Things to do nearChena Hot Springs Resort

Chena Hot Springs Resort sits roughly 60 miles east of Fairbanks at the end of the Chena Hot Springs Road, a scenic drive that follows the Chena River through boreal forest and rolling hills. The springs themselves have been known to Alaska's Indigenous peoples for generations and became a destination for non-Native settlers in the early twentieth century, when word spread of their therapeutic properties. Today the resort has grown into a full-service wilderness destination without losing the rustic character that defines the place.

Guests soak in the outdoor rock lake, a naturally heated geothermal pool open around the clock, and in the enclosed indoor pool and private tubs. The Aurora Ice Museum, carved entirely from ice harvested on the property, showcases sculptures and an ice bar serving cocktails in hand-carved glasses, and it remains frozen year-round thanks to a geothermal cooling system, a detail that captures the resort's inventive use of its natural resources.

In winter the focus turns to aurora hunting, dog mushing, snowmobiling, and ice fishing. Summer brings hiking, mountain biking, ATV tours, and gold panning along the river. The resort's dining room serves hearty meals suited to guests who have spent hours outdoors, and the property includes a range of accommodations from cabins to standard lodge rooms.

Chena Hot Springs Resort earns its reputation as one of Alaska's most complete wilderness retreats by combining genuine geothermal heritage with the kind of hands-on outdoor programming that makes interior Alaska feel both accessible and authentically wild.