Chena Hot Springs Resort

Welcome to Chena Hot Springs Resort, an extraordinary geographical anomaly and a world-renowned destination situated approximately sixty miles northeast of Fairbanks. As you arrive at this remote, four-hundred-and-forty-acre…

To truly appreciate the luxury of the steaming water before you, we must first understand the violent geological mechanics occurring miles beneath our feet. The Chena Hot Springs are not heated by a localized volcanic magma…

As you transition from the changing facilities—which purposefully retain a slightly outdated, rustic, almost YMCA-style aesthetic—and step out into the brutally cold Alaskan air, your body experiences an immediate, profound…

Emerging from the heat of the geothermal waters, we shift our focus to an architectural marvel that celebrates the absolute opposite end of the thermal spectrum: the Aurora Ice Museum. This striking, cathedral-like structure…

While the aesthetic and recreational draws of the resort are undeniable, arguably the most impressive feature of Chena is entirely industrial. Hidden slightly away from the primary tourist thoroughfares is a state-of-the-art…

As you wander the expansive grounds of the resort, your eyes are inevitably drawn to a massive, seemingly out-of-place artifact resting quietly amidst the snow and spruce trees. Parked prominently near the airstrip is a striking,…

We conclude our specific tour of the Chena grounds by focusing on the primary nighttime obsession of nearly every visitor here: the relentless pursuit of the Aurora Borealis. Because of its distance from the light pollution of…

As our exploration of the Chena Hot Springs Resort comes to an end, take a moment to absorb the immense, sensory overload of this unique environment. You have journeyed to the very edge of the modern, connected world, leaving…