Manley Hot Springs Resort

What to expect

Manley Hot Springs is a village of a couple of hundred people on Hot Springs Slough, about 5 miles north of the Tanana River and close to where it meets the Yukon. The road ends here. The springs are why the place exists, and for most of the last 30 years there was no real resort to go with them.

That changed in 2021. Manley Hot Springs Resort was first opened in the early 1980s by Elise Wright and closed in the late 1990s after her death. Her family came back in 2019, cleared the old buildings and put up new cabins, a restaurant and bar, and a private spa house. Today it is a small, family-run place rather than a big lodge.

The soaking is done in one tub inside the spa house. Geothermal water runs through it continuously, so it is flow-through rather than a recirculated hot tub. The resort says the water is mineral-rich and low in sulfur, so there is little of the rotten-egg smell common at other springs. The room is planted with young grape vines, passion fruit and other warm-weather plants, which is a strange and welcome thing to sit among at 65 degrees north. Frosted windows and a door that locks from inside mean a session is yours alone.

The resort does not publish a soaking temperature, so ask when you book.

The greenhouse baths

Before the resort came back, the soak in Manley meant the Dart family’s greenhouse. The Darts bought the old Karshner homestead lands in the 1950s and built a greenhouse over one of the main springs, where they grew grapes, Asian pears and flowers. Visitors booked an hour in one of three concrete tubs among the plants. Travel Alaska still describes it this way, and older listings give a $5 fee and a reservation number of (907) 672-3231.

We could not find a current, dated source confirming that the greenhouse still takes the public in 2026. If you want to try it, call that number well before you leave Fairbanks. It is a private operation, separate from the resort, so do not walk onto the property without an arrangement. A relative also runs a farm down the road that uses the same geothermal water, so not every greenhouse you see in town is a bathhouse.

Getting there

From Fairbanks, take the Steese Highway 11 miles north to Fox, where it meets the Elliott Highway (Alaska Route 2). Follow the Elliott west and north past Livengood, where the Dalton Highway splits off toward the Arctic, and keep going on the Elliott to its end at Manley. Travel Alaska puts the full drive at 156 miles. Budget most of a day with stops, longer in winter.

The road past Livengood is narrow, with long stretches of gravel, few services and heavy dust in dry weather. Most national rental car companies forbid their cars on the Elliott Highway. The resort points visitors to local 4x4 rental companies in Fairbanks instead. Fill up in Fairbanks or Fox and carry a spare tire you trust.

Flying is the easy option. Warbelow’s Air runs scheduled flights from Fairbanks to Manley Hot Springs Airport (907-474-0518), and the village is a short walk or ride from the strip. Ask the resort about pickup when you book.

On the way you pass the turnoff area for Tolovana Hot Springs, a backcountry cabin soak reached by a long ski or hike, and Fairbanks itself is the gateway to Chena Hot Springs Resort.

When to go

The resort says it is open year-round, and the Elliott has been plowed in winter since 1982. Each season changes the trip.

Winter (November to March) is the classic Manley soak: deep cold outside, warm water inside, and a real chance of aurora from the cabin porch. Days are very short around December, and temperatures in Interior Alaska can fall far below zero. Drive only with a winter-ready vehicle and survival gear, or fly.

Late winter (February and March) gives you longer days with the aurora season still on.

Summer (June to August) brings near-constant daylight, an easier road and access to fishing on the Tanana and nearby sloughs. It also brings mosquitoes and road dust.

Prices and booking

The resort handles bookings personally. Contact Jesse at [email protected] or call (907) 385-8660.

• Public soaks: $30 per person per hour, for groups of up to 5 (2026). These are fitted around cabin guests, so availability varies. Book ahead.
• Cabins: five units in 2026. Lantern sleeps 4 with a full kitchen ($525 first night, $450 after). Guide ($425, then $350) and Ember ($375, then $300) are stand-alone cabins for 1 or 2. The Antler and Bear duplex units are $325 for the first night and $250 after.
• Included with a stay: round-the-clock access to the spa house in one-hour private sessions, plus a shared fire pit with firewood. You can pick a robe size and a welcome drink after booking.
• Pets: Guide and Bear take pets at $25 per pet per stay.
• Cancellations: full refund with 7 or more days’ notice. Inside 7 days the booking is non-refundable, but you can move the dates if there is space.

The resort does not publish rules on dress, age limits or towels for public soakers. Since the room is private, ask about anything that matters to you when you book.

Where to stay nearby

The resort cabins are the most comfortable beds in town. The other option is the Manley Roadhouse, one of the oldest roadhouses still standing in Alaska, with rooms, meals and a collection of mining-era gear. Older listings say it opens May to October, so check for winter. The Manley Trading Post sells groceries and fuel.

Fairbanks, about 156 road miles back, has the nearest full range of hotels, stores and medical care.

History

Prospector John Karshner claimed several of the springs in 1902 and started a vegetable farm on a 278-acre homestead. The Army put a telegraph station here at about the same time, and a trading post served miners in the Eureka and Tofty districts. In 1907 miner Frank Manley built a large resort hotel with 45 rooms and an indoor pool heated by the springs. It burned down in 1913. The village was a stop on the 1925 serum run to Nome and took the name Manley Hot Springs in 1957.

Safety notes

• Hot water: No published temperature, so test it before getting in, keep the first soak short, and drink water.
• The drive: The Elliott Highway is remote. Breakdowns can mean hours of waiting. In winter, carry warm clothing, a sleeping bag, food and a way to call for help.
• Cold: Walking between a cabin and the spa house in deep winter with wet hair is a quick way to get frostbitten ears. Bring a hat and boots, not sandals.
• Medical care: There is no hospital in Manley. Serious problems mean a flight to Fairbanks.