Topography thumb|The Fairbanks area in winter, looking north. The Tanana River stretches across the photo south of the city; the airport is west of the city. Fairbanks is in the central Tanana Valley, straddling the Chena River near its confluence with the Tanana River. Immediately north of the city is a chain of hills that rises gradually until it reaches the White Mountains and the Yukon River. The city's southern border is the Tanana River. South of the river is the Tanana Flats, an area of marsh and bog that stretches for more than until it rises into the Alaska Range, which is visible from Fairbanks on clear days. To the east and west are low valleys separated by ridges of hills up to above sea level.U.S. Geological Survey. "Bulletin – United States Geological Survey, Issue 284", U.S. Geological Survey. 1906. P. 110.
Topography thumb|The Fairbanks area in winter, looking north. The Tanana River stretches across the photo south of the city; the airport is west of the city. Fairbanks is in the central Tanana Valley, straddling the Chena River near its confluence with the Tanana River. Immediately north of the city is a chain of hills that rises gradually until it reaches the White Mountains and the Yukon River. The city's southern border is the Tanana River. South of the river is the Tanana Flats, an area of marsh and bog that stretches for more than until it rises into the Alaska Range, which is visible from Fairbanks on clear days. To the east and west are low valleys separated by ridges of hills up to above sea level.U.S. Geological Survey. "Bulletin – United States Geological Survey, Issue 284", U.S. Geological Survey. 1906. P. 110.