Chena Hotsprings, AK

The Chena Hot Springs Resort campground is located 48 miles east of Fairbanks and is one of Alaska's Interior's most distinctive camping destinations. The privately managed resort sits at the terminus of a fully paved drive that winds roughly an hour east from Fairbanks, and is open year-round, with peak summer camping running from May through September.

Campsite Details

The campground offers 24 sites nestled among spruce forest along the Chena River, accommodating both tents and RVs. Each site comes with a picnic table and fire ring. On-site amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water, laundry facilities, Wi-Fi, a dump station, and a resort restaurant — far more comfortable than your average backcountry stop. The standout perk, of course, is direct access to the resort's famous mineral-rich hot springs.

Activities & Nearby Attractions

On-site, options range from soaking in the geothermal pools (averaging ~106°F) to fishing for grayling in the Chena River or hiking the nearby Angel Rocks Trail. The resort also features an Aurora Ice Museum, geothermal power generation, and heated greenhouses. The surrounding spruce forest makes for a quiet evening campfire. Along the drive back toward Fairbanks, the Chena River State Recreation Area opens up more hiking and fishing opportunities. Fairbanks itself is worth the hour's drive for the University of Alaska Museum of the North and the classic Riverboat Discovery cruise.

Flying In

Chena Hot Springs has its own private airstrip — a classic Alaska fly-in destination about 30 minutes from Fairbanks. The approach is distinctly Alaskan: it involves overflying a ridge with roughly 250 feet of clearance, crossing a hilltop, turning outbound, then banking steeply back to short final with the runway at a 45° angle. The strip is considered challenging and best suited to experienced bush pilots. Commercial use is prohibited, as are ultralights and passenger pick-up/drop-off.