Escape the city lights of Fairbanks and North Pole with a short ride to Murphy Dome Air Force Station for optimal views of the Aurora Borealis. Witness ruby and emerald waves of light dance across the sky as your tour guide shares stories of native folklore.

Wear warm layered clothing along with gloves and a winter cap as temperatures easily dip below zero degrees Fahrenheit (minus 18 C) at night. Rendezvous with your professional guide at your hotel lobby, and then hop in our heated van before heading out to Murphy Dome Air Force Station, located 20 miles (32 km) northwest of Fairbanks. This convenient destination is far enough to avoid the light pollution of the cities, yet only a short ride away.

The retired air force station was once the primary base for the 531st Aircraft Control and Warning Group during the Cold War. Today, it is a long range radar facility for the Alaska NORAD Region, but most of the campus was transformed into a public recreational area.

Your guide provides hot drinks and snacks to help brave the cold. Don’t forget to bring a camera and tripod to capture memories of the mystical Northern Lights. After a few hours enjoying the splendor of the night sky, your guide concludes the tour with a return trip to your hotel.

Note: We cannot guarantee the Northern Lights sighting. It is a natural phenomena and is difficult to predict and cannot be controlled. The Murphy Dome is an area and not a building. This also means that there is no restroom facility at the location. Occasionally the steep road to Murphy Dome is slippery and hazardous. Your guide has full discretion to take you to an alternative location to provide you with the opportunity to view the Northern Lights if they consider the road unsafe to drive on.