Fairbanks, Alaska Aurora Borealis/Northern lights Trip 2024 (Complete Guide)

During the 6 days and 5 nights trip to Fairbanks, we were able to see the Aurora Borealis as well as some spectacular natural scenery of the Northern Polar Regions.

What is Aurora Borealis?

Aurora Borealis is produced by geomagnetic storm activity, and there is a high chance of seeing it in areas near the North and South Poles. The more active the geomagnetic storm activity is, the greater and faster the aurora changes. Aurora has many colors, green and red are more common, under normal intensity, the aurora seen through the naked eye is silver, the higher the intensity, the easier to see green and red. Auroras are most spectacular when they burst, and the whole process takes about 10-20 minutes.

Where can I watch the aurora?

The closer you get to the South Pole or the North Pole, the higher the chance of seeing the Aurora Borealis in remote areas. Tourists usually go to famous aurora viewing spots such as Alaska, Norway, Greenland, Iceland, Swedan, Finland.

When can I go to see the aurora?

It is difficult to predict the aurora, it is best to look at the KP intensity value released on NOAA’s official website to get a rough idea of the chance of seeing the aurora on that day, and then look at the aurora forecast map of that day to make sure the aurora belt has already arrived at the location. To be on the safe side, it is best to watch some local YouTube Aurora Livecams to see if the aurora can be seen on the screen. If you see a shallow band of auroras on the live camera, you can set off immediately, and in about 1-2 hours there may be an auroral outburst, which is the best time to see the auroras.

The time period of the aurora is not fixed, sometimes you can see the aurora at 9:00pm, sometimes you can’t see it until 4:00am the next day. Generally speaking, 11pm to 2am is the most common time to observe the aurora.

Aurora/Northern lights forecast Website:

AURORA DASHBOARD (EXPERIMENTAL)

AURORA – 30 MINUTE FORECAST

Aurora/Northern lights Livecam:

LIVE Northern Lights Fairbanks, Alaska

Poker Flat Research Range (Fairbanks Aurora Livecam)

Aurora Borealis – Northern Lights (Churchill, Manitoba, Canada)

Kangerlussuaq Airport West (Central-western Greenland)

Ilulissat Airport South (the North and West Greenland)

Kulusuk Airport East (Southeastern Greenland)

Falkahreidur, Iceland – Cam 3

Reykjanes multiview – Live from Iceland

Aurora Borealis / Northern Lights LIVE! in Utsjoki (Lapland, Finland)

Northern Light Live Levi, Finland. North view

Northern Light Live Sodankylä, Finland

130 LIVE World Cameras, Relaxing Music, Map, Daily Timelapse – Your Armchair Travel

How to take aurora borealis photos/photo post-processing

Taking aurora photos requires long exposure, which is not very demanding, the new iPhone can take good aurora photos with 3s/5s/10s long exposure. Of course, the effect is better and clearer with a camera. If you need to shoot time-lapse movie, you can use GoPro.

Post-processing, mainly need to adjust the color temperature / brightness / contrast-related parameters, but also through the AI noise reduction / AI resolution to improve the quality of photos. Photomator is recommended for post-processing, simple and convenient.

Where can I see the Aurora Borealis in Alaska?

The Fairbanks area is a famous aurora destination in Alaska, where you can see the aurora for hundreds of days a year.

Fairbanks Transportation/Accommodation

Basically, to get to Fairbanks from continental USA, you need to take a connecting flight from Seattle (mainly on Alaska Airlines, of which Seattle is the headquarter) to Fairbanks International Airport (FAI). The airport is not that big, and there is a parking lot right across the airport gate.

For local travel, you basically need to drive your own car. You will need an AWD rental car, and you can use the Turo platform to find a car. The main roads are well maintained by snow plows, but the smaller roads have a little more snow. When driving, you need to step on the gas slowly when starting from a traffic light, usually brake slowly, and it is best to downshift and slow down. In winter, it takes half an hour to start the car when it is cold, until the water tank is heated up, and then the car will be warmed up. But don’t worry too much about starting the car, usually the car can start normally and the battery doesn’t need an external power supply.

In terms of accommodation, if you want to see the aurora borealis faster, you can stay at Cabin in the northern suburb of Fairbanks (you can book from Airbnb), but the drawback is that many of these cabins do not connect to the city tap water system, and someone need to send water to the tanks once a week to get the water supply, which will often lead to water supply interruptions. To avoid this, consider staying at a hotel in the city. Or you can stay at Chena Hot Springs Resort to see the aurora borealis without going somewhere.

Fairbanks Weather / Climate

Winter temperatures can range from 14F to -49F (-10C to -45C). Mainly cloudy and snowy, occasionally sunny. Do not need to wear a lot of very thick, as long as the wear close to the cold can keep warm. Outdoors, you need a cold-proof underwear, a down, a scarf, a fleece hat, fleece socks, gloves of the right size, snowshoes / hiking shoes. Indoors are heated, warm, do not need to wear too much, but because of the dryness need to drink more water. Daylight hours are short in winter, basically from 10:30-15:30, only about 5 hours, and the sun does not go up very high. If the sunlight is not enough, you need to take Vitamin C. If it is cold at night, you can sit in your car without turning off the engine, turn on the heat and roll down the driver’s side window to see the aurora borealis. If it is cold during the day or night, you should prepare a vacuum-Insulated bottle and enough hot water to drink for outdoor activities.

Recommended Aurora Borealis Viewing Spots around Fairbanks

There are a few things to look for when choosing a place to watch the aurora borealis:

1. Convenience of transportation (driving distance, and whether it is convenient to park)
2. Location (light pollution level does matter, aurora should be viewed in the north, it is best to choose a place north of the city, away from light pollution)
3. Environment (whether there are trees in the way, whether it is windy and cold, whether it is safe, whether there is a good shooting prospect)
   Basically, the viewing spots around Fairbanks/North Pole are located near Elliott Hwy(2), Steese Hwy(6), Chena Hot Springs Rd.

The following 5 places are my most recommended spots. Each place is unique, so there is no saying which one is the best or the easiest to see the aurora. If you don’t mind long distance, besides these places, you can also go north along Elliott Hwy to Dalton Highway Sign (2hrs), Arctic Circle Sign (5hrs), and even to Coldfoot (7hrs). These locations are close to or inside the Arctic Circle, with extreme weather and bad road conditions (snow or potholes), and no cell phone signal, so it is not recommended to go there by your rental car.

1. 1084-1088 Ballaine Rd, Fairbanks, AK 99709

Near the university area, it is closer to the city and convenient, but the light pollution is also more serious.

2. Murphy Dome

This is the most recommended location, at the top of the mountain, high altitude, no trees around to block the view. The disadvantage is that it is far away, very windy (difficult to set up a tripod) and cold.

3. Cleary Summit Aurora Viewing Area

This is the second most recommended spot, close to the city and convenient for transportation. Although there are trees, there is not much shade to block the view.

4. Olnes Pond Campground

Campground, location near the famous cabins with panoramic aurora view rooftop called Borealis Basecamp, this place has a larger lake, if you come to see the aurora in August-October, if the lake is not yet frozen, use the lake as the foreground, the photos should be very good.

5. Wickersham Trailhead

It takes about an hour to drive from Fairbanks city center, which is one of the farthest places I recommend. It is far away from the city, the light pollution is minimal, the parking lot is big, and the trees are not too much.

Fairbanks Scenic Spot Recommendation

Besides the aurora borealis, there are many other natural landscapes around Fairbanks that are worth visiting.

1. Alaska Range Overlook

There is an observation deck inside the university, and you can see Mt. Denali when the weather is clear.

2. Museum of the North

The Museum of the North is a fee-paying museum with fossils of ancient dinosaurs and stoats, as well as other fossils of animals and plants, and some collections from local ethnic minorities. It is well worth a visit.

3. Alyeska Pipeline / Viewing Point

The Alyeska Pipeline is a spectacular natural gas pipeline that runs north and south and can be seen from Elliott Hwy.

4. Dalton Highway Sign

If you don’t mind driving a long way to see the view, you can come to this place to check out the sign, just pretend you already done a trip to the Arctic Circle 🙂 The surrounding scenery is very nice, and you can enjoy the tundra landscape. The view is spectacular.

(You need to download offline maps on Google Map in advance, there is no cell phone signal coverage, so be careful about safety.)

5. Chena Hot Springs Resort

You can experience the hot springs under the snow and ice. This is a resort with hot springs, restaurants, and aurora viewing huts, so if you don’t want to drive a long way to see the aurora, you can stay here.

6. Santa Claus House

Santa Claus House is a Santa Claus-themed store where you can buy a wide variety of Christmas-themed goods, as well as postcards and stamps that can be mailed to U.S. or international addresses with the help of the store staff.

7. Castner Glacier Ice Cave

A famous ice cave. There are no signs to show the way, so you can only follow the footprints of the people in front of you. The journey is not too far, about 4 miles round trip, but it is difficult and dangerous to hike in winter. The snow is deep, many locations have snow level up to adult’s waist, and the daylight time is short in winter, it is better to start hiking at 10am when the sun rises, and you can come out in the afternoon. It’s a 2.5hrs drive from Fairbanks to there.

Near sunset, there are almost no tourists, don’t try to enter if not prepared, the closer the night, the stronger the wind may blow away the previous footprints, and it will be more difficult to walk without marking. Hiking sticks and other survival equipment are needed. Special attention should be paid to safety.

8. Denali National Park

It is best to visit Denali National Park in summer (but you can’t see the aurora in summer, or just go there in fall/spring then you can also see the aurora). You can see Mt. Denali, the highest peak in North America, and the surrounding natural environment from a close distance. It takes 2.5hrs to drive from Fairbanks, but it is more convenient to get there from Anchorage.

Besides these museums, hot springs and nature spots, you can also participate in other activities, which are basically related to snow and ice: dog sledding, ice sculptures, skiing and so on.

The more remote the road, the more likely you are to see wildlife, including bears, moose, etc. Be careful when driving, turn on your high beams and slow down at night if you need to.

Dining/Shopping

The local dining scene is characterized by Alaska seafood, American steaks, pubs and bars, as well as Asian cuisine, with a wide range of choices.

Pike’s Landing is an American bar with seafood and king crab. There is a special Iove Alaska Sign across the river at the entrance.

The Pump House Restaurant Fairbanks Bar for seafood.

Turtle Club Bar for seafood.

Fuji Japanese Restaurant Japanese Food.

Pho House Vietnamese Food.

Pagoda Chinese Restaurant & Bar Chinese food.

There are Costco, Walmart, and Safeway supermarket chains in the area, and the prices of groceries and food are not too different from those in the lower 48 states. There are also small Asian supermarkets where prices are a little more expensive than their competitors in the continental USA. Overall, it is still convenient to live here and you can find almost what you want.

Alaska Specialties/Gifts

Birch Wood is famous for its bowls/cups/decorations and Birch syrup in Alaska.

One of the famous gift stores:

The Great Alaskan Bowl Company

Journey

Day 1 – Tue

Tuesday morning LA-Seattle flight.

Because the captain arrived more than half an hour late, the flight was delayed, so I couldn’t catch the next flight to Fairbanks at noon, so I had to change to the evening flight, and it was the last flight of the day. It is better to budget about 3 hours for the connecting flight.

After arriving, I had a quick lunch, bought all the necessities for a few days at the supermarket, went back to Cabin, rested for a few hours, and then went out to look for the aurora borealis again at 4am. It snowed on Tuesday night, but stopped in the early hours of Wednesday morning, and the thick clouds started to clear. I can only saw a little bit of afterglow of the aurora borealis. I took some photos and went back to bed.

Day 2 – Wed

I slept till noon, the weather was very good, blue sky and few clouds. I went to the university area and saw Mt. Denali from the Alaska Range Overlook, which can only be seen clearly when the weather is good. After that, I went to the museum nearby and then to Pioneer Park for a walk, but I found that the amusement facilities and stores in the park were not open. The sunset is very nice on a clear day.

After dinner, I went back to take a rest for a while and saw that the aurora borealis was predicted to be more intense tonight, so I went out to Murphy Dome to see the aurora borealis, but the intensity was not particularly high, and the dancing was relatively slow. However, I could still see the green and red beams of light moving in the air clearly.

Day 3 – Thu

Elliott Hwy went north, first visited the natural gas pipeline, then drove to Dalton Highway Sign. The road was not easy to drive, there were scattered boulders and some potholes on the ground. There were no signals, and there were only big trucks going to and from Prudhoe Bay-Fairbanks on the way. The scenery is spectacular, from coniferous forests to tundra landscapes.

In the evening, I went to Cleary Summit to see the aurora borealis. This night’s aurora was weaker than the previous day, and there was no obvious aurora beams, but a large blurred and enlarged light-colored aurora all over the sky.

Day 4 – Fri

After sleeping till noon, I thought I might not have enough time for today’s task, so I drove to Castner Glacier Ice Cave directly.

The sunny day turned into cloudy, and it was already 2:30pm when I arrived, the sky started to darken. A lot of tourists came out and said that they don’t recommend to go in at this time, because it will be sunset soon. But I insisted on going in to see what it was all about. The snow was very deep, but with the help of hiking sticks, I finally reached the entrance of the cave after walking through a large area of white snow. Because of the darkness of the day, the cave was very dark and it was difficult to see the hanging icicles without lights. At the entrance, there were many crystal clear icicles hanging on the top of the cave, which was very special. After taking pictures, I started to go back to the road. Due to the wind, the footprints on the ground started to become blurred, and the road back to the cave was even more difficult to walk, but I still managed to make it back to the parking lot before it got dark. My shoes were full of ice, I cleaned them up and went back to Fairbanks. After dark, Richardson Hwy(4) was especially dark, on the way, there was a moose crossing the road suddenly, I braked the car. I remembered someone tell me that moose frequent in this area. The road was slippery, and the car skidded a few times, but I was able to control it. There are almost no vehicles on the road, a very primitive ecological area.

The intensity of aurora borealis was even weaker this night, and I saw a light green aurora band above at Olnes Pond Campground. The road condition is very bad, basically sandy road, you need to slow down and drive slowly.

Day 5 – Sat

I visited Santa Claus House at noon, and in the afternoon and evening, I mainly went to Fairbanks city center.

I went to several places in the evening, but I didn’t see any aurora, the clouds were getting thicker and thicker, and it started to snow in the second half of the night.

Day 6 – Sun

It’s time to leave and back to SoCal. Even though it was still snowing, Fairbanks airport was able to remove the snow very fast, and the flights were on time. On the return flight to Seattle, I sat on the left side of the seat, and I could see the spectacular view of snowy mountains along the way that was really stunned.

Chasing the Aurora Borealis and exploring the polar regions are definitely among the most important items on the bucket list—an unforgettable trip with lifetime memories.