Stony River, AK

Stony River is a census-designated place on an island in the Kuskokwim River at the mouth of the Stony River, about 140 miles northeast of Bethel. The 2020 census counted 57 residents. Stony River lies where Central Yup'ik and Athabascan cultural and language regions meet, including Deg Hit'an, Dena'ina, and Upper Kuskokwim. A subsistence economy draws heavily on river resources, and Alaska Department of Fish and Game research found salmon and nonsalmon fish made up about 86 percent of the community's wild food supply in a 2009 study.

Gusty Michael School is the community's PK-12 public school in the Kuspuk School District. The 2026 Alaska profile lists 10 students, and Kuspuk's school directory places the school alongside other village sites in the district. The school and airport were established in the early 1960s, when year-round residences took shape on the remote river island community. The school, river, and seasonal subsistence work organize daily life around local institutions and water-based resources.