Mat-Su Valley Blog

The Knik River Valley is one of the Mat-Su Valley's hidden gems, and the recreation opportunities are endless. The Knik River Valley is accessible by Knik River Road, off the Old Glenn Highway. At the end of the road is Knik River Lodge, which has amazing views of the Chugach Mountains and Knik...

Reserving a public-use cabin in the Mat-Su Valley just got easier and more convenient. The Alaska State Parks are now offering online reservations for all Mat-Su area public-use cabins, as well as spots at two popular campgrounds. The new system was put in place a few weeks ago. The public-use...

The Mat-Su Valley is a recreational boater's paradise, with opportunities to paddle a kayak or canoe around almost every bend in the road. A fast-growing national trend, stand-up paddleboarding, is also a great way to enjoy the lakes of the Mat-Su Valley. There are several state recreational areas...

The Nancy Lakes State Recreation Area is one of the crown jewels of the Alaska State Parks system and offers visitors a multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities, from canoeing and kayaking to fishing, birding, wildlife viewing and hiking. The area is located off the Parks Highway (Hwy. 3) near...

Visitors can now get a live look-in on what's happening in Denali State Park, thanks to a new webcam at Kesugi Ken Campground. The camera went live last week, and will allow visitors to see the Alaska Range and Denali on a clear day, from the campground's parking lot. You can view the webcam HERE....

One of the top recreation areas in the Mat-Su Valley, Hatcher Pass, just got even better. A new concessionaire has taken over the operations of the Government Peak Chalet, and is now offering fat tire bike rentals, snowshoe rentals and eventually, ski rentals. Lifetime Adventures took over...

Byers Lake, tucked into Denali State Park, is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise, as it offers amazing hiking, canoeing, kayaking and camping opportunities year-round. The lake, located at Mile 147 Parks Hwy, (Highway 3), is in the heart of Denali State Park, and getting there is half the fun, as the...

If your dream day begins by waking up at 3 a.m. on your day off, just so you can hit the river by 6 a.m., you aren't alone - you are a salmon angler and right now, the place to be is on the water, chasing king salmon as they enter Mat-Su Valley streams. King salmon fishing has been fair to average...

This week, the Alaska Great Land Trust held a celebration after buying the Butte, a popular hiking destination, ensuring the area remains open to public use. That's great news, because it is a gem in the Mat-Su Valley. If you haven't hiked the Butte yet, make your plans now - you won't be...

Matanuska Glacier trekking in the winter is an amazing experience. This week, Anchorage hosted a 700-person conference of tour operators called Go West, and as part of the convention, Southcentral Alaska was abuzz with activity, as operators wanted to experience Alaska in the winter. And it didn't...