Salmon, whitefish, moose, bear, small game and berries provide most food sources. Caribou are taken when available. A few earn income from trapping or traditional Native handicrafts. Construction and BLM emergency firefighting also provide summer jobs. Transportation Alatna has no road link, but winter trails connect it with Hughes, Bettles and Tanana.
River transportation is important during the summer.
There is no barge service due to shallow water. The area experiences a cold, continental climate with extreme temperature differences. Extended periods of -40 are common. Average precipitation is 13 inches, with 72 inches of snowfall. The Koyukuk River is ice-free from June through October.