Chena Hot Springs Resort

What to expect

Chena Hot Springs Resort is a full-service resort at the dead end of Chena Hot Springs Road, about 60 miles east of Fairbanks. It is the easiest hot spring to reach in Interior Alaska and one of the few you can drive to on pavement in the middle of winter. People come for two things: a soak in the outdoor lake when the air is far below zero, and a chance at the northern lights.

The soak that matters is the outdoor hot springs lake. It is a natural pool fed directly by the springs, not chlorinated, with water flowing in and out all the time. The resort drains, cleans and refills it every week. It averages about 106°F41°C year-round and is roughly 4 feet deep, though the depth shifts a little with the springs. On a cold night, steam rolls off the surface and frost builds on your hair while your body stays warm. The lake is for adults 18 and over only.

The rest of the Pool House is aimed at everyone. There is a heated indoor pool for all ages (salt water, listed at about 82 to 90°F28 to 32°C), plus indoor hot tubs and an outdoor deck hot tub, all chlorinated. Changing rooms have showers, hair dryers and toilets.

Beyond the pools, the resort has its own restaurant, lodging from basic rooms to cabins and yurts, a greenhouse, and a geothermal power plant that turned the place from diesel to hot water for most of its electricity.

Getting there

From Fairbanks, take the Steese Highway north and turn east onto Chena Hot Springs Road. The road runs through the Chena River State Recreation Area, a 254,000-acre state park with trails, campgrounds and public-use cabins along the river, and it ends at the resort at milepost 56.5. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours each way. Watch for moose on the road at any hour, and in winter carry warm clothes, a full tank and an emergency kit, since services between town and the resort are thin.

If you would rather not drive, the resort runs its own shuttle every day of the year. It costs $90 one way or $180 round trip per person, and you book each leg separately at least 72 hours ahead. Pickups include Fairbanks International Airport (outside baggage claim 2), the Morris Thompson visitor center, Walmart and several hotels. Seats are not confirmed until you get a confirmation email, and a 10% booking fee is non-refundable.

Parking at the resort is right by the buildings, so there is no walk to speak of.

When to go

The Pool House is open every day of the year, so the question is what you want around the soak.

Fall to early spring is aurora season, when the nights are long and dark, and the cold makes the lake feel its best. Midwinter days are very short and temperatures can drop well below zero, so the drive needs care.

Summer has nearly round-the-clock daylight, which rules out the aurora but opens hiking, the campground (May 15 to Sept 15) and easier driving. Mosquitoes can be heavy away from the water.

The lake is quietest on weekday mornings. Evenings fill up with overnight guests and tour groups, especially on clear winter nights.

Prices and booking

Pool House day passes (2026 rates listed on the resort site):

• Adults 18 to 59: $20
• Seniors 60 and over: $18
• Ages 6 to 17: $17
• Ages 5 and under: free
• Family pass: 10 passes for $150, one per visit, not valid for groups or businesses

Towel service is $5 and lockers cost 50 cents in quarters, so bring change. Swimsuits are sold at the Pool House if you forget yours. The Pool House is open 7 a.m. to 11:45 p.m., with last admission at 11:30 p.m. You do not need to stay at the resort to visit, and you can buy passes online. Online bookings need 24 hours’ notice for a full refund.

Rooms in Moose Lodge include hot springs passes. Room prices are not posted on the main pages, so check the booking engine. Campsites and RV sites cost $35 a night plus 8% bed tax, are first come, first served, and do not include pool passes.

The Aurora Ice Museum tour runs 45 minutes and costs $20 for ages 12 and up or $15 for ages 6 to 11. The building stays at 25°F−4°C year-round, and the resort lends parkas. An appletini in a carved ice glass is a $20 add-on with ID. Tour times move with sunset, so ask at the Activities Center.

Rules and etiquette

• Age limits: The lake is 18 and over. Children 17 and under may use the deck hot tub with an adult and can use the indoor pool. Kids cannot be left alone anywhere in the Pool House.
• No lifeguards: You soak at your own risk.
• Swimsuits: Wear one. This is a family resort.
• Accessibility: The lake can be entered with assistance, and the resort has a wheelchair for getting into the water. Moose Lodge has a first-floor ADA room.
• Pets: Only in designated dry cabins and some Fox Rooms, never in Moose Lodge. Service animals are allowed.

Where to stay nearby

Staying at the resort is the simplest choice, especially in winter when you want to soak late and watch the sky. Options include Moose Lodge rooms with private bathrooms, Bear family suites, Trappers Cabin, Aurora Cabin and Fox Rooms, plus rustic cabins and yurts. Summer campers can use the resort campground.

The Chena River State Recreation Area along the road has state campgrounds and public-use cabins for people who prefer to camp and drive in for the day. Fairbanks, 1.5 to 2 hours away, has the full range of hotels, groceries and fuel.

Safety notes

• Heat and cold together: A 106°F41°C soak in subzero air is hard on the body. Keep soaks short, drink water, and get out slowly. Wet hair can freeze in minutes, so a warm hat helps.
• Slippery decks: Paths and decks between the Pool House and the lake ice up in winter. Wear sandals with grip.
• Driving: Chena Hot Springs Road is long and remote. Moose, ice and darkness cause most of the trouble. Check the forecast before you leave Fairbanks.
• Supervision: With no lifeguards on duty, keep a close eye on children in the indoor pool.

History

The Swan brothers, Robert and Thomas, were gold miners who set out to find the springs in 1905, and the search took them a little over a month. By 1911 a dozen small cabins stood here for visitors, and the place has run as a resort ever since. More recently the resort installed Alaska’s first Organic Rankine cycle geothermal plants, which made diesel generators a backup from 2006.