Mountains to the north and the Alaska Range to the south. In southwest Alaska the river emerges from the Kuskokwim Mountains in a vast lake-studded alluvial plain south of the Yukon River, surrounded by vast spruce forests. It passes a series of Yup'ik villages, including Aniak, and approaches within 50 mi (80 km) of the Yukon before diverging southwest. Southwest of Bethel, the largest community on the river, it broadens into a wide marshy delta that enters Kuskokwim Bay approximately 50 mi (80 km) SSW of Bethel. The lower river below Aniak is located within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. The river receives the Big River from the south approximately 20 miles (32 km) southwest of Medfra. It receives the Swift, Stony, and Holitna rivers from the south at the southern end of the Kuskokwim Mountains before emerging on the coastal plain. It receives the Aniak River from the south at Aniak. Approximately 20 miles (32 km) upstream from Bethel it receives the Kisaralik and Kwethluk rivers from the south. It receives the Eek River from the east at Eek near its mouth on Kuskokwim Bay. History The principal economic activities along the river have historically been fur trapping and fishing. Subsistence fishing for salmon and whitefish provides a staple of the Yup'ik diet along the river. Economic deposits of placer gold were discovered in 1901 near Aniak. Mineral production in the region has mainly been from scattered placer gold deposits that through 2004 had produced a total of 3.5 million troy ounces of gold. The primary route of the Iditarod Trail follows the South Fork Kuskokwim River out of the Alaska Range and crosses the main stem of the river near McGrath. See also List of rivers of Alaska List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem) Kuskokwim Bay Kuskokwim Delta Kuskokwim Mountains Kuskokwim 300 References Works cited Benke, Arthur C., ed., and Cushing, Colbert E., ed. (2005). Rivers of North America. Burlington, Massachusetts: Elsevier Academic Press. . Bright, William. (2004). Native American Placenames of the United States. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. . External links Iditarod National Historic Trail Kuskokwim River Watershed Council Iyana Gusty and the Kuskokwim Drainage basins of the Bering Sea Rivers of Bethel Census Area, Alaska Rivers of Alaska Rivers of Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska Rivers of Unorganized Borough, Alaska Braided rivers in Alaska