How to Spend a Fall Day at Chena Hot Springs

About an hour outside of Fairbanks, you’ll find the remote resort of Chena Hot Springs. This isn’t just a tourist trap- a lot of the stuff here is genuinely cool, and deserves a day while visiting Fairbanks! While we visited in late-September, this place is bustling all year round. Here is how to spend a fall day at Chena Hot Springs!

Tour the Ice Museum

This is probably the most tourist-trappy attraction at the resort, but at only $15 per person, it’s not a huge indulgence. The Aurora Ice Museum is open for tours only, and they must be booked ahead of time online or at the activities center.

The ice museum isn’t huge. However, there are tons of sculptures and hidden gems that will easily fill up the 45 minutes you have inside. There are even hotel rooms for rent in the back that are (you guessed it) made completely of ice!

However, the best part of the ice museum is the ice bar! The bar itself as well as the stools are made completely of ice, and even cooler- you can order an appletini served in an ice glass! The drinks will cost you an additional $15 a pop, but you can ask for them strong at no extra charge. After the tour, the groups have fun smashing their ice glasses. It’s pretty therapeutic.

Dip in the Hot Springs

After a chilly tour through a museum made entirely of ice, time to warm up in the geothermic hot springs! The water is perfect for a cool fall day! When we visited, the water temperature was just shy of 106 degrees Fahrenheit! As you enter, it may feel really hot, but as you move away from the rocks toward the middle of the springs it cools off quite a bit. The bottom of the springs is made of small rocks, and feels like you’re walking on gravel. If you have water shoes, it might be a good idea to bring them along (but we were also just fine without).

A springs/pool pass will run you $15 per person, but it is valid for the entire day! You can feel free to come and go as you please, just hang on to your receipt. In addition to the hot springs, there is also an indoor pool and hot tub, and another outdoor hot tub. Funnily enough, we actually went into the outdoor hot tub to cool off after the springs. 99 degrees never felt so good!

Take a hike!

A fall day at Chena Hot Springs is the perfect time to do some hiking! The cooler temperatures make the hikes bearable, and you can take in all the scenery of the changing leaves. The grounds themselves offer a variety of hiking trails, ranging from easy to difficult. We opted for the easier ones that stick close to the resort. Since a fall day at Chena Hot Springs can offer anything from clear weather to a snowstorm, stop in to the activities center to get a daily report of which trails are open and their conditions. Some of their easier trails circle lakes and rivers on the property, and is an easy and quick excursion. If you’re looking for something more strenuous, they offer those too. Click here for more info, or stop into their activity center!

Northern Lights Viewing Tour

Chena Hot Springs is one of the best places to view the Northern Lights in Fairbanks! The Aurora season runs from mid-August through mid-April and as long as you have relatively clear skies, you should be able to see the dancing display! We were nervous when our forecast called for partly-cloudy but it was perfect! If you see some clouds in your forecast, do not fret.

The Aurora tours book up quickly, so this is another one you’ll want to book at least a few weeks ahead of time. We took a look at the long-range forecast and as soon as that was available (and we saw a relatively positive forecast), we pulled the trigger. The group leaves from the activities center at 9:30 pm and returns at about 3:00 am. It’s a long night, but so worth it! You ride in SUSV trucks for about 20-30 minutes to the top of the mountain. As soon as we stepped out, we could see the bright green aurora lighting the sky! At the top, there are yurts to warm up in that provide snacks and hot drinks. When the aurora starts dancing, the guides will notify the people inside the yurt so you never miss out on a great show!

Pro Tip: Book all your activities in advance

For a fall day at Chena Hot Springs, or any time of the year- I cannot stress this enough! Book. Everything. In. Advance.

We had booked ATV rides a few weeks ahead of time with no problem. However, when we arrived we were informed that a recent snowstorm made the trail inaccessible and they had to cancel our ride. We were bummed, but when we inquired to see what else may be available we were told that everything was booked up. Even the ice museum tours. We didn’t think you would need to book ahead for a museum- but learn from our mistakes! Thankfully, we were persistent and hung around the desk when the group was going out and found that there was a no-show party and just enough room for us to squeeze in. Score! If you want to avoid the stresses though, take the time a few weeks in advance and reserve your spots.

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