This small town on the extreme northern edge of Alaska at 71° north latitude is home to the Top Of The World Hotel, which organizes tours and outdoor adventures connected to the native Iñupiat culture (think: dog-sledding). Another option nearby is the fly-in luxury Iniakuk Wilderness Lodge. Many aurora adventure tours take guests here, and to Wiseman just 11 miles north, for the high chances of a Northern Lights show. That's largely because it's home to the rustic Coldfoot Camp in the Brooks Mountain Range. Once a gold-mining settlement, but now little more than a truck stop ay 67° north latitude on the famed Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Prudhoe Bay, Coldfoot is a prime Northern Lights observing location in the Alaskan Arctic. If you fancy watching the show from an outdoor hot tub, try Chena Lakes Resort or the far more remote Manley Hot Springs, which is about four hours west. Other good observation places nearby, according to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska, include Haystack Mountain, Ester, Wickersham, and Murphy Domes. A good place to head to in the vicinity is Cleary Summit, about 17 miles from Fairbanks, which is easy to get to, has good parking, and a solid view of the horizon. There are frequent flights and plenty of options for accommodations. Its popularity for Northern Lights seekers has a lot to do with its accessibility. It's not the very best place for aurora viewing - it's just below the Arctic Circle - but auroras do occur frequently here. The old gold rush boomtown of Fairbanks is the undisputed capital of the Northern Lights hunt in Alaska. Northern Lights Near Fairbanks Elizabeth M. The further north you travel in Alaska, the more likely you are to see the Northern Lights. Fairbanks sits at 64° N and enjoys sporadic Northern Lights, though it's best to forget the more southerly destinations of Anchorage and Juneau, which see dramatically fewer displays during solar minimum (which lasts until the early 2020s).įor those wanting to maximize their chances now, head for the more remote northern villages of Coldfoot in the Yukon Territory, or Prudhoe Bay and Barrow in the extreme north. We do know, however, that the Northern Lights are best seen in Alaska between 65° north and 70° north latitude. Forecasting the Northern Lights means predicting solar activity, which is virtually impossible with our current technology. Northern Lights Season in AlaskaĪlaska's Northern Lights season is between mid-September and late April, peaking in March, though that's to do more with the long, dark nights than solar activity. According to the Geophysical Institute, the best time to see the aurora is at around midnight, give or take an hour. If you can find dark and clear skies, be on alert from 10 p.m. through 2 a.m., and you might get to see an aurora. NORTHERN LIGHTS FORECAST FAIRBANKS FULLIt's also helpful to avoid the full moon, and a week on either side, to avoid the sky being washed out by moonlight. Combine that with a higher chance of clear skies in Alaska during spring, and March at an inland location is the best time and place to maximize your chances of seeing the Northern Lights from Alaska. What’s the forecasted best time to go in 2018?ĭisplays of the Northern Lights tend to intensify around the equinox months of September and March, because of Earth’s tilt in relation to the sun. Although there is a smaller chance now of experiencing a full-on auroral storm than during solar maximum, there will be nightly displays of Northern Lights right through until solar maximum returns in 2024. The Northern Lights occur because of solar activity - and because the sun is presently near what is called solar minimum, some aurora hunters have decided to postpone their trip. When Is the Best Time to See the Northern Lights? Historically when’s the best time to see the Northern Lights in Alaska? It may be cold in winter (temperatures can drop to -30☏), but the inland Alaskan Arctic - where skies tend to be clearer - is one of the best places in the world to see this famous light show. Northern Alaska is where many Americans head for the chance to see the aurora borealis. While many travelers think they have to head to Europe to see the Northern Lights, you can actually spot this phenomenon without leaving the United States.
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