Matanuska Susitna
Bucket List Explore Independence Mine Visit the Historic Town of Talkeetna Discover the Pre-Historic Musk Ox
Independence Mine State Historical Park at Hatcher Pass
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he Matanuska-Susitna Valley, known as the Mat-Su, is one of Alaska’s foremost recreation areas. It has over 23,000 square miles of unspoiled mountains, lakes, and glaciers with unlimited opportunity for camping, hiking and adventures. On a typical weekend, Anchorage residents desert that bustling “metropolis” in droves to converge on the Mat-Su. Palmer and Wasilla are the two largest towns in the Matanuska Valley. Talkeetna is a charming town, full of great restaurants and fun things to do. It is also used as a base camp for tourists and climbers alike to access North America’s tallest peak, Denali (Mt. McKinley). A flightseeing trip to Denali will undoubtedly be a highlight of your trip. Wasilla is also home to the Iditarod Headquarters, where you can learn about the Mushers and their dogs who compete in this incredible annual race. The many local farms will convince you this is the state’s agricultural center, yielding almost two-thirds of Alaska’s produce.
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Matanuska - Susitna
The fertile area is known for growing huge, award winning vegetables, many of which can be seen each year at the Alaska State Fair, held in Palmer in the Fall. In 1935, as part of the New Deal, 203 families from the Midwest traveled to Alaska and started the Matanuska Valley Colony. Families were specifically chosen from the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, due to their similarly cold winter climates. Many of these families still have descendents in the area. Camping Alaska State Parks in the area include Denali State Park and Nancy Lake State Recreation Area. Smaller parks are the Matanuska River Park in Palmer, which has a very nice campground, Lake Lucille Park in Wasilla and Little Susitna River in Houston. Eagle River Campground near Anchorage has 57 campsites. Large RV’s welcome, firepits, water, flush toilets & dump station. Reservations must be made 7 or more days in advance. Mile 12 Glenn Highway. Bell’s Travel Guides