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Published November 6, 2023
How To Plan An Epic Winter in Alaska Vacation
Thinking of seeing winter in Alaska?
If you’re like me, probably not!
While a trip to Alaska was always high on my travel bucket list, I imagined viewing impressive fjords from the comfort of a cruise ship or reeling in salmon off the Kenai Peninsula under sunny summer skies. Winter in Alaska sounded daunting and downright frigid!
To be brutally honest, I never saw the point of visiting Alaska in winter. As a lifelong resident of northern Minnesota, I’ve got winter fun cornered.
But as a seasonal business owner, my summers are spent anchored to the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. When I set a goal of seeing all 50 states (completed in Hawaii in 2022!), I realized to see Alaska in a timely manner, I’d need to visit in winter. Before I could fully process what was happening, I was booking a December trip to Chena Hot Springs Resort outside of Fairbanks, AK.
During that December 2019 Alaska winter adventure, I realized if you’re not willing to see winter in Alaska, you’re seriously missing out. After all, this is by far the longest season in Alaska, stretching from October until early May. There are so many fun, unique things to do in Alaska in winter including dog sledding, ice fishing, skiing, and watching for northern lights.
If you’re wondering if Alaska is worth visiting in winter, I’m here with a full winter in Alaska guide. I’ll talk about what to do, what to expect for weather and daylight, and where to stay during winter in Alaska. I’ve even included a bunch of Alaska winter tour suggestions to make your vacation super easy and memorable.
Read on to learn why a winter visit is the best way to experience Alaska!
Where To Go in Alaska in Winter
First things first: Alaska is absolutely massive. There’s no way you’re going to see the entire state in one visit, let alone a lifetime. As you start planning your Alaska winter vacation, you’ll want to home in on one very small area of the state. Here are some of the most popular Alaska winter destinations:
Fairbanks is probably the most common Alaska winter destination. Although it only has a population of about 32,000, Fairbanks is the second largest city in Alaska, making it a great airport to fly into to start your Alaska winter adventure. From there you can adventure in all sorts of directions like Denali National Park, Chena Hot Springs, or the Arctic Circle. We opted for Chena Hot Springs Resort for our Alaska winter trip and it did not disappoint!
As Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage provides a great base for a winter trip since you can enjoy urban amenities and easy access to outdoor adventures. You can embark on all sorts of winter tours in Anchorage, including wildlife tours and visiting the Matanuska Glacier in Chugach National Forest. The city hosts the ceremonial start of the Iditarod sled dog race and the annual “Fur Rondy” winter festival.
If you’re looking for a more remote experience, consider staying in Girdwood. This small town, nestled in the Chugach Mountains, provides a winter wonderland that’s perfect for skiing, snowboarding, and snowshoeing. You can stay at the luxurious Alyeska Resort which offers upscale accommodations, a world-class ski resort, and great views of snow-covered peaks.
What weather to expect if you visit Alaska in the winter
Alaska is nearly 2.5 times larger than Texas so winter weather across the state varies drastically.
In general, if you’re planning to visit Alaska in winter, you’re headed into the state’s interior where it’s not uncommon for temperatures to dip to -50F and colder. Although a typical winter day around Fairbanks is a lot warmer than -50, the average winter temperatures is still below 0F, so make sure you pack plenty of quality winter clothing. (Check out my Alaska winter packing list to see exactly what to pack.)
You might be surprised to know that those chilly temperatures mean that the Alaska interior doesn’t receive a massive amount of snow. Fairbanks averages just 66 inches of annual snowfall. We get more snow here on Minnesota’s Gunflint Trail!
Of course, if you’re headed somewhere closer to the coast, you can expect warmer temperatures as well as a lot more snow. Anchorage enjoys lovely mild winter weather with temps in the teens and 20s and an average of 80 inches of snowfall. Meanwhile, Valdez is the snowiest spot in the entire United States with an average of 300 inches of snow each winter!
Regardless of where you decide to go in Alaska in winter, be sure to look at the weather forecast right before your trip. While we were mentally ready for temperatures well below zero in the Fairbanks area, we actually experienced a random heat wave with temps above freezing!
Tips for visiting Alaska in Winter
- Weather can be unpredictable. Keep a close eye on the weather and create an itinerary that allows extra travel time if needed.
- Some Alaskan roads are closed in the winter. To prevent getting stuck on an impassable snow-covered road, double check your route before heading out. If you’re still not sure, ask a local!
- If you’re renting a car, remember that Alaska winter road conditions require careful attention. You’ll need to reduce your speed on icy, snow-covered roads, so definitely don’t trust your map app’s time estimates. Be sure to check road conditions before heading out and make sure you have emergency supplies like extra clothing, food, water, a flashlight, and shovel in your vehicle.
- Alaska’s limited winter daylight is no joke. In Fairbanks, expect just 3.5 useable hours of daylights in mid-December, while more southerly Alaskan cities like Anchorage have about 5.5 hours. If you visit Alaska in the depths of winter, you’ll be doing most of your sightseeing in the dark or twilight and you’ll certainly do some night driving.
- Just as quickly as the daylight disappears, it returns. In fact, March is a favorite time to experience winter in Alaska. By the end of March, you’ll enjoy 13.5 hours of daylight in the Fairbanks area. While that might mean less northern light viewing, the tradeoff of more sightseeing and much brighter photos is one most are willing to take!
Best Things To Do in Alaska in Winter
When I started seriously contemplating a winter visit to Alaska, my biggest question was “what do you during winter in Alaska?” After a quick Google asking that very question, we settled on a northern lights themed adventure outside of Fairbanks.
In addition to the infamous Aurora Borealis viewing opportunities, Alaska in winter is the perfect place to reacquaint yourself with the outdoor winter activities you loved as a kid.
With so many things to do and see in Alaska in the winter, you’re going to be wishing for more daylight!
View the Northern Lights
Hands down, the number one draw to Alaska in winter is the opportunity to see the northern lights, or Aurora Borealis. You have the best chance of seeing the northern lights in Alaska on clear nights with little to no moon. The northeastern region of the state, including Fairbanks, is the best area in Alaska to see the aurora because it’s located within the auroral oval that surrounds the north pole.
If you’re going to be seriously bummed if you miss the northern lights during your Alaska trip, take a look at the lunar calendar first and choose trip dates around the new moon.
I also recommend downloading the My Aurora Forecast app to see the probability of seeing the aurora each night. Our resort also posted this information in their activity center.
Although we weren’t successful (happily, we see the Aurora Borealis appear fairly frequently in our home in Minnesota) we really enjoyed our night at the top of an Alaskan mountain hoping the clouds would clear. Instead of northern lights, we got rained on, which was actually pretty amusing in hindsight.
Hiking or Snowshoeing
Hiking through the snowy mountains around Chena Hot Springs Resort was one of my favorite things we did during our winter visit. As long as you bundle up and make sure to bring along some winter hiking essentials like snacks and an extra layer of clothing, hiking or snowshoeing through the pristine Alaskan wilderness can be very rewarding.
Trails like the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage or the Angel Rocks Trail near Fairbanks are popular choices. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some wildlife, such as moose or winter birds, along the way.
As I mentioned earlier, the interior of Alaska doesn’t get a ton of snow. I brought along my large soled winter boots and they provided plenty of traction and floatation on a trail covered in fresh snow. However, if we’d been walking through any deeper snow, snowshoes would have made the hiking much easier. You can rent snowshoes at most local outdoor shops or resorts in Alaska, although I actually recommend packing them if you own a pair you like and you have room if your suitcase.
Cross-country skiing
I wasn’t a very experienced cross-country skier during our December 2019 Alaska visit. Now that I’ve had a couple winters to hone my skills, I can’t wait to return to explore winter in Alaska on skis.
Anchorage boasts over 130 miles of maintained trails, including the popular Tony Knowles Coastal Trail and Kincaid Park. Farther north, Fairbanks offers the Birch Hill Recreation Area, with challenging trails and stunning views. A couple other good cross-country skiing destinations around Fairbanks include Chena Lake Recreation Area and Chena River State Recreation Area.
For those seeking an off-the-beaten-path experience, the Denali National Park offers cross-country skiing opportunities amidst its breathtaking, wild landscape. The road is Denali is plowed only to the visitor center, so swing by to check on current conditions before heading out.
While Denali National Park has snowshoes you can borrow, they don’t offer any other winter gear rental so if you want to ski in the national park, rent skis in Fairbanks. I’d recommend getting a pair of backcountry skis if you can find them.
Watch the Start or Finish of the Iditarod
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is “the big one” in the sled dog racing community. If you can fit it into your Alaska itinerary, watching the start or finish of the Iditarod is an experience you’ll never forget.
The ceremonial start takes place on the first Saturday in March in downtown Anchorage. The actual race begins in earnest on the following day in Willow, embarking on a grueling journey across 1,000 miles of Alaska’s most rugged and isolated terrain.
After 8 – 15 days, teams start crossing the finish line in Nome. If you want to watch the finish, you’ll need stay on top of race updates so you know when to head into Nome to join locals and other visitors cheering the winner across the finish line.
Ice skating
As a kid, I basically spent all winter, every winter in ice skates, but for some reason I never thought about ice skating in Alaska until I arrived. Happily, Chena Hot Springs Resort maintains a small ice rink on one of their ponds. In the early daylight (so 11 a.m. . . . ) we spent an hour practicing our hockey stops and 3-turns on the ice.
Obviously, ice isn’t hard to find in Alaska.
In Anchorage, Westchester Lagoon is a popular spot, providing a large, maintained outdoor ice rink with a beautiful backdrop of snow-dusted trees and mountains. If you prefer an indoor experience, the Dempsey Anderson Ice Arena is a good choice.
In Fairbanks, the Big Dipper Ice Arena offers indoor skating, while the outdoor rinks at Ester Community Park provide a fun skating experience.
Sledding
I was able to reacquaint myself with another favorite childhood winter activity in Alaska: sledding. I’d forgotten what a thrill this low-tech activity is . . . and how much of a workout you get trudging up the hill after each run.
We might not have seen the northern lights during our designated watching time on top of a mountain, but we had a blast on the nearby sledding hill as we waited (fruitlessly) for the skies to clear. Screaming down the side of a hill in a plastic toboggan in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness is one of my core Alaska memories.
You can go sledding in Alaska pretty much anywhere there’s snow and a hill. Just ask at a resort or sports shop to see if they offer sleds and where to find the nearest sledding hill.
If you want a more formal experience, many Alaskan ski areas offer tubing. In Anchorage, popular sledding and tubing locations include the Russian Jack Springs Park and the Hilltop Ski Area. In Fairbanks, Birch Hill Recreation Area features a scenic tubing spot with a great view of the city.
Ice fishing
Summers are often hailed as the best time to fish in Alaska, but ice fishing allows anglers to fish year-round.
The Kenai Peninsula, with its numerous stocked lakes, is a popular destination for ice fishing. Meanwhile, the Mat-Su Valley region offers an abundance of remote lakes. The state capital, Juneau, also hosts several ice fishing derbies throughout the winter season.
If you’re new to ice fishing or prefer to have a guide, there are many Alaska fishing charters who provide gear, transportation, and expertise to ensure a safe and successful ice fishing expedition.
Snowmobiling
Snowmobiling is another thrilling way to explore the Alaskan wilderness during your winter vacation.
Alaska’s vast landscape is laced with over 7,000 miles of well-marked, maintained snowmobile trails, offering a diverse array of scenic routes for riders of all skill levels. Some of the most popular areas for snowmobiling include the Mat-Su Valley, the Caribou Hills near Homer, and the White Mountains north of Fairbanks.
If you don’t have any experience riding a machine, you might want to try a guided snowmobile tour before heading out on your own. Or you could do what we saw our fellow Chena Resort guests doing and just stick to the flat terrain close to your resort with your snowmobile rental.
Attend Fur Rondy
Each winter starting in late February, Anchorage hosts the Anchorage Fur Rendezous. This 11-day event stretches over two weekends and is the oldest winter festival in Alaska, dating back to 1936. Some events such as the Blanket Toss are taken from Alaskan Native traditions. Other events include the “Running of the Reindeer” and Open World Championship Sled Dog Races.
Wildlife Watching
In the Last Frontier state, there are plenty of places where you’re more likely to see wildlife than another human. Although many species hibernate in the winter, there’s still lots of amazing Alaskan wildlife to see in the winter including bald eagles, moose, caribou, wolves, dall sheep, and maybe even orca whales depending on where you’re traveling in the state.
If you’re passionate about seeing wildlife during your Alaska vacation, I’d recommend booking a tour. In a state as vast as Alaska, having a guide to lead you to the best wildlife viewing spots is key to success.
Or just head to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Located 47 miles outside of Anchorage, the center provides an opportunity to see wood bison, muskox, wolves, fox, reindeer, lynx, and many other species. This 200-acre sanctuary provides a place for orphaned or injured animals live out the rest of their days in safety and comfort, while you and I get a chance to enjoy the animals in a respectful, safe manner.
See a glacier
While it’s definitely harder to get to Alaska’s glaciers in winter, it is possible! The most popular option for seeing an Alaskan glacier in winter is Matanuska Glacier.
Located in the Mat-Su Valley near the Chugach Mountains, this road access glacier is a popular day trip from Anchorage. Just note that a guided tour is required to visit.
During your winter visit to Matanuska Glacier, you’ll hike on the glacier, slip around on a frozen glacier lake, and maybe even duck into some ice caves!
Visit an ice museum
Chena Hot Springs Resort has been home to the Aurora Ice Museum since 2005. You’ll need a guided tour to get into this frosty museum located in a building that looks like a cross between a giant igloo and a greenhouse.
Inside, you’ll find the workshop where ice artists work on sculptures and restoring museum displays. After passing through the workshop, you’ll enter a frozen wonderland of ice chandeliers, life-sized ice sculptures, an ice bar, and an igloo all bathed in colorful lights. Two “hotel rooms” sit in the back of the museum, although according to our guide, no one’s ever spent a full night in one of them.
I loved going from room to room and discovering all the exquisite ice details. One room contained a full-sized ice xylophone you could actually play. The ice chandeliers had just been replaced in the museum and they were incredible. Although ice doesn’t melt in the museum, it’s prone to sublimation which keeps the Chena ice artists busy replacing various museum features as they lose definition.
Once we’d finished looking around, those of us who ponied up the $15 for an appletini in an ice glass sidled up to the ice bar for our drink. It took a minute to get the hang of drinking out of glasses made of ice!
I seriously loved the ice museum and was mighty sad that the tour has a 40-minute time limit, probably to limit the ice sublimation caused by people’s breath and ambient body temperature.
Bathe in hot springs
Geothermal energy makes any destination more exciting (here’s looking at you, Azores!) and Alaska offers more than 20 hot springs where visitors can immerse themselves in water warmed by the earth’s core.
Regardless of if you think hot springs have any therapeutic power beyond easing some aches and pains, there’s something particularly magical about visiting a hot spring in the depths of winter. Even when the outside temperature is well below zero, you’ll probably only be able to stay in the 100+ degree water for a few minutes.
The most accessible hot springs in Alaska is the one we visited at Chena Hot Springs Resort. However, there are several other hot springs you could add to your Alaska winter itinerary.
If you’re looking for a backcountry adventure, consider visiting Tolovana Hot Springs outside of Fairbanks. You’ll need either a snowmobile or skis to access this remote hot springs so getting there really is half the adventure!
Go dog sledding
If you’re thinking Alaska in winter, you’re probably thinking of Balto, Jack London, the Iditarod, and Lance Mackey. Don’t worry, there really is as much dog sledding in Alaska as you think. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that you visit Alaska in winter and don’t go dog sledding at some point, you’re seriously missing out.
There’s no shortage of dog sled tour operators in Alaska. We did a short ride at Chena Kennel that was included in our vacation package from Chena Hot Springs Resort. Before the ride, we were able to meet and interact with several of the kennel’s dogs. After the dog musher and her assistant hooked up a team, we enjoyed an exhilarating, but very short, ride through the snow-flocked forest.
When you’re booking your Alaskan dog sled adventure, I recommend keeping a couple things in mind:
- If the tour doesn’t state how long of ride it includes, check to see the distance of the ride. Sled dogs travel at about 12 mph, so 1.5 mile ride will take less than 15 minutes.
- Check to see if you’ll be able to assist with handling the dogs and hooking them up to the sled. For me, that’s the most fun part of the whole experience.
Best Alaska Winter Tours
Chena Hot Springs Resort Tour
Located about 60 miles northeast of Fairbanks, the Chena Hot Springs Resort offers a unique winter tour that combines relaxation, recreation, and sightseeing.
The tour typically includes round-trip transportation from Fairbanks, plenty of time to soak in the resort’s unique rock-lined outdoor hot springs, and a tour of the Aurora Ice Museum.After dark, you can also enjoy prime northern lights viewing.
Glacier Helicopter Tour
If you want to see Alaska winter at its most breathtaking, consider booking a helicopter tour. Based out of Palmer, your helicopter tour includes a 30-minute flight, then landing on a glacier and spending another 30 minutes exploring the frozen ice. If you’re lucky, you might even spot some wildlife from the air!
If you’re looking for a longer tour (and have the budget for it), the Grand Knik Helicopter Tour is a popular option.
Wilderness Wildlife Glacier Experience
Based in Anchorage, this six-hour adventure takes you to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, Chugach National Forest, and Chugach State Park. You’ll also watch for whales, learn a little about Alaska’s gold mining history, and visit Cook Inlet. During the winter, they’ll even pick you up from your hotel so you don’t even have to think about winter driving.
Other Alaska Winter Tour Options
Wrap-up: What to do in Alaska in winter
I hope your head is now swimming with all sort of ideas of what to do in Alaska in winter. There are seriously so many reasons to choose to visit Alaska during its longest, coldest season. As long as you have appropriate clothing, flexible travel plans that can accommodate weather delays, and a sense of adventure, an Alaska winter vacation is a rewarding and memorable experience.
If you’re nervous about the logistics of visiting Alaska in winter, I definitely recommend booking a tour or resort package for a super easy visit. Otherwise, practice those winter driving skills and start exploring on your own. There’s so much to see that one trip to Alaska in winter probably won’t be enough.
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