Alaska Hot Springs

Accessible only by boat or floatplane on the wild eastern shore of Baranof Island, these warm springs cascade down a rocky hillside into a series of pools overlooking Warm Spring Bay. Bald eagles and humpback whales are frequent companions during soaks.

Deep in the Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge above the Arctic Circle, these springs are among the most northerly in the U.S. Reached only by bush plane or extended winter travel, the hot pools sit in a vast sub-arctic wetland teeming with migratory birds in summer.

Accessible only by a 10-mile ski, snowshoe, or ATV trail, Tolovana is a true Alaska wilderness hot spring. Three wooden tubs sit in a remote setting with a public-use cabin. A backcountry adventure for the dedicated soaker.

Reached only by a rugged 10-mile trail from the Elliott Highway, Tolovana rewards the journey with three hand-built cedar tubs fed by 140°F geothermal water. A rustic public-use cabin provides shelter in the subarctic wilderness, making overnight trips essential.

Remote volcanic hot springs on Akutan Island in the Aleutian chain, accessible only by boat or floatplane. Scalding water cascades down a hillside into soakable pools overlooking the Bering Sea. One of the most isolated hot springs in North America.

Accessible by jet boat up the Stikine River from Wrangell, these springs feature a covered wooden tub and an open-air pool surrounded by old-growth Tongass rainforest. Named after the Tlingit chief, the springs offer a quintessential Southeast Alaska backcountry experience.

A remote Interior Alaska hot spring reached by bush plane, snowmachine, or a long overland trek. Hot water emerges from a hillside and flows through a series of natural pools in the boreal forest. Winter visits offer aurora viewing from steaming pools at fifty below.

Alaska's premier hot springs resort, famous for aurora viewing from the outdoor rock lake pool. Located 60 miles from Fairbanks, Chena combines geothermal soaking with Northern Lights and an ice museum carved from local ice year-round.

Located in the tiny end-of-the-road village of Manley Hot Springs, these geothermal pools sit inside a private greenhouse filled with tropical plants. The juxtaposition of lush vegetation against the subarctic landscape makes for a surreal soaking experience.

A remote geothermal oasis along the Steese Highway in Alaska's interior, Circle Hot Springs has drawn visitors since gold rush days. The ruins of a historic resort still stand nearby, lending an eerie frontier atmosphere to soaks under the northern lights.