Swimming in Alaska is certainly not for the faint of heart. It requires thick skin, an adventurous personality and the ability to throw all of your inhibitions to the wind. With some super hot summer days upon us in the near future, swimming in the great outdoors is the quickest way to cool down and have a blast while doing so. If you’re daring enough to take the plunge into some chilly water this summer, you gotta check out these 10 swimming holes in Alaska that are truly a must-visit.
- Wasilla Lake - Wasilla
Flickr - Travis On a hot summer day (yes, Alaska does get hot days), venture down to Wasilla Lake for a picnic with the family, paddle a kayak around or bring your swimsuit and jump right in for a swim! This is one of the best places to swim in Alaska, and so conveniently located. If you want to stay somewhere where you can see the lake right outside your room, Mat-Su Resort is a wonderful place to spend the night.
- Chena Lake - Fairbanks
Flickr - Kim F With one of the greatest temperature swings on the planet, Fairbanks is known to get pretty toasty in the summertime. On those hot 80-90 degree days, a swim in Chena Lake is a must! Learn more about Chena Lake Recreation Area here.
- Lost Lake - Kenai Peninsula
Flickr - Dan Logan After a seven-mile hike (one way) into Lost Lake, it’s hard not to be temped to jump right in after working up a sweat. It is mighty cold but it sure does feel good after a treacherous hike, especially during summer in Alaska. Get information about the hike on the AllTrail website here.
- Eagle and Symphony Lakes – Hanging Valley
Flickr - Travis From the town of Eagle River, a hike in to these beautiful lakes sure is rewarding from start to finish. Depending on how warm the day gets, you’ll likely want to jump right in and have a swim once you reach your final destination. Learn about this beautiful trail on Alaska Hike Search’s listing page.
- Goose Lake - Anchorage
Flickr - Mel Green Located right inside of Alaska’s largest city of Anchorage is this awesome swimming hole that offers the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day. Bring lunch, some cool drinks and all of your friends and you’ll want to hang out all day long. Learn about Goose Lake Park on TripAdvisor’s listing here.
- Pacific Ocean - Ketchikan
Flickr - megardoodles The ocean in Alaska is never going to be warm, which is a good thing in retrospect. But when it comes to swimming, you’ll probably be much more comfortable with a wet suit on. If you are a true water baby, grab a snorkel and check out all the beautiful underwater sea creatures while you’re at it! Swimming in the most beautiful scenery in Alaska is a dream come true. Rent your snorkel gear through Snorkel Alaska and have an unforgettable time!
- Bering Sea – Nome
Flickr - ulalume When in Rome… errr, we mean… when in NOME! Hey, it gets hot in Nome and honestly there is no better place to cool off than right off shore into the Bering Sea. Alaskans really do have thicker skin than those lower 48’ers! After your dip, head on over to Bering Sea Bar & Grill for a hot meal to warm you up!
- Jewel Lake - Anchorage
Flickr - Luke Jones Tucked away in the lovely south side of Anchorage is this great lake which is perfect (and convenient) for cooling off on a hot day in Alaska. This quiet lake is great for kayaking, having a picnic, or going for a good swim. Read more about it on TripAdvisor’s listing page here.
- Pacific Ocean - Seward
Flickr - Eli Duke When it’s hot outside, water is water! And with the beautiful Pacific Ocean screaming your name, it’s easy to be temped to jump right in. But it sure is chilly so be prepared for the shock factor! A great spot to jump in the ocean in Seward is right on Lowell Point Beach.
- Arctic Ocean - Deadhorse
Flickr - Mike Juvrud Just another prime example of rural Alaskans being way braver and way tougher than all of the rest of us. When your access to swimming spots is limited, the largest local source of water is the obvious answer. And hey, it works! After a swim in the Arctic Ocean it’s impossible not to feel cooled off on a scorching day. You have to plan ahead to jump in the Arctic Ocean because the access point is on private land. Make your reservations with the Arctic Ocean Shuttle here.
Are you planning on taking a dip to cool off at any of these chilly swimming spots this summer? Do you think these are the best swimming holes in Alaska? Are there any more you would add on to this list? Let us know in the comments below!
Flickr - Travis
On a hot summer day (yes, Alaska does get hot days), venture down to Wasilla Lake for a picnic with the family, paddle a kayak around or bring your swimsuit and jump right in for a swim! This is one of the best places to swim in Alaska, and so conveniently located. If you want to stay somewhere where you can see the lake right outside your room, Mat-Su Resort is a wonderful place to spend the night.
Flickr - Kim F
With one of the greatest temperature swings on the planet, Fairbanks is known to get pretty toasty in the summertime. On those hot 80-90 degree days, a swim in Chena Lake is a must! Learn more about Chena Lake Recreation Area here.
Flickr - Dan Logan
After a seven-mile hike (one way) into Lost Lake, it’s hard not to be temped to jump right in after working up a sweat. It is mighty cold but it sure does feel good after a treacherous hike, especially during summer in Alaska. Get information about the hike on the AllTrail website here.
Flickr - Travis
From the town of Eagle River, a hike in to these beautiful lakes sure is rewarding from start to finish. Depending on how warm the day gets, you’ll likely want to jump right in and have a swim once you reach your final destination. Learn about this beautiful trail on Alaska Hike Search’s listing page.
Flickr - Mel Green
Located right inside of Alaska’s largest city of Anchorage is this awesome swimming hole that offers the perfect way to cool off on a hot summer day. Bring lunch, some cool drinks and all of your friends and you’ll want to hang out all day long. Learn about Goose Lake Park on TripAdvisor’s listing here.
Flickr - megardoodles
The ocean in Alaska is never going to be warm, which is a good thing in retrospect. But when it comes to swimming, you’ll probably be much more comfortable with a wet suit on. If you are a true water baby, grab a snorkel and check out all the beautiful underwater sea creatures while you’re at it! Swimming in the most beautiful scenery in Alaska is a dream come true. Rent your snorkel gear through Snorkel Alaska and have an unforgettable time!
Flickr - ulalume
When in Rome… errr, we mean… when in NOME! Hey, it gets hot in Nome and honestly there is no better place to cool off than right off shore into the Bering Sea. Alaskans really do have thicker skin than those lower 48’ers! After your dip, head on over to Bering Sea Bar & Grill for a hot meal to warm you up!
Flickr - Luke Jones
Tucked away in the lovely south side of Anchorage is this great lake which is perfect (and convenient) for cooling off on a hot day in Alaska. This quiet lake is great for kayaking, having a picnic, or going for a good swim. Read more about it on TripAdvisor’s listing page here.
Flickr - Eli Duke
When it’s hot outside, water is water! And with the beautiful Pacific Ocean screaming your name, it’s easy to be temped to jump right in. But it sure is chilly so be prepared for the shock factor! A great spot to jump in the ocean in Seward is right on Lowell Point Beach.
Flickr - Mike Juvrud
Just another prime example of rural Alaskans being way braver and way tougher than all of the rest of us. When your access to swimming spots is limited, the largest local source of water is the obvious answer. And hey, it works! After a swim in the Arctic Ocean it’s impossible not to feel cooled off on a scorching day. You have to plan ahead to jump in the Arctic Ocean because the access point is on private land. Make your reservations with the Arctic Ocean Shuttle here.
If you want to hike out to your swimming hole, try Alaska’s Most Refreshing Hike Will Lead You Straight To A Beautiful Swimming Hole.
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Address: Alaska, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Swimming Holes In Alaska July 21, 2020 Megan McDonald Where can you swim in Alaska? The short answer? Anywhere! What you really need to do is figure out how cold that water is and how long you want to be in it. If you’re jumping into a lake on a glacier, you’re going to want a dry suit, an easy access point, and a short swim. If you’re swimming off the coast of Alaska, you’ll want relatively good weather and not much else for a short swim. If you’re staying out there long enough to surf, you might want a wetsuit. The lakes in Alaska can get pretty warm, so you need nothing more than a bathing suit! What is the best time of year to swim in Alaska? You’ll want the water to be liquid and not frozen, so we definitely recommend the spring and summer season. Although some surfers are known to go out in the winter and surf those beautiful waves all year long.
The OIYS Visitor Center
Best Swimming Holes In Alaska
July 21, 2020
Megan McDonald
Where can you swim in Alaska? The short answer? Anywhere! What you really need to do is figure out how cold that water is and how long you want to be in it. If you’re jumping into a lake on a glacier, you’re going to want a dry suit, an easy access point, and a short swim. If you’re swimming off the coast of Alaska, you’ll want relatively good weather and not much else for a short swim. If you’re staying out there long enough to surf, you might want a wetsuit. The lakes in Alaska can get pretty warm, so you need nothing more than a bathing suit! What is the best time of year to swim in Alaska? You’ll want the water to be liquid and not frozen, so we definitely recommend the spring and summer season. Although some surfers are known to go out in the winter and surf those beautiful waves all year long.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
The short answer? Anywhere! What you really need to do is figure out how cold that water is and how long you want to be in it. If you’re jumping into a lake on a glacier, you’re going to want a dry suit, an easy access point, and a short swim. If you’re swimming off the coast of Alaska, you’ll want relatively good weather and not much else for a short swim. If you’re staying out there long enough to surf, you might want a wetsuit. The lakes in Alaska can get pretty warm, so you need nothing more than a bathing suit!
What is the best time of year to swim in Alaska?
You’ll want the water to be liquid and not frozen, so we definitely recommend the spring and summer season. Although some surfers are known to go out in the winter and surf those beautiful waves all year long.
