convert|91|mi|km|adj=on}} major tributary of the Tanana River in the U.S. state of Alaska.<ref name="gnis">{{cite web | work = Geographic Names Information System| publisher = United States Geological Survey | date = January 1, 2000| url = {{gnis3|1402780}} | title =Goodpaster River| accessdate = October 25, 2014}}</ref> Its name in the Middle Tanana dialect of the Lower Tanana language is {{lang|taa|'''Jiiz Cheeg'''}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.uaf.edu/anla/collections/map/names/|title=Alaska Native Place Names | Alaska Native Language Archive | Alaska Native Language Archive|website=www.uaf.edu}}</ref> Goodpaster River is a stream located just 6.6 miles from Big Delta, in Southeast Fairbanks Census Area.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Goodpaster River Fishing near Big Delta, Alaska {{!}} HookandBullet.com | url=http://www.hookandbullet.com/fishing-goodpaster-river-big-delta-ak/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025214217/http://www.hookandbullet.com/fishing-goodpaster-river-big-delta-ak/ | access-date=2026-03-29 | archive-date=2014-10-25}}</ref>
The older glacial record in the Yukon-Tanana upland is found in the Goodpaster River Valley where records of at least three older glaciations are found, the oldest estimated to be Late Tertiary.<ref>J. Ehlers and P.L. Gibbard (2004). [https://books.google.com/books?id=c0wnQqpIF-QC&dq=%22Goodpaster+River%22+alaska&pg=PA322 Quaternary Glaciations - Extent and Chronology: Part II: North America]. Elsevier.</ref>
The structure of the Goodpaster River Bridge consists of six 21-m simple spans.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://ftp.allnorth.com/files/Goodpaster-River-Bridge.pdf |title=Goodpaster River Bridge |access-date=2014-10-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025215240/http://ftp.allnorth.com/files/Goodpaster-River-Bridge.pdf |archive-date=2014-10-25 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
== Naming == The stream was called ''Goodpaster River'' by Lieutenant Allen "in honor of the Goodpaster family of Kentucky." The two stream names were transposed by later map makers. Alternate names for this stream includes ''North Fork Goodpaster River'' and ''Volkmar River''.<ref name="gnis"/>
== Natives == The area of Goodpaster River and Big Delta, Delta River (incl. Delta Junction and Deltana) is homeland of the ''Delta-Goodpaster'' or ''Big Delta-Goodpaster band'' of the Middle Tanana of the Tanana Athabaskans. The Goodpaster River to be a natural break in the Tanana Athabaskan language area, separating upriver speakers of the Tanacross and Upper Tanana languages from the Lower (and Middle) Tanana speakers living farther downriver.<ref name="refHaynessimeone">Terry L. Haynes and William E. Simeone (2007). [https://web.archive.org/web/20140316052748/http://www.nps.gov/ethnography/research/docs/UpperTananaEOA.pdf Upper Tanana ethnographic overview and assessment, Wrangell St. Elias National Park and Preserve]. Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Subsistence. Technical Paper Number 325.</ref><ref name="refMcKennanathabascan" >McKennan, Robert A. 1969. Athabascan grouping and social organization in Central Alaska. In ''Contributions to Anthropology: Band Societies''. David Damas, ed. pp 93-114. National Museum of Canada bulletin 228. National Museum of Canada, Ottawa.</ref>
==Fishing== Catch and release king salmon fishing only is allowed from the mouth of the river to a marker {{convert|25|mi}} upstream. The Goodpaster is accessible only by boat; launch points are at the Tanana River near Delta Junction or Clearwater Lake).<ref>{{cite web|author=Alaska Department of Fish and Game|url=https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf/Region3/PDFs/roadside_salmon.pdf|title=Roadside Salmon Fishing in Interior Alaska|access-date=December 1, 2018}}</ref>
== Mining == Only a few thousand ounces of gold from placer mines, and a few hundred ounces from lode gold mines were produced from the Goodpaster district before the discovery of Pogo. The district is east of the Fairbanks and south of the Circle district. The Pogo mine, is located in the Goodpaster River Valley.
==See also== *List of rivers of Alaska
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.google.com/maps/place/64%C2%B010%2717.0%22N+145%C2%B037%2736.0%22W/@64.171387,-145.626663,14z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0?hl=en-EN GOOGLE Maps : Goodpaster River]
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Category:Alaska Range Category:Rivers of Alaska Category:Rivers of Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, Alaska Category:Rivers of Unorganized Borough, Alaska Category:Tanana Athabaskans Category:Tributaries of the Yukon River