Angel Rocks
Quick Facts:
Drive time from Fairbanks: 1 hour
Distance: 3.6 miles roundtrip
Elevation gain: 1200 feet
Activity: Hike/snowshoe/climbing
$5 parking fee at trailhead or Alaska State Park pass
This trail follows the river for about a mile before it starts climbing up towards the spires. The trail climbs steeply for about 900 feet until you reach the high point of the rocks. The trails weave through the different rock formations allowing for a lot of exploration and some rock scrambling if you choose. You can see views of the river and the Alaska Range on a clear day. Snowshoes are recommended in the winter as the trail is too steep for cross country skis. Hiking is possible if the trail is packed enough.
Instead of doing the loop, it’s also possible to continue along the trail from the rocks and hike 8.3 miles (one-way) to Chena Hot Springs Resort. This is a great hike and you've already done most of the elevation gain once you make it to Angel Rocks, so why not? You continue climbing up to the ridge past Angel Rocks for another 20-30 minutes, and then it's flat ridge walking and downhill the whole way to the hot springs. Make sure to stay left at the intersection towards the end. Even if you aren’t up for the long hike, the hot springs are only another 10 minute drive down the road and are definitely worth a visit (especially in the winter)!
From what I know, there are 5 rocks that have climbing routes on them. You will find lots of moss and lichen on the north side of the rocks, however. Some rocks are set up for top rope and some can be led as trad routes. There aren’t many bolts on these routes.
Main Rock is the largest formation with bolts for anchors on the more popular routes. There are 13 routes ranging from 5.5-5.11.
