Fairbanks Winter Guide 2024

6 LOOK to the sky The aurora may be visible from anywhere in town where you can see the northern sky but the show will be more vibrant a few miles out of town where it is darker. Explore aurora viewing areas in your own vehicle, join a tour for expert guidance or head to a specialized aurora viewing venue. Some popular aurora viewing destinations include Murphy Dome in the hills west of town, Chena Lake Recreation Area just outside the city of North Pole and Chena River State Recreation Area along Chena Hot Springs Road. All feature public use areas perfect for stopping to view the aurora. Head north of Fairbanks to Cleary Summit along the Steese Highway for glorious north-facing views. Up the Dalton Highway in the Brooks Range, Coldfoot features spectacular aurora viewing above the Arctic Circle. It is best to get there via tour as the area is remote, the road is mostly gravel and can be rough with very few services along the way. To the south, Denali National Park and Preserve (Parks Highway) and Delta Junction (Richardson Highway) both offer aurora viewing amidst stunning mountain vistas of the Alaska Range.

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