Alaska in March: Iditarod Start, Fur Rondy, Northern Lights and Weather by Region

On the first Saturday of March, Fourth Avenue in downtown Anchorage is packed with snow, dog teams and spectators, and the barking of huskies eager to run carries down the street. Across the state, winter is still firmly in charge, but the days have stretched out and the festivals have begun. March is the month of sled dogs, ice sculptures and aurora watching under longer, lighter days, for travelers who like their Alaska cold and busy with local life.

The mountains and valleys of Alaska in late winter · Illustration

What is the weather like in Alaska in March?

March is still winter almost everywhere in Alaska, but the cold varies enormously: the Interior and the Arctic stay deeply frozen, Southcentral sits around freezing, and the Southeast coast is wetter and milder.

Place	Average high (°F)	Average low (°F)	Precipitation (in)	Daylight on the 15th
Anchorage	33.0	18.6	0.69	11 h 38 min
Fairbanks	24.9	-3.4	0.40	11 h 34 min
Juneau	39.2	26.6	3.67	11 h 41 min
Ketchikan	43.6	32.4	10.98	11 h 43 min
Seward	37.3	24.9	3.85	11 h 39 min
Utqiagvik	-3.8	-17.2	0.18	11 h 23 min

Fairbanks is dry and bitterly cold at night, with very few days of precipitation. Anchorage is a little warmer, with a couple of precipitation days in the month and a fair amount of snow on the ground. Utqiagvik, the northernmost city in the United States, has highs below zero and almost no precipitation.

The coast tells a different story. Juneau has frequent precipitation, and Ketchikan records precipitation on more than half the days of the month, with the heaviest total of the six places. Seward is milder and wetter than Anchorage. Everywhere, daylight is now close to twelve hours, so a March day has a real morning, afternoon and evening.

Where to go in Alaska in March

Southcentral and the Kenai coast

Anchorage is the natural base in March, and the city is at its liveliest around the Iditarod start and the Fur Rendezvous festival. Winter here means skiing, skating, dog sledding, snow biking and flightseeing over the Chugach Mountains and the Alaska Range. A ski resort sits 40 minutes from downtown, and flightseeing tours leave Anchorage year-round.

Seward lies at the head of Resurrection Bay, with Mount Marathon rising steeply behind town and Kenai Fjords National Park in the waters beyond. March there means mountains in snow and a quiet harbor town.

The Alaska SeaLife Center, the state’s only public aquarium, is an indoor stop on a gray day. The Alaska Railroad’s daily Seward trains run from May 13 to September 14, so they are not part of a March trip.

The Interior: Fairbanks and Denali

Fairbanks is the cold, clear and dry heart of a March trip. The aurora season there runs roughly from August 21 to April 21, and auroral activity is about twice as likely around the equinox as at the solstices, which puts March in a favorable stretch. Chena Hot Springs, whose aurora season runs from late August to mid-April, offers a winter aurora viewing tour and a Pool House for soaking when the nights are very cold.

Ice art sculptures are displayed around Fairbanks until the end of March, and the World Ice Art Championships run there from mid-February, weather permitting, until the end of the month. Denali National Park is open year-round, and its winter season runs from late September to early May, with the winter visitor center at the Murie Science and Learning Center. Bus service starts only around May 20, and the Park Road may close at Mountain Vista or Park Headquarters at any time because of winter weather.

Southeast and the Inside Passage

Juneau is a mild, wet corner of the state in March. Juneau, the capital, cannot be reached by road, only by air or sea. Rain and wet snow are common, so this is a month for museums, cafés and The Alaskan, the downtown hotel and bar that is the state’s oldest operating hotel.

Mendenhall Glacier sits 13 miles from downtown Juneau, near the airport, and visitors can drive directly to it. Wildlife such as bears, bald eagles or humpback whales is likeliest from April through November, so March is early for it. The cruise crowds only arrive from May.

The Arctic: Utqiagvik

Utqiagvik is the northernmost city in the United States, and March there is extreme: highs below zero, lows far lower, and nearly no precipitation. Daylight on the 15th is a little over eleven hours, so the dark of deep winter has already lifted. It is a destination for travelers who want to see a frozen Arctic town at the turn of the season, and for no one in a hurry.

What to do in Alaska in March

The Iditarod and Fur Rendezvous

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race is one of Alaska’s iconic winter events, and its excitement traditionally starts in Anchorage on the first Saturday of March. The ceremonial start is downtown at Fourth Avenue and D Street, where spectators watch the mushers depart, and the route runs to Campbell Creek Science Center.

The next day, the official restart takes place in Willow, 80 miles north of Anchorage. From there the trail crosses Rainy Pass in the Alaska Range, follows the Bering Sea shore and ends in Nome, passing through places such as Skwentna, McGrath and Unalakleet. The full race is 1,049 miles.

Anchorage Fur Rendezvous, known as Fur Rondy, is Alaska’s largest and oldest winter festival. It began in 1936 as a three-day sporting event and gives Anchorage a festive winter mood.

Dog sledding, ice art and the aurora

Dog sledding in Anchorage typically operates from October through March, so March is the last stretch of the season. Alaskan sled dogs traditionally pull side by side in pairs rather than in a fan shape, a detail you may notice on a ride. At Denali, the kennels are open on weekends only, from 1 pm to 4 pm, through the winter.

In Fairbanks, the ice sculptures glow in the cold, and the aurora is a chance on clear nights, particularly if you stay several nights. In Anchorage, the northern lights are active in the sky from late September through the middle of April, and viewing is possible even after sundown.

Nenana Ice Classic

The Nenana Ice Classic is a contest in which people guess the exact time the Tanana River ice will break up at Nenana. Tickets cost $3.00 and are sold from February 1 through April 5, for adults 18 and older, and the proceeds benefit volunteer and non-profit organizations. The tripod stands on the river in Nenana, waiting for spring.

Is Alaska busy in March?

Alaska is quiet in March compared with summer, with the busy spots being the places that host winter events. Anchorage is the liveliest, with the Iditarod start drawing spectators downtown and Fur Rondy adding to the crowd. Fairbanks draws aurora seekers and ice art visitors.

The big summer crowds are far off. Cruise ships bring thousands of visitors to Juneau between May and September, Denali sees most of its visitors from late May to early September, and its bus service has not started. Anchorage’s best season for visiting is described as May to early September, so March is a different trip altogether, one built around snow and local events. Smaller towns such as Seward stay calm.

What to pack for Alaska in March

Packing depends on the region. The Interior and Arctic need serious cold-weather gear, Southcentral wants warm layers, and the Southeast coast needs waterproofing for frequent wet days.

An insulated parka and thermal layers, for Fairbanks nights well below zero.
Waterproof outer shell and boots, for Juneau and Ketchikan, where precipitation falls on many days.
Insulated, grippy winter boots, for snowy and icy sidewalks in Anchorage.
Warm hat, mittens and face cover, for aurora nights spent standing outside.
Sunglasses, since daylight is now close to twelve hours and snow glare is strong.

Good to know before you go

Denali National Park is open year-round, but the Park Road may close at Mountain Vista or Park Headquarters at any time in winter weather, and the park buses do not run until about May 20. Entrance fees apply year-round for visitors 16 and older.

The Alaska Railroad’s Seward trains run only from May 13 to September 14. Daylight is near twelve hours across the main towns, which makes sightseeing days workable, while the aurora needs dark hours and clear skies. Flightseeing tours leave Anchorage year-round.

Is March a good time to visit Alaska?

March is a good time to visit for travelers who want winter Alaska with events and light, and Anchorage and Fairbanks are the best places to be. Anchorage offers the Iditarod start and Fur Rondy, while Fairbanks adds ice art and strong aurora chances, so a trip combining the two covers the month’s highlights.

Compared with February, the days are longer and the air milder: Anchorage’s average high moves from the high 20s to the low 30s, and Fairbanks climbs from a high near 12 to one near 25. April brings more thaw, with Anchorage and Fairbanks highs reaching the mid-40s, and the aurora season ends around April 21 in Fairbanks. March brings longer daylight, the chance of northern lights and the Iditarod’s ceremonial start in downtown Anchorage, followed by the official restart in Willow.

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