Alaska has 14 hot springs, including 11 free primitive soaks and 3 paid resorts, the most remote collection of geothermal soaking sites in the United States, with several reachable only by bush plane, dogsled, or boat. Springs cluster in three regions: the Interior around Fairbanks (Chena, Manley, Tolovana), the Alaska Peninsula, and the Southeast panhandle near Sitka and Ketchikan (Baranof, Goddard, White Sulphur). Chena Hot Springs, Manley Hot Springs, Tolovana Hot Springs, and Baranof Warm Springs are the most-visited. Alaska's thermal activity is driven by subduction along the Aleutian arc and by fault-hosted hydrothermal circulation in the Interior. Water temperatures at surface commonly range 105-165°F. Land ownership is a mix of state park, National Forest (Tongass, Chugach), private, and Native corporation land; access is overwhelmingly hike-in, fly-in, or boat-in, with very few drive-up options outside Chena. Best season is late spring through early fall for most sites, while Chena is famous as a winter aurora-viewing soak. Gateway airports are Fairbanks (Interior), Anchorage, Juneau, and Sitka. Clothing-optional is common at remote wild sites; developed resorts require swimwear. Reviewed and updated August 2026. Start on the interactive map to see which sites are reachable by road.
