The place to see the Northern Lights in Alaska in 2022?

Are you trying to see the Northern Lights throughout your keep in Alaska? If that’s the case, you’re in for a deal with!

Seeing the northern lights might be probably the most spectacular moments you’ll expertise whereas within the Final Frontier, and it’s one the highest causes individuals go to Alaska.

However it may be tough to catch a glimpse of them.

There are lots of locations in Alaska that provide prime viewing for the Northern Lights, however selecting the perfect spot may be tough. Many elements equivalent to climate, time of yr, and light-weight air pollution can affect the place the perfect viewing spot will likely be.

I ought to know! I’ve spent a substantial period of time within the state and there are years during which I by no means caught a glimpse!

That will help you plan your viewing journey, I’ve put collectively this listing of the perfect locations to see the Northern Lights in Alaska. So learn on and begin planning your once-in-a-lifetime expertise immediately!

Where to see the Northern Lights in Alaska

Greatest Locations in Alaska to See the Northern Lights

1. Fairbanks: the Optimum Spot

Northern Lights in North Pole, Fairbanks, Alaska — Northern Lights in North Pole, Fairbanks

Fairbanks is among the greatest spots in all the world to look at Northern Lights attributable to its low precipitation and site simply beneath the auroral oval.

Be aware: The auroral oval is a ring-shaped area across the Earth’s north and south poles the place the aurora borealis, or the northern lights, are often seen

Jerry Evans, a spokesperson for Discover Fairbanks explains: “As a substitute of seeing an aurora within the distance, we regularly see the aurora immediately overhead, filling all the sky”.

Along with location, there’s minimal gentle air pollution in Fairbanks which additionally provides to the viewing expertise. Fairbanks’ skies are so persistently clear that guests who keep within the metropolis for no less than three nights throughout aurora season have a higher than 90% likelihood of witnessing the Northern Lights.

Here’s what you possibly can anticipate:

? The place to remain in Fairbanks to see the Northern Lights?

Most Fairbanks motels present aurora wake-up calls, however if you wish to get probably the most out of your Northern Lights viewing, keep at Chena Sizzling Springs Resort (an hour from Fairbanks) which gives guests the chance to see the Northern Lights whereas stress-free in a pure scorching spring.

In the event you’d fairly keep inside town, the Wedgewood Resort is be the perfect lodge to remain in Fairbanks for Aurora viewing.

? Greatest Aurora Excursions in Fairbanks:

Nevertheless, to maximise you likelihood of viewing the Northern Lights, and to stay a beautiful expertise, I extremely suggest to take this tour. The guides will get you to the perfect locations from the place you possibly can marvel on the stunning pure phenomenon. You’ll additionally more than likely encounter moose, foxes, bears, and plenty of different Alaskan animals

2. Anchorage

Anchorage, albeit not as far north as Fairbanks, supplies wonderful prospects for observing the Northern Lights. They’ll often be seen a bit of decrease on the horizon as a substitute of overhead.

Technically, the aurora borealis must be seen within the metropolis after sundown, however the dense inhabitants and light-weight air pollution make it far more difficult to see.

You’ll need to go away from town lights to reinforce your view, and there are excursions obtainable from varied outfitters. In the event you favor to go the DIY technique, Nancy Lake State Recreation Space is a unbelievable choice. Many locals reward the views from Flattop Overlook, and you can even journey to the Glenn Alps for an opportunity to see the aurora borealis.

? Greatest Aurora Excursions in Anchorage:

This tour takes you from Anchorage to see the Northern Lights in Alaska with an expert photographer as your information. You’ll study new pictures abilities through the tour and admire views of one in all nature’s most dramatic shows. Spherical-trip transportation can also be included. Verify the costs and the evaluations right here.

3. Coldfoot

Camping and Bonfire Underneath Northern Lights in Coldfoot, Alaska — Tenting and bonfire beneath Northern Lights in Coldfoot, Alaska

Coldfoot is a main northern gentle remark level within the Alaskan Arctic. As soon as a gold mining hamlet, it’s now little greater than a truck cease at 67° N latitude on the legendary Dalton Freeway from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay. Coldfoot is situated 250 miles north of Fairbanks and 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

Many aurora journey excursions take guests right here in addition to to Wiseman, which is barely 11 miles north, for the perfect prospects of seeing the northern lights. The fly-in luxurious Iniakuk Wilderness Lodge is one other native different.

4. Juneau

It’s tough to think about glaciers, rainforests, and beautiful fjords all coexisting in the identical setting, however that’s what Alaska’s beautiful capital Juneau has to supply.

Along with the beautiful vistas, Juneau additionally has 230 days of annual precipitation, and being a rainforest there’s lots of cloud cowl, blocking an excellent view of the lights.

But, when you go to Alaska’s capital for glacier excursions or whale-watching in late summer season or early fall, you continue to have an opportunity of seeing these dancing lights. Your greatest guess is to arrange your viewing tent on the shores of Mendenhall Lake within the Tongass Nationwide Forest, which is barely 13 miles from downtown.

5. Denali Nationwide Park

Aurora Viewing from Lodge in Alaska Denali National Park — Aurora viewing from a lodge in Denali Nationwide Park

Denali Nationwide Park is a unbelievable place to see the Northern Lights due to its remoteness. There are 6+ million acres of land and an virtually full lack of sunshine air pollution.

The Denali Viewpoint, situated south of the Parks Freeway, supplies a spectacular image of the mountain towering majestically beneath the aurora borealis.

Reserving lodging close to the park is your greatest guess for watching the Northern Lights. As a result of the Northern Lights are fickle and don’t all the time seem each evening, this offers you the perfect alternative of seeing them unhindered. If the lights abruptly seem overhead, many lodges will ring an alarm or offer you a wake-up name.

6. Utqiagvik

Utqiagvik Barrow Snow Outdoors — Head to the outside in Utqiagvik (Barrow), ideally with a tour, and revel in a once-in-a-lifetime expertise viewing the Northern Lights in a singular setting

Head to the northern fringe of Alaska to view the lights in Utqiagvik, previously referred to as Barrow. The city is house of the Prime Of The World Resort, which may also help manage a tour or out of doors journey on your viewing pleasure.

With 67 days of darkness, the aurora borealis will fully gentle the evening sky in Utqiagvik. The colours which might be seen change attributable to atmospheric strain and temperature, however they’re assured to be spectacular.

7. Nome

You can even get an excellent view in Nome, Alaska. Plus, when you go through the Iditarod, you’ll not solely get an opportunity to see the lights, however you’ll additionally get to see the canines mush and watch a few of the greatest racers on the planet.

The lights aren’t seen each evening within the winter in Nome; they are often spectacular after they do present up. The nicest facet is that the Northern Lights could also be seen from only a mile or two away from town, and virtually any native will be capable of offer you sound recommendation on the place to see the lights.

When is the Greatest Time to See Northern Lights in Alaska?

The very best time to see the northern lights in Alaska is throughout darkish, clear, new moon nights from late September to late March. These are the months when the nights are longest and the skies are sometimes clear which supplies ultimate viewing situations.

Anybody who lives in Alaska will inform you that each one it takes is a bit of luck, dedication, and the Aurora Forecast web site from the College of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute to plan your optimum viewing day.

As soon as in a Lifetime Expertise

A visit to see the Northern Lights in Alaska is a once-in-a-lifetime sort of tour. Excursions may be discovered within the Inside, Arctic, and Southcentral areas, and the operators know the perfect viewing areas. They’ll take you to off-the-beaten-path places with much less ambient gentle, which is why they’re usually really helpful.

You could find single-day excursions or multi-day northern lights packages, which continuously embrace dinners and in a single day stays at distinctive, secluded housing fitted to viewing the lights.

You possibly can seek for the perfect excursions on Viator and choose the one you want probably the most.

In the event you favor to do it your self, preserve a watch on the statewide aurora prediction and the Fairbanks aurora tracker. And bear in mind, many motels present a northern lights wake-up name!