# Chena Hot Springs, Alaska

Chena Hot Springs in Alaska. 153°F (67°C). Roadside. Fairbanks North Star Borough County.

- Page: https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/chena-hot-springs
- Source: Soaking Springs, researched and maintained by Armen Suny
- Updated: 2026-09-14

## Can you soak at Chena Hot Springs?

Not at the source. The water leaves the ground at 153°F, hot enough to burn skin. You can drive right up to it.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | 153°F (67°C) (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| pH | 8.1 (Slightly Alkaline) |
| Total dissolved solids | 388 mg/L |
| Elevation | 1,150 ft |
| Access | Roadside, 0 ft from the nearest road |
| County | Fairbanks North Star Borough County |
| Nearest town | Salcha |
| Coordinates | 65.05300, -146.05700 |
| Best months to soak | January, December, February (largest gap between water and average air temperature) |
| Nearest campground | Cripple Creek Campground, 23.1 mi |

## Soaking safety

**Very Hot Source, Use Extreme Caution.** At 153°F, the source water at Chena Hot Springs is hot enough to cause burns. Some hot springs this hot have cooler side pools or downstream areas suitable for soaking. Always test the water temperature before entering.

## About Chena Hot Springs

Chena Hot Springs is a commercial resort on the Yukon-Tanana Plateau, about fifty miles northeast of Fairbanks in Fairbanks North Star Borough. The road goes right to it. A lodge sits on the site with outdoor soaking pools and a rock-lined warm lake that only adults may use. There is a glassed-in indoor pool too, kept at swimming temperature. The whole place runs on a geothermal power plant next door, and the source water is scalding.

This is roadside. You park and you are there. The country is Interior plateau, a little over a thousand feet up, and the climate is cold and dry. The year averages below freezing. Snow is modest, a few feet, and rain is scarce. Salcha is the nearest town named, some forty-four miles off. Cripple Creek Campground is the closest campground listed, about twenty-three miles away.

A USGS monitoring site exists here, sampled in July 1958. Wikipedia records the adjoining community of Chena Hot Springs and the geothermal plant that powers the lodge.

The record favors December through February, which suits a resort built around hot water in cold air. Stay in the developed pools; the raw source will scald. Public access and fees are not stated on the record, but the Wikipedia description makes it a lodge, so plan on paying. The water chemistry on file is from 1958.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1958-07-06 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| pH | 8.1 |
| Total dissolved solids | 388 mg/L |
| Calcium | 3.2 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 0 mg/L |
| Sodium | 111 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 75 mg/L |
| Chloride | 25 mg/L |

## Nearby

- Nearest city page: [Hot springs near Salcha](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/near/alaska/salcha), 0 mi away
- State page: [Hot springs in Alaska](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska)
- [Hot Springs On Big Windy Creek, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/hot-springs-on-big-windy-creek): Hot, Backcountry, near Deltana, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area County
- [Circle Hot Springs, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/circle-hot-springs): 135°F source, pH 7.2, TDS 809 mg/L, Roadside, near Deltana, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area County
- [Tolovana Hot Springs, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/tolovana-hot-springs-1): pH 7.7, Hike, near Ester, Fairbanks North Star Borough County
- [Tolovana Hot Springs, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/tolovana-hot-springs-2): pH 7.7, Hike, near Ester, Fairbanks North Star Borough County
- [Hot Spring On Flat Creek, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/hot-spring-on-flat-creek): Warm, Backcountry, near Tok, Southeast Fairbanks Census Area County
- [Hutlinana Hot Springs, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/hutlinana-hot-springs-2): TDS 615 mg/L, Hike, near Healy, Denali Borough County

## Questions

**What is the water temperature at Chena Hot Springs?**
Chena Hot Springs has a water temperature of 153°F (67°C). This is considered a hot spring, well above body temperature.

**Where is Chena Hot Springs located?**
Chena Hot Springs is located in Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska at 1,150 feet elevation, near Salcha. Coordinates: 65.0530°N, 146.0570°W.

**How do I get to Chena Hot Springs?**
Chena Hot Springs has Roadside road access (0 ft from the road).

**Can I camp near Chena Hot Springs?**
Yes, Cripple Creek Campground is located nearby (23.1 miles away).

**What minerals are in the water at Chena Hot Springs?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of pH, Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride. The pH is 8.1 (slightly alkaline). Total dissolved solids measure 388 mg/L.

**Is it safe to soak at Chena Hot Springs?**
No, not at the source. The water at Chena Hot Springs reaches 153°F, which can cause severe burns within seconds. Look for cooled side pools or downstream stretches, and test with a hand before anything else.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chena_Hot_Springs_(thermal_mineral_springs)