Alaska Hot Springs

There are hot springs, and then there are Alaska hot springs.

Here, the water comes up through volcanic rock and geothermal fault lines along the Pacific Ring of Fire, carrying minerals that have been brewing for millennia. You can soak at Chena Hot Springs under the northern lights, or float in a natural pool on Baranof Island with nothing but ocean and forest around you. Some springs require a bush plane and a sense of adventure. Others come with a full-service resort and an ice museum. We cover both — because the best soak is the one that fits your Alaskan adventure.

Alaska sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, and its geothermal activity has created more than 70 known thermal springs across the state — from the Southeast panhandle to the Brooks Range. Many are accessible only by boat, floatplane, or a long winter trail. A handful can be reached by road.

Some are a short drive from Fairbanks. Others require a multi-day expedition. All of them carry the same minerals that have drawn people to these remote waters for centuries.