Chitina is a pretty simple place, but there's plenty to know about it, especially if you are new to the area or to dipnetting.

In the early 1900's Kennecot copper mining companies built the Copper River and Northwestern Railway. Chitina thrived during the copper mining hayday. When the copper ore was no longer economically feasible to extract in 1938 and mining operations shut down, Chitina became a virtual ghost town - remnants of the boom town still exist with some registered on the National Historic Register. In 1941 the Kennecott Corporation donated the railroad right-of-way to the United States "for use as a public highway". In 1953 conversion from railway to highway was started but never finished. Governor Wally Hickel tried to restart the project between Chitina and Cordova in the 1990's to no avail. The Copper River Highway Right-of-way south from Chitina is now integral to Alaskan's using the Chitina personal use dipnet fishery with O'Brien Creek Road and the trail between O'Brien and Haley Creeks overlaying the right-of-way.

The sidebar map highlights various areas of interest and the means to arrive there. The right-of-way extends 150 feet either side of its center-line. There are several areas where the right-of-way is not wide enough to permit access to the Copper River. Please respect the property owners' rights and obtain permission before leaving the right-of-way to cross their land. Do not access culturally sensitive areas without permission (are these areas marked?).