Alaska--- Chena hot springs

[lakewoodpaul]

Going back to Alaska to do and see some things we haven't seen or done. Has anyone ever camped at or near Chena Hot Springs? I am mainly interested in a nat. forest or state campground in that area.Need to know the size of sites and accessibility to them. seems to me last time we were there we passed some up I guess I should have checked it out but didnt khow we'd be planning another trip up there.
Thanks

[Superslif]

We have family in North Pole (Suburb of Fairbanks). I have driven down the Chena Hot Springs road many times to hike and fish. I remember driving thru the first state park (Rose hip) at mile marker 27. It had very wide campground roads and easy to get in sites. I have driven thru many of the State park or Corp of Engineer parks in and around Fairbanks, all seems to have nice wide gravel roads. I remember there are times Chena Hot Springs road will flood in about 3 different spots. We had a SUV so were OK, but some in cars had to wait for the water to go down to cross the high water in the road. The next campground on Chena Hot Springs road is ( mile marker 39) Tors Trail Campground. I parked in their parking lot to hike the Granite Tors Trail. This whole area is called Chena River State Recreation Area

Overall Chena Hot Springs road is a nice paved raod where in a Car or SUV you can travel at 50- 55mph. There are many pull offs to fish or watch the wildlife. I remember doing some fly fishing in a lake that the water was so clear you could see the fish coming from 25 feet away.

[lakewoodpaul]

thank you superslife that is helpful. I see you are from N.E. Ohio we are in Lakewood Ohio and your pics in your photo album are familiar

[sirpurrcival]

If you are going up that way and like Hot Springs. Be sure to stop at Liard River Hot Springs on the Alaska Hwy. There is a campground and the hotsprings are very nice.

[Superslif]

How about my AK. pixs from 08' we have been up there 5 times and 08' was the first time we visited Denali NP. I hope to retire June of 16' and AK. is the trip I want to take. We'll go for 2-1/2 months....

[lakewoodpaul]

We were at Denali in 08 stayed at teklanika cg 4 nites and 2 nites at Riley creek. Fantastic, your pics bring back memories. 08 was our 2nd trip to AK. and we are planning to go this year providing gas prices aren't too goofy. Back in 08 in Canada after adjusting for gallons to liters we were paying $6.50 per gallon and the US currency was the same as Canadian. That hurt!

[sirpurrcival]

Wow, you are lucky to have seen a Wolf. That is pretty rare. They are almost as elusive as Cougars.

Gas is painful on a trip like this. No ifs, ands or buts. We are paying roughly 40 cents more per gallon here in BC than just across the line in Washington. Definitely cheaper to drive up through Alberta. Pretty much the cheapest gas in this country. Still more expensive than stateside but it is only a severe wound compared to a mortal one.

[Superslif]

Wow, you are lucky to have seen a Wolf. That is pretty rare. They are almost as elusive as Cougars.

He was actually much closer before I got my camera opened up. How long does everyone stay on a trip like this. I mean total time spent traveling to AK and back to the lower 48?

[lakewoodpaul]

In 05 we went on a caravan with Winnebago and I think it was something like 50 days long and we probably spent 2 weeks extra b4 and after the caravan. We went back on our own in 08 and spent the same amount of time but took a different route and did our own things.

[sirpurrcival]

I only whish I had that much time. From where I live in Lower BC, it is basically 2 days to get to the official start of the Alaska Hwy. I took a 3 week trip one time and although I didn't get as far as Fairbanks or Denali on a second trip I actually did the whole Hwy and back in 11 days and that still left three days in Dawson City. So it doesn't have to be a long trip if you like driving but I would generally suggest 3 weeks at a minimum. I call that Hwy the great big empty because at times you can drive for an hour before you see another vehicle. It is amazing and humbling all at the same time. Even just driving through BC to get to the start can be a bit of a journey. 2 days of driving just to get to the starting point. If money is no object, here is the ultimate circle route.

Alasaka Hwy (enjoy travelling around Alaska)
Come back to Watson Lake, Yukon
Come down Hwy 37 through Deas Lake et al
Turn Right at Hwy 16 go to Prince Rupert.
Take Prince Rupert Ferry to Vancouver Island and drive down.
Take Ferry from Victoria to Port Angelus Wash.

Or substitue Alaska Ferry back to US. Nice way to de-stress after alot of driving miles.

[Superslif]

When I go...it will be for at least 2 months...or until the money runs out....Since we have family in the Fairbanks (North Pole) area we can crash in their double wide driveway for a month. Maybe head south to the Kenai for a few weeks or Valdez.

Added some more AK. pixs

[sdennislee]

Originally Posted by Superslif

How long does everyone stay on a trip like this. I mean total time spent traveling to AK and back to the lower 48?

I live in Ohio and work in AK. The MH comes home in the winter.

Last trip it took us 11 days from Anchorage to Middletown, OH. Should have added another 3 days to have made a more comfortable drive pace. OH to AK is a casual 14 day drive.

First year a friend and I made it from Anchorage to Chicago in 81 hours. We traded off driving and sleeping. After I dropped him in CHicago, I made it as far as Lafayette, IN. Pulled in to a rest area and slept for 14 hours. Definitely wouldn't recommend this pace to anyone.

[scenic route]

We visited Chena Hot Springs this past summer - never did see the actual springs. Seems they are now pretty much covered up with resort and it ain't cheap either. There is a small campground on premises...hilly but looked nice. No hookups that we saw, but water and a dump site was available for guests. IIRC, it was around $20 a night for a site. We stayed in Fairbanks for the 10 days we were there and unfortunately, it was rainy for most of the time, so the mosquitoes were terrible.

We drove every dirt(muddy) road to small lakes and recreational parks that we could get to on the way in and got eaten up for our efforts... dry camping the Chena Recreational Area would have been out of the question at that time. I guess it's all up to the weather? We did see a huge bull moose chomping away in a lake for an hour.

We spent over 2 & 1/2 months in Canada and Alaska and felt that it was not enough time to do them justice. Haines was our most memorable stop...trip of a lifetime! Bob

[Superslif]

May and June can be very bad for mosquitoes most years.