Neka Hot Springs
By the HotSpringsFind editorial team · How we compile records · Reviewed September 2026
Neka Hot Springs is a developed hot spring listed near Hoonah, Alaska. Reported soak temperature: 98°F. See the visit fact sheet.
Current status
USFS-managed hot spring on north Chichagof Island piped into a 7-ft wooden hot tub with deck, reached by a 0.2-mi accessible boardwalk off Forest Road 8580 — but getting to the road requires a boat or floatplane to Eight Fathom Dock then 9 miles of hiking/biking/skiing; brown bears are common.
Checked February 2025 · verified against an official source · 5 sources ↓
Before you go
- Status: Open — last verified below — confirm via USFS Tongass National Forest — Neka Hot Springs Swimming Site (page last updated 2025-02-19).
- Cost: Reported free access — fees and permits can change, confirm before visiting.
- Getting there: No verified hike distance on record — confirm the route and road conditions.
- Water: Reported soak temperature 98°F — always test the water before entering.
- Rules: Clothing policy unknown — verify locally; pets reported not allowed — confirm current rules.
- Conditions: check weather, fire closures, and land-manager alerts the week you go — mountain access changes seasonally.
- Reservations/permits: No permit for the spring itself; Eight Fathom Cabin requires a recreation.gov reservation.
- Best time to go: Late spring–early fall on a warm day; berry season (Aug) is a bonus. Year-round accessible but snow/ski conditions apply in winter.
- Clothing reality: No posted policy — remote USFS site; clothing-optional in practice.
- Cell service: none — download maps and tell someone your plan.
- Accessibility: The final 0.2 mi is an accessible boardwalk to the tub — but reaching it requires a 9-mi road journey and boat/floatplane access; not wheelchair-reachable end to end.
- Getting there is the adventure: boat or floatplane 16 mi SW from Hoonah through Port Frederick to Eight Fathom Dock/Marine Access Facility, then 9 mi one-way on single-lane Forest Road 8580 (hike, bike, ski, or drive) to the trailhead, then a 0.2-mi boardwalk
- BROWN BEARS commonly use the area and the alder-lined trail conceals them — carry bear protection and make noise
- Water runs cooler than ideal (~95-97F per visitors vs. 102F optimum) — go on a warm day; if the tub is cold, algae may have clogged the intake — clear it or use the small rocky pool at the source
- Vault toilets at the site but NO potable water — carry all water or treat
- Eight Fathom Cabin (recreation.gov) at the dock is the usual base — reserve ahead; check tide tables for boat landing
- No cell service; bear-aware contingency planning required
- Snow can persist at the springs into late spring despite sea-level elevation
- Hazard: Brown bears — commonly use the trail corridor and springs area
- Hazard: Remote — no cell coverage, no potable water
- Hazard: Boat/floatplane access with tides; weather delays possible
- Hazard: Tub water can be tepid; hypothermia risk in cold rain
About this spring
Natural hot spring piped into an outdoor wooden hot tub (~7 ft) with a deck, reached by a boardwalk through muskeg at milepost 9 of Forest Road 8580 near Port Frederick — a classic semi-developed Southeast Alaska soaking site (USFS Tongass NF). Brown bears common — carry deterrent. Water can be tepid. Rough single-lane road.
Neka Hot Springs is a semi-developed Forest Service soaking site in Tongass National Forest's Hoonah Ranger District, on the Port Frederick side of Chichagof Island. At the agency's 'Neka Hot Springs Swimming Site,' an accessible 0.2-mile boardwalk near milepost 9 of Forest Road 8580 crosses muskeg to a wooden outdoor hot tub about seven feet in diameter with a surrounding deck; the natural spring is piped directly into the tub. Visitors report the water often runs 5-7°F below the 102°F ideal, and the Forest Service warns that brown bears commonly use the area.
The trip is multi-leg: from Hoonah it is 16 miles by boat or floatplane through Port Frederick to Eight Fathom Dock, then nine miles up a rough single-lane forest road — hike, bike, ski, or drive — to the trailhead. The site has restrooms but no potable water, and is usable year-round, including as a winter ski trip.
Directions & trailhead access
From Hoonah ~16 mi by boat/floatplane through Port Frederick to Eight Fathom Dock; 9 mi overland on FR 8580; 0.2-mi boardwalk to the tub.
Alaska geothermal context
Alaska's geothermal sites sit along the volcanically active Aleutian arc and scattered Interior fault zones. Most are reachable only by floatplane, boat, or long backcountry routes, and the realistic soaking season is short — roughly June through September. Treat every remote spring as a wilderness trip, not a roadside stop.
What a developed site means here
A developed site sits between primitive and resort: improved soaking infrastructure — built tubs, decks, stairs, sometimes changing rooms or vault toilets — often run by a land trust, nonprofit, or small operator. Expect modest fees or donation requests, posted etiquette rules, and more predictable conditions than a wild pool.
Best time to visit
June – September (Short Summer Access Window)Remote Alaskan geothermal sites have a brief accessible season — snow, ice, and limited road access close most areas outside summer. Midnight-sun June through early September offers the only realistic visiting window for most locations.
Fact sheet
| Reported soak temp | 98°F |
|---|---|
| Source temp (historical) | Not reported |
| Trail access | Recorded coordinates — access unverified |
| Access fee | Reported free — verify locally |
| Clothing policy | Unknown — verify locally |
| Pet policy | Reported no pets |
| Geothermal data reference | NOAA Thermal Springs List (1980 archive) |
| Check land status | USFS Tongass National Forest — Neka Hot Springs Swimming Site (page last updated 2025-02-19) |
Neka Hot Springs FAQ
Is Neka Hot Springs open right now?
USFS-managed hot spring on north Chichagof Island piped into a 7-ft wooden hot tub with deck, reached by a 0.2-mi accessible boardwalk off Forest Road 8580 — but getting to the road requires a boat or floatplane to Eight Fathom Dock then 9 miles of hiking/biking/skiing; brown bears are common. (Status verified against an official source, last checked February 2025.)
Is Neka Hot Springs free?
Neka Hot Springs is listed as free to access in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska. Fees and rules change — verify current status with the land manager before visiting.
What temperature is Neka Hot Springs?
Neka Hot Springs has a reported soak temperature of 98°F. Historical data may not reflect current conditions — always test water before entering.
Is Neka Hot Springs clothing optional?
Directory records do not confirm the clothing policy at Neka Hot Springs — verify current rules before visiting.
How do you access Neka Hot Springs?
Neka Hot Springs is on public land — verify current road access, fees and rules with the land manager before visiting.
Sources & references
- USFS Tongass National Forest — Neka Hot Springs Swimming Site (page last updated 2025-02-19) — official · 2025-02
- Recreation.gov — Eight Fathom Cabin (access logistics, 9 mi to springs) — official · 2025
- Alaska.org — Neka Hot Springs (7-ft wooden tub, cooler-than-102F note) — community · 2024
- Zack Fields — Port Frederick kayak trip report (intake algae fix, source pool, bears) — community · 2017-04
- Grovetta's Blog — Neka Hot Springs bike trip (brown bear encounter, tepid water) — community · 2010-05
Details above were verified against the named sources on their listed dates — conditions change, so recheck before traveling. · How we verify our data · Report a correction
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