Chena Hot Springs Resort - Fairbanks, Alaska
On your first visit to Chena Hot Springs Resort is it amazing to think about earlier visitors traveling the same path via different modes of transportation and trail and taking anywhere from 4-14 days from downtown Fairbanks to reach the resort. Today’s travel via a modern 56.5 mile paved road provides a quick one hour fifteen minute trip.
Chena Hot Springs Resort recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary in August 2005. It was discovered by two gold mining brothers, Robert and Thomas Swan who learned that a U.S. Geological Survey crew, in 1904, had seen steam rising from a valley somewhere on the upper Chena River. The surveyors concluded that it had to be from a hot springs, but did not investigate further.
Robert Swan looking for a place where he could ease the pain he suffered from rheumatism, set out in a boat loaded with supplies with his brother Thomas, in search of the hot springs. Over one month after leaving Fairbanks they arrived at the North Fork of the Chena and traveled up that tributary to the mouth of Monument Creek. They ascended Monument Creek a short way, and found the hot springs on August 5, 1905.
By 1911, the property boasted a stable, bathhouse and twelve small cabins for visitors. The resort was on its way to becoming one of the premier resorts of Interior Alaska, and a favorite getaway spot for world-weary residents of Fairbanks.
As the fame of the hot springs spread, Alaska’s delegate to Congress, James Wickersham, asked the Department of Agriculture to analyze the waters. The bureau of Chemistry analyzed three pints and concluded that the water was different from any American hot springs previously examined. The principal characteristics of the Chena Hot Springs waters consisted of its content of sulfate, chloride and bicarbonate of sodium. In fact, it was very similar to the waters of a famous hot springs in Bohemia.
Today Chena Hot Springs resort enjoys a clean, healthy and beautiful natural environment and continues to welcome people from all over the world to bathe in the curative powers of the hot waters. The Resort is located approximately 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks accessed year round via Chena Hot Springs Road.
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As a life long Alaskan, and fellow traveler myself, I wanted to add some comments on Chena Hot Springs.
While staying there in February a while back (-40 or so at the time Farenheit)I recalled the most spectacular Northern Lights I had ever seen in my 35 years there.
Due to the remote location and lack of city lights, the sky is lit up like a crazed dancing light show- vibrant with greens, blues and reds whipping through the night sky. It was spectacular.
Try to make it up there, its romantic, cozy and worth the stop. Every year in during winter Chena also receives many visitors from Japan for the fertility aspects believed to be enhanced under the Northern Lights…
Cheers,
Jerry Shively
http://www.alaskatravelbook.com