Rosehip State Recreation Area Chena Hot Springs Road, Alaska

Mileage:  46,132

Chena Hot Springs…to go or not to go?  We had heard it was a tourist trap and that is usually not our thing.  We had also heard that it was great and “you just have to go!”   Our drive took us east on Chena Hot Springs Road.  It follows the Chena River so I expected views of the water.  The drive was through dense forest, obscuring all views of the river.  We chose to camp at Rosehip State Recreation Area.  It was an okay place to stay.

We rested awhile and then traveled to the end of the road to Chena Hot Springs.  There was a padlock on the door of the ice museum and it looked like you had to go through the resort to see anything else.  We drove through the parking lot and back the way we had come.  We did see a female moose in the water but there was no great place to park and watch her.

We did take the Jeep on several river access roads.  We decided to pack the grill and table and chairs and have a picnic by the river.  Some people have their dinner at the local bar…we ate tonight on a gravel bar.

Tim brought car washing supplies, a bucket and some rags.  We used river water and got the bulk of the dust and grime off the Jeep.  It had gotten pretty muddy from all of our off-road adventuring.

The shrimp and grilled green beans and garlic bread must have smelled good to something.  We were just finishing our meal when we heard first a twig snap and then an animal rumbling sound from across the river.  Not sure what it was but we are both sure that it was something big.  It was either a bear or a moose.  Dinner was over!