About Aniak

Aniak, Alaska, is a village of 500 residents located about 300 miles west of Anchorage and 100 miles of Bethel. It is located on the Kuskokwim River, and at the mouth of the Aniak River. Aniak is a Yupik word that means “the place where it comes out” (referring to the Aniak River).

​

Culturally, the village is located close to the border between two Alaska Native cultures, Yupik and Athabascan, and both live in the area.

​

The village is a larger hub for airlines, with daily flights to and from Anchorage.

​

The town is considered “damp,” which means alcohol cannot be purchased within the city limits, but can be shipped in through air cargo or brought in checked luggage on an airplane.

​

There are roads in the village, but none connect to the outside world. Travel is limited to navigating the rivers in the warm months, and snowmobiling in the cold season.

​

The village has a Post Office, store, K-12 school, library, community center, and other local businesses.

​

I now cherish once living in Aniak, and very much miss the community and my friends.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​