Chena Hot Springs

Chena Hot Springs Resort is about 60 miles from Fairbanks, and one of the “local” attractions recommended for visitors. It was cold the day we decided to visit, which made the prospects of emerging myself into a steaming hot bath of natural spring water that much more inviting. The drive was absolutely beautiful, with the highway winding through the Chena River Recreation Area, and we saw trumpet swans and a moose along the way. Once we arrived, we discovered that the resort was very rustic, as many places in Alaska seem to be. A natural hot spring has been channeled into an outdoor pool with a sand bottom and big rocks all around the sides. The water was about 106 degrees, and smelled strongly of sulfur. But since it was only 40 degrees at the Hot Springs that day, it felt very good! The busiest time at the resort is in the winter when the Northern Lights are easily seen. They get a lot of Japanese tourists who fly in just to view the Northern Lights in the Hot Springs setting. We won’t see the Northern Lights over the summer since it never gets dark enough, but we enjoyed the water just the same.