Koliganek, AK

Koliganek sits along the upper Nushagak River, about 65 miles northeast of Dillingham in southwest Alaska. Like many river communities in the region, the village moved a couple of times over the past century to escape flooding before settling into its current spot. Life here revolves closely around the water, which serves as a natural highway for skiffs in the summer and a trail for snowmachines once freeze-up arrives.

With no roads connecting the village to the outside highway grid, travel relies on small bush planes flying into the local runway or boats running upriver. Day-to-day community life centers around a general store, tribal offices, and a K-12 school run by the Southwest Region School District. Salmon fishing and subsistence hunting guide the seasonal routine, creating a quiet, close-knit village where neighbors rely heavily on each other and the land.