Ice Art

Throughout the winter months, highly detailed incredible works of crystal-clear art can be found around town. Ice sculptures are intricately carved by hand from ice so pure it’s been dubbed “Arctic Diamond.” Locally harvested, the ice blocks range in thickness from four to five feet and can weigh up to 7,500 pounds. Artists come to Fairbanks from around the globe to transform them into massive works of art for all to enjoy for as long as they’ll last.

Mighty polar bears, heavenly angels, fierce dragons, imposing woolly mammoths and more capture the imagination. They’re not all just for viewing, either. Sled down the tail of a dinosaur made into a giant ice slide. Frolic in an ice playground, wind your way through an ice maze or play a game of ice checkers. Visit an indoor ice museum or sip a spirited drink from a glass made of ice at an ice bar! There’s just too much fun to be had to miss out on this delightful Fairbanks winter tradition.

Don’t Miss It!

Mid-February through March features two great opportunities to enjoy ice art: The World Ice Art Championships is one of the largest ice art exhibitions in the world where you can watch the sculptors at work and see their masterpieces come to life from start to finish.

The International Ice Art Classic features numerous ice sculptures plus massive ice slides for kids and adults to enjoy.

Winter Adventures

Go beyond Fairbanks and explore Interior and Arctic Alaska. Pristine wilderness and majestic mountain ranges await all around us. With Fairbanks as your basecamp, head off in any direction for breathtaking vistas and magical winter adventures of a lifetime.

Arctic Alaska

Travel north to discover a landscape like no other. 195 road miles (315 Km) or 140 air miles (225 Km) from Fairbanks, you’ll cross the Arctic Circle at 66° north latitude—the invisible line that puts you in the company of bold explorers, Alaska pipeline workers and ice road truckers.

Driving the Dalton Highway without a properly equipped vehicle and experienced driver is not recommended, especially in winter, but it’s easy to connect with a guide or tour company to fly or drive you to the Arctic Circle and beyond. Hike the snow-covered tundra, cross the mighty Yukon River and spot a caribou, muskox or Arctic fox. Discover the treeless Arctic plain or walk the frozen shores of the Arctic Ocean at the northernmost point in the United States. Take a northern lights tour and scan the Arctic sky for aurora borealis.

In February, celebrate winter in the park with fun, free events for all ages at Denali Winterfest.

Denali

South of Fairbanks you’ll find Denali National Park and Preserve, home to the crown jewel of the Alaska Range. Denali is the tallest mountain in North America, rising 20,310 feet into the sky and glorious to behold. Encompassing six million acres of pure Alaskan wilderness, the park is an easy two-hour drive or four-hour train ride from Fairbanks.

Fairbanks outfitters offer both road and air tours to the park and in mid-February the National Park Service plows a section of the park road, leading to a beautiful spot to view the grand mountain during clear weather.

Hot Springs

Over one hundred years ago, gold miners and early pioneers stumbled upon a welcome find—a natural hot spring—the perfect place to soak their weary bodies. Today, you can enjoy the rejuvenating mineralrich springs to relax your body and warm your soul at the end of an adventure-filled day.

Just 60 miles east of Fairbanks, Chena Hot Springs is the largest and most accessible hot spring in Alaska. Imagine yourself floating in warmth despite the crisp winter air around you, your hair freezing in wild and wonderful ways and the northern lights swirling above.