Visitor Guide
Come Experience Alaska with us! View Mat-Su Valley's Visitor Guide.
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Find lodging, dining, activities, attractions and more in each region of the Mat-Su Valley. More Info
Off the Beaten Path
Today, remote areas are enjoyed by residents and visitors for hunting, fishing and nature expeditions. Remote lodges and camps are scattered throughout the Valley. Most travel to remote lodges is by air taxi. Some lodges cater to snowmachiners and dog mushers in the winter. Accommodations and services vary. Check with individual lodges to see what they have to offer. Many places in the Valley serve as "jumping off points" to remote Alaska, including the Lake Louise Recreation Area (turnoff at Mile 159.8. Glenn Highway 1). Enjoy the area's year-round adventure, including lake trout fishing, views of Tazlina Glacier, snowmachining and cross country skiing. Lodges, campground, and public boat launch are available to help you launch your expedition.
Other areas include salmon fishing off the Skwenta, wildlife viewing and berry picking in the Talkeetna Mountains or enjoying the rugged beauty on the Denali Highway.
For flightseeing trips, guided fishing, back country treks, or custom tours, contact businesses in the "Vacation Fundamentals" section of the website. A professional guide is always recommended when venturing into Alaska's wilderness.
Lake Louise
The clear waters of Lake Louise (and adjoining Susitna Lake) cover 37 square miles and is Alaska's largest lake system with road access. Located at the end of a 19-mile road that branches off the Glenn Highway at Mile 159.8, Lake Louise is the eastern-most community of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The area s
erves as a "jumping off point" to remote Alaska as well as a convenient overnight stay for travelers between Anchorage and Valdez.
Visitors can enjoy year-round adventure here, including trophy lake trout, grayling and burbot fishing, views of Tazlina Glacier, hiking and berry picking. Winter at Lake Louise is a bustling time of year with cross-country skiing, snowmobile events and sled dog races. Just about every weekend in the winter offers a different event. This is a favorite playground for Alaskans year-round and is also a popular get-away for corporate retreats. Lodges, campgrounds boat rentals, guide services and a public boat launch area available to help you start your expedition.
Visitors can usually catch a glimpse of some of the abundant wildlife in the area. Perhaps most impressive of the wildlife viewing opportunities is the annual migration of the Nelchina caribou herd each October through November. Other wildlife that call Lake Louise home includes moose, wolf, bear, fox, sheep, lynx, trumpeter swans, cormorants and more.
Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Association
- 2207 Spenard Road, #201
- Anchorage , AK 99503
- Phone: (907) 258-3171
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Caribou Lodge
- Southeast of Denali Park
- Talkeetna, AK 99676
- Phone: (907) 733-2163
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Closer to Denali than the Park entrance, superb location. Small, personal and NO CROWDS. Guided day hiking, wildlife, photography, backpacking, winter dog-mushing and more. A family operated wilderness lifestyle experience. more
Deshka Wilderness Lodge
- PO Box 123
- Willow, AK 99688
- Phone: (907) 733-6915
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Alaska wilderness fly-in fishing lodge featuring remote river fishing for salmon and trout. Offering clean comfortable rooms, hearty homecooked meals in our river front dining room and naturally, great guided fishing! more
Lake Louise Lodge
- Mile 16.1 Lake Louise Road
- Glennallen, AK 99588
- Phone: (907) 822-3311
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Riversong Lodge, Inc.
- PO Box 191029
- Anchorage, AK 99519
- Phone: (907) 350-2392
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Experience Riversong Lodge’s superb fishing for pacific salmon and rainbow trout; also, known for its' gourmet cuisine. Located 70 air miles northwest of Anchorage, it is accessible by floatplane only. more
Within The Wild Adventure Company
- PO Box 91419
- Anchorage, AK 99509-1419
- Phone: (907) 274-2710
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Helpful resources
So you're planning a trip to Alaska and need some help getting started. You've come to the right place! More Info
Maps and more
Find Alaska Highway maps and mileage chart for distances between destination points within the Mat-Su… More Info
Great outdoors
Discover more about boating, rafting, fishing, flightseeing and how to get into the backcountry of… More Info
Denali Flightseeing
Alaska's majestic scenery appears magnified from a Cessna window and the vantage point makes for good… More Info
glaciers
You can see a glacier just about anywhere in Alaska. But in the Mat-Su Valley, you can actually get out… More Info
Alaska Rafting
Uncover hidden jewels only accessible by boat. Hover in rapids through canyons, see glaciers calve fall… More Info
Dining in Mat-Su
Fine dining to cafes and everything in between. Don't be surprised if your portions are Alaska-sized.… More Info
Yahoo Mat-Su! Where Alaska comes to play
The Mat-Su Valley is your place for adventure. From flightseeing Mount McKinley to rafting the Matanuska River, excitement is right around every corner. Spectacular views abound, from mountains to glaciers to wildlife. Conveniently located 35 miles north of Anchorage, your Alaska experience begins when you get to the Mat-Su Valley. Spend a day exploring Hatcher Pass, test your luck fishing or take advantage of the bountiful hiking. The Mat-Su Valley - where Alaska comes to play!
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You'll find a wide variety of lodging options to fit your preferences and budget. Choose from comfo...
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View our online vacancy report.
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Looking for an event to attend? Our calendar of events will give you many options to choose from.
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Alaska adventure is everywhere in the Mat-Su Valley! Summer and winter you will find a wide variety...
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Three mountain ranges... 2,000 miles of trails... thousands of lakes... hundreds of miles of rivers...
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Choose from fine dining to down home cafes and everything in between. Many of these restaurants use...
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Mark the occasion of your Alaska visit with a special keepsake that tells the story of your adventu...
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Alaska winters are spectacular in the Mat-Su Valley. Alpenglow sunsets over Denali, winter ice fish...
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Check out our brand new Visitors Guide!