# Surprise Lake Hot Spring, Alaska

Surprise Lake Hot Spring in Alaska. Backcountry · Public Land. Dillingham Census Area County.

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

## Can you soak at Surprise Lake Hot Spring?

No water temperature is on record for Surprise Lake Hot Spring. It sits deep in the backcountry. It's on National Park Service land. We haven't confirmed whether it has a pool or charges a fee.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Source water temperature | Unknown (USGS record; developed pools are often cooled) |
| Total dissolved solids | 548 mg/L |
| Elevation | 1,075 ft |
| Access | Backcountry · Public Land, 16.3 mi from the nearest road |
| Land | Aniakchak National Monument, National Park Service |
| County | Dillingham Census Area County |
| Nearest town | Dillingham |
| Coordinates | 56.92800, -158.12000 |

## About Surprise Lake Hot Spring

Surprise Lake Hot Spring is inside Aniakchak National Monument, on Park Service ground, Dillingham Census Area, with Dillingham itself about 150 miles distant. the access on record says open. The water was sampled in July 1976 and carries iron in the mix, but no temperature was taken, so the record gives no answer on soaking. Nobody logged a pH either; the sample covered dissolved solids and minerals.

Sixteen miles to the nearest road. National monument backcountry with no named trail in the record. Elevation is low, and the climate is wet and snowy, with over 160 inches of snow in a season and an average temperature a little above freezing. No campground is attached, and no fee.

Summer, with no best-month data to narrow it further. Expect to be on your own entirely; the file lists no cabin and no fee. Monument rules apply, so check with the National Park Service about permits. The 1976 chemistry is the only water data, and it says nothing about heat.

## Water chemistry

Lab sample from 1976-07-25 (Water Quality Portal).

| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| Total dissolved solids | 548 mg/L |
| Calcium | 45 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 31 mg/L |
| Sodium | 99 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 23 mg/L |
| Chloride | 86 mg/L |
| Iron | 13,000 µg/L |

Records this spring holds:
- Most iron of Alaska's 15 springs with an iron reading: 13,000 µg/L

## Nearby

- State page: [Hot springs in Alaska](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska)
- [Hot Spring Near Mother Goose Lake, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/hot-spring-near-mother-goose-lake): 138°F source, Backcountry, near Dillingham, Dillingham Census Area County
- [W Ukinek Spring, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/w-ukinek-spring): pH 6.3, Backcountry, near Dillingham, Dillingham Census Area County
- [Gas Rocks Hot Spring, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/gas-rocks-hot-spring): 127°F source, pH 5.9, Backcountry, near Dillingham, Dillingham Census Area County
- [Hot Spring Near Port Moller, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/hot-spring-near-port-moller): 160°F source, Backcountry, near Sand Point, Aleutians East Borough County
- [Hot Spring Near Katmai Pass, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/hot-spring-near-katmai-pass): Hot, Backcountry, near Kodiak Station, Kodiak Island Borough County
- [Hot Springs Near Mt Katmai, AK](https://www.soakingsprings.com/hot-springs/alaska/hot-springs-near-mt-katmai): Hot, Backcountry, near Kodiak Station, Kodiak Island Borough County

## Questions

**Where is Surprise Lake Hot Spring located?**
Surprise Lake Hot Spring is located in Dillingham Census Area, Alaska at 1,075 feet elevation, near Dillingham. Coordinates: 56.9280°N, 158.1200°W.

**How do I get to Surprise Lake Hot Spring?**
Surprise Lake Hot Spring has Backcountry road access (16.3 mi from the road).

**Is Surprise Lake Hot Spring free to visit?**
Surprise Lake Hot Spring has Open access. It is managed by National Park Service.

**What minerals are in the water at Surprise Lake Hot Spring?**
Water chemistry analysis shows the presence of Total Dissolved Solids, Calcium, Magnesium, Sodium, Sulfate, Chloride, Iron. Total dissolved solids measure 548 mg/L.

## Sources

- USGS thermal springs records, Water Quality Portal lab analyses, OpenStreetMap, Wikipedia/Wikidata, NOAA climate normals