Whitewater Rafting the Lion’s Head on the Matanuska River with NOVA Alaska Guides

We’ve rafted many rivers, including quite a few in Alaska and I have to say that rafting the Matanuska River is the most fun in AK. There are some really great rivers to run and plenty that are scenic but not that thrilling, but the Matanuska around the Lion’s Head (rock formation) is awesome, and it’s a great challenge if you’re inexperienced or working on your whitewater bravery. NOVA Alaska Guides runs the whitewater and scenic sections of the Matanuska River all summer and they’re awesome, and hilarious. I love when river guides can pair safety, humor and fun, and this is a great Alaska whitewater experience for that.

If you’re visiting Anchorage and looking for whitewater rafting, including some beautiful scenery, rafting the Matanuska River with NOVA is a great idea. We’ve got the full scoop on this wild, family-friendly whitewater experience. If you have any questions about rafting with NOVA Alaska Guides or need some more fun recommendations in the Anchorage or Palmer areas, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan a great Alaska trip.

Whitewater Rafting Lion’s Head, Matanuska River

If you’ve wanted to go whitewater rafting in Alaska but you’re worried about it being too cold, too rough or not rough enough, rafting the Matanuska is a great idea and fits great with all of those thoughts. I find that the Matanuska River has enough water moving through that it’s exciting, but not so much that it’s scary. For the avid whitewater rafter, I think this is a good run, doing the Lion’s Head. You’ll find Class III and IV rapids that really churn and long stretches of continuous whitewater. I really like it.

If you’re not big into whitewater rafting but you’re down to brave the river, the Lion’s Head section of the Matanuska River is a great option too, as it’s exciting but it’s also very manageable. True, a smooth run on the river depends on your guide and the other people in your raft listening to instructions, but I think you’ll find that NOVA Alaska Guides has some great leaders on the river and they’re very safety oriented, thus making it a good experience for all. Having said that, sometimes things go a little awry and a high-side might send a few people swimming, but usually not. And don’t worry, before you’re on the river there is a whole safety discussion to make sure everyone knows how to stay safe if you fall out of the raft.

The other concern that a lot of people have about whitewater rafting in Alaska is getting too wet and being freezing cold. If you’re visiting Alaska in the summer, you’ll see that it’s usually warmer than you expect, and then add to that the dry-suits provided by NOVA Alaska Guides and you can feel confident that you won’t be too cold. Dry-suits really are effective and if you do get splashed (which you will) you’ll stay nice and dry if your suit is put on properly. You really can feel confident and comfortable whitewater rafting in Alaska if you have the right gear and listen to your rafting guide.

Book it here! Use promo code MyAKtrip10 for a 10% discount or book through Viator here (no discount)

Tips for the Best Alaska Whitewater Rafting Experience

I think it’s safe to safe that most peoples’ first time whitewater rafting isn’t in Alaska, so probably most people considering rafting the Matanuska River with NOVA have at least one or two runs under their belts. It’s okay though if this is a wholly brand new experience for somebody as long as they clearly communicate with their guide that they don’t have experience. Communication is key for keeping an Alaska whitewater rafting experience safe and fun. Sharing your experience, your fears or your skills will help the whitewater rafting guide place you in the raft. You can’t have a newbie with no strength in the front on Class IV rapids when the rest of the boat depends on following a strong paddler to get through without flipping the boat.

When it comes to deciding if an Alaska whitewater rafting trip is right for you and your group, you need to thik about what everyone wants out of the trip: Are we looking for excitement? Are we looking to just get on the river? Do we feel like this element is missing from our summer Alaska trip? All of these are things to consider, and then if you know that you want to be on the river but you don’t need too much excitement, maybe you can do the scenic float on the Matanuska River that doesn’t include the Lion’s Head section. Knowing what your group is both interested in and capable of will ensure your whitewater rafting trip is truly fun and doesn’t scare the pants off anyone.

For rafting the Lion’s Head section of the Matanuska River, there is an age requirement (12 years old), but if a kiddo is experienced and it’s discussed with NOVA, an additional waiver may be signed to allow them to raft. Safety is always at the heart of being on the river, and when the rafters feel comfortable and confident in themselves and their guide, river trips are more safe and enjoyable.

Can I go Whitewater Rafting if I can’t Swim?

That’s a great question, and bravo for wanting to be brave and try something new when you’re not a big water person. YES! You can still go whitewater rafting if you cannot swim, but you MUST discuss this with your river guide before your trip. You’ll be outfitted with a dry-suit and life jacket (PFD), which everyone must wear, but then in addition to that, your guide will keep you closer to them and make sure that all safety precautions are taken. And then once you’ve completed your whitewater rafting in Alaska, make a plan for when you get home to have some swimming lessons so you can feel more confident and safe on the water in the future.

Being Prepared for Alaska Whitewater Rafting

Dressing for whitewater rafting in Alaska is very different that what you’ll wear for whitewater rafting in Utah or California. While you may have a beautiful sunny day when you arrive to NOVA Alaska Guides for rafting the Matanuska River, that water will still be very cold as it’s a combination of rain water, snow melt, and glacial melt, so yeah, it’s very cold. The breeze kicks up off the river and you’re getting splashed, and while you’ll remain dry, it can still be cold. You want to dress warmly under you dry-suit, including warm pants (1 or 2 layers), warm shirt and sweatshirt (maybe a light jacket too), and then just one pair of socks. When you get dressed in your dry-suit, the feet will fit you snuggly so you do NOT want to have a second pair of socks on. Wool socks are good though, as you feet will be wet outside of your dry-suit and the cold can creep in.

If you want to bring a camera along with you on the river, you’ll be limited to a GoPro or waterproof camera that you can safely store and that won’t impede your ability to paddle or self-rescue if you fall in the water. There are rafting helmets available that have GoPro anchors on them, so if you plan on bringing one, be sure that you’ve got the correct attachement on it that slides into the holder. If you’ve got a waterproof case for your phone, be sure that it does indeed work well, and then have a plan to be able to safely store it when you need to be paddling. I like to wear my phone on a short strap and then quickly tuck it into my PFD when I need to paddle. It works great for being able to take pictures during the more mellow moments of whitewater rafting, but then I can stash it fast when needed.

Does NOVA Alaska Guides take your photo when rafting?

While there isn’t a cameraman on every raft, there is a point along the Lion’s Head section of whitewater that NOVA Alaska Guides does place a photographer to capture the moments through one of the bigger rapids. When the whitewater rafting is done and you head back to basecamp, you get to review the photos and if you want you can purchase them and use them for framing at home, put on your social media, or text them to friends to make them feel jealous.

Getting to NOVA Alaska Guides on the Glenn Highway

NOVA Alaska Guides runs their whitewater rafting trips out of their basecamp in the Chickaloon area off the Glenn Highway. When you head northeast out of Anchorage you’ll take the Glenn Highway through Palmer and then continue up into the mountains above the Matanuska River to the Chickaloon area. Just before Glacier View (called that because it looks out at the Matanuska Glacier), NOVA has their basecamp on the south side of the highway BUT YOU ENTER THE ROAD TO IT ON THE NORTH SIDE. If you’re coming from Palmer you’ll make a left across traffic. If you’re coming from Glennallen, you’ll make a right onto the road to NOVA Alaska Guides. When you arrive and get outfitted for your rafting trip, they’ll load you onto a bus and take you to the put in, so you don’t drive yourself to the river. At the end of your river run, they’ll transport you back to basecamp.

More NOVA Alaska Guides Fun

Even though you just read about whitewater rafting the Lion’s Head stretch on the Matanuska River, NOVA Alaska Guides does other rafting and tours as well. Here on the Matanuska they also do both a simple scenic float (easy water, all ages) and an overnight trip (camping) on the river. Also, NOVA Alaska Guides does one of the crazies stretches of water for a day trip: 6 Mile Creek on the Kenai Peninsula. I rafted this with them years ago and it still stands out as the toughest water I’ve rafted in Alaska. I mean, who doesn’t love a good Class V?

Beyond whitewater rafting, NOVA Alaska Guides also does tours on the Matanuska Glacier. While the Glacier itself is a part of the Chugach National Forest, access to the glacier is only through privately held land so you can only do it on a guided tour, which NOVA does! There are so many fun things to do in the Chickaloon / Glacier View area and you can plan a few different adventures with NOVA if you want! Use code MyAKtrip10 for a 10% discount on adventures with NOVA Alaska.