Tolovana Hot Springs
Quick Facts:
Drive time from Fairbanks: 2 hours
Mileage: 10 miles each way
Elevation gain: ~1,600 feet in/2,600 feet out
Activity: Ski/hike/fat bike
Recommended time: 3 days, 2 nights
RESERVATIONS AND FEES REQUIRED: http://www.tolovanahotsprings.com/
We did this out-and-back trail in mid-January. I took cross-country skis, and Andy brought backcountry skis and skins, while dragging a pulk sled. Weather was -5 degrees with mostly clear skies. There was limited light this time of year, so we started right at sunrise and it took us 5.5 hours to get to the cabin.
The trail starts from the parking lot along the Elliot Highway with about a 3 mile section of downhill (seen above). This was steeper than expected, and as a fairly new cross-country skier, I fell a few times. The trail was well-packed from snow machines and could be walked if needed. Trees throughout the first half of the trail provide good wind protection.
Once you start climbing up Tolovana Dome (about mile 4), trees get thinner and it starts to get windier. Some of the uphill was too steep for cross-country skis, so I walked a little over a mile of it. There were some wind drifts on the dome that covered the trail, but there were posts marking the way. We could see Fairbanks from the dome as the sun set, and we were able to see nice views of the White Mountains on the way out.
Heading down from the Dome was definitely exciting. The trail gets narrower and steep for the last two miles into the camp. I sat on my skis for most of it, and Andy broke the pulk sled after barreling around too many corners. I had a blast with the ski sled method, but this section is also walkable if needed (I walked the full two miles uphill on the way out).
There are 3 cabins on the property, ranging in size. We stayed in the Frame cabin (the smallest one), which has two bunk beds, wood stove, kitchen, small table, and an outhouse. The wood stove quickly turns the place into a sauna if you’re not careful. I brought a -20 degree sleeping bag to be safe, and that was definitely overkill. The cabin is plenty warm at night so I would recommend bringing a lighter bag.
Last but not least, the HOT SPRINGS! There are 3 hot tubs along the creek, and they each have a cold and hot hose feeding into them that you’re able to remove to adjust the water temperature. The jog back from the hot tub to the cabin wasn’t nearly as cold as I thought it was going to be, thanks to the extremely hot water.
Having a layover day to rest, play games, and soak in the hot tubs was well worth it. Our luxury items this trip were mini pies from the discount bakery section, and it was one of the better decisions I’ve made.
Skiing out took us about 6 hours as there’s more elevation gain on the way back to the car. There was a lot more “traffic” on the trail that day, and we ended up passing a few groups on snow machines and a group skijoring.
Thank you to the management team of Tolovana Hot Springs for maintaining such a beautiful, remote place!
Source: http://www.tolovanahotsprings.com/THS11MileTrailMap.gif
