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POINT OF INTEREST

Chena Hot Springs Resort

17600 Chena Hot Springs Road, Fairbanks, Alaska

An hour’s drive from Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs Resort is renowned for its natural hot-springs lake, year-round ice museum, and Northern Lights viewing opportunities. Discovered over a hundred years ago by gold miners who saw steam rising from the Chena River Valley, the curative waters have been soothing weary travelers ever since.

In addition to soaking in the hot springs and viewing the remarkable ice carvings in the Aurora Ice Museum, Chena Hot Springs Resort offers a wide variety of activities including dog sledding, skiing, and snowmobiling during the winter months and horseback riding, hiking, biking, fishing, and ATV rides in summer. Chena is well known for its Northern Lights displays, so choose a tour that specializes in Northern Lights viewing for your best chance to see the aurora borealis.

  • Make sure your gas tank is full, as there are few facilities between Fairbanks and Chena.

  • Wildlife sightings are common on Chena Hot Springs Road, so keep an eye out for moose, bears, and beavers.

  • Stop and explore the Chena River Recreation Area on your way out to the hot springs.

  • Don’t forget to pack a swimsuit, towel, and change for the lockers.

  • Bring along a hat and gloves for the Aurora Ice Museum tour; parkas are provided.

Chena Hot Springs is located 60 miles (97 kilometers) northeast of downtown Fairbanks. Just follow the Chena Hot Springs Road, which dead ends at Chena Hot Springs. If you don’t have your own transportation, reserve a spot on the Chena shuttle or book a guided tour from Fairbanks or the town of North Pole.

Chena Hot Springs can be visited year-round. For the best chance of viewing the Northern Lights, visit between August and May. For winter sports such as snowshoeing, dog sledding, and cross-country skiing, visit between December and April, keeping in mind that December and January see very few daylight hours.

Due to its geographic location and low light pollution, Chena Hot Springs is one of the best places in Alaska to view the Northern Lights. Dark skies are needed to see the lights, so visit from September through May when the skies are their darkest.

The Chena Hot Spring Resort’s hours are convenient for travelers, as the hot springs itself is open typically every day from 7am until 11:45pm. Usually, the Fairbank resort’s restaurant is open every day until 10pm, with the resort’s activity center offering slightly reduced hours, from 9am until 9pm.

If you don’t have a room booked at the Chena Hot Springs Resort in Alaska, then you’ll have to pay for your time at the hot springs. A pass for adults is around $20, and seniors 60 and older and children 6 to 17 years old receive discounts for admission.

Yes, there are plenty of accommodation options at the Chena Hot Spring Resort. Bookable overnight options include small rooms, lodge rooms, family suites, cabins, and yurts, as well as camping and RV sites. Prices vary by accommodation choice per night, depending on what you prefer.

There are many activities and things to do at Chena Hot Springs Resort beyond soaking in its hot spring and swimming in its pools. You also can ride horses, take an Alaskan Husky kennel tour or dog training tour, drive all-terrain vehicles, go dog sledding, and view the northern lights.

Yes, Fairbank’s Chena Hot Springs Resort is in a great viewing location for the northern lights, far away from the city lights that can prevent you from seeing the natural phenomenon. Although the Alaskan resort is open year-round, the best time for viewing the northern lights is between August and May.

Yes, there’s a restaurant at Chena Hot Springs Resort. It’s called the Chena Hot Springs Restaurant and typically is open every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and herbs on the menu are grown in the resort’s greenhouse.

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