Visitor Guide
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Find lodging, dining, activities, attractions and more in each region of the Mat-Su Valley. More Info
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
Each March, mushers and their eager dog teams navigate portions of the Iditarod Historic National Trail in a grueling race from Southcentral Alaska to the Bering Sea Coast, covering more than 1,100 miles of extreme Alaska terrain.The action begins in the Mat-Su Valley with the Iditarod Days Festival prior to the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race restart in Willow. www.iditaroddays.com
Valley Radio Q99.7 is the Official Radio Station of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race. Be sure to add www.KMBQ.com to your favorites and tune in for action updates.
Iditarod Start, Restart and Finish
The "Last Great Race" begins Downtown Anchorage with a ceremonial start the first Saturday of March. Mushers and their dogs travel approximately 11 miles, then pack up and head to the Mat-Su Valley for the Willow Restart, 2 p.m., Sunday. The race culminates in Nome, Alaska; John Baker set a record time of 8 days, 18 hours, 46 minutes and 39 seconds in 2011. www.iditarod.com
Chase the Race
The race is on! Follow mushers along the Iditarod Trail by snowmobile or dog sled, spend the day at an Iditarod checkpoint, fly over the Iditarod Trail, be in Nome when mushers cross the finish line or do it all with an Iditarod vacation package.
IditaRider Musher Auction
Ride in the sled of your favorite musher for the first 11 miles of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. Bids start at $500. This is an experience of a lifetime! www.iditarod.com/auctions
Iditarod Mushers Banquet and Drawing
Iditarod race fans mingle with Iditarod mushers at this annual sellout event where mushers draw bib numbers for their official starting positions. For reservations, call (907) 376-5155, ext. 108.
Can't make it this year? Become an official Iditarod Insider
Subscribers get daily video race updates, live streaming video of the Iditarod Start in Anchorage, Willow Restart and Nome Finish, behind-the-scene extras, virtual trail fly bys and much more! www.iditarod.com/insider
Iditarod Headquarters
Gain new perspective about this fascinating and historic event. View race memorabilia, photos and footage, pick up souvenirs and take a thrilling summer dog sled ride. Open year round in Wasilla, admission is free. www.iditarod.com/aboutus/headquarters.html
The Iditarod Historic National Trail
The 2,400-mile Iditarod Trail is a symbol of the bygone Alaska Gold Rush frontier era. It was the primary winter route for supply and provision for mining camps, trading posts and other settlements between the coastal town of Seward, to the Interior and Nome, Alaska. Mail and supplies went in. Gold came out. All via dog sled.
In 1925 the Iditarod Trail captured national attention as the life saving highway for the diphtheria-stricken Nome. When air travel became impossible due to harsh weather, twenty mushers and their heroic dogs carried serum in a 674-mile relay from Fairbanks to Nome in 127. 5 hours. www.iditarodnationalhistorictrail.org/
Jr. Iditarod Sled Dog Race
Dedicated young mushers from around the world blaze the trail in a 160-miles junior sled dog race held annually the weekend immediately preceding the start of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. www.jriditarod.com
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
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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!