Mat-Su Valley Blog

The first sign of spring is this weekend - the annual Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show at the Menard Center. You know that summer can't be too far away once the outdoor show season starts, and the Mat-Su show is the first one up on the calendar this year. The show, which runs Friday through Sunday (March...

Just because it's the winter doesn't mean you have to spend your days indoors - there are lots of ways to enjoy the outdoors during the winter months! Here are five of our favorite ways: 1. Take a trip to Talkeetna. Winter is a great time to visit. You can even make it a weekend by taking the Alaska...

Alaskans love summer, for good reason. But don't sleep on fall - there's a ton of great activities going on in the Mat-Su Valley in late September and early October. Here are five of our favorite things to do once summer is over, but winter is still a month or two down the road: 1. Take a hike....

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...

For many, when the last salmon run ends in the fall, fishing season is over. But in the Mat-Su Valley, that's only the beginning of the "hardwater" season. From Lake Louise to Denali State Park, ice fishing opportunities abound in the Mat-Su Valley. There are more than 80 stocked lakes in the Valley...

Summer is winding down in Southcentral Alaska, but there are still plenty of activities and fun things to do. Don't let summer slip away without getting out and enjoying what the Mat-Su Valley has to offer. Here are seven things we'll be doing in late summer. 1. The Alaska State Fair. The fair...

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 weekend, the Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show takes place, the first sign that summer is right around the corner. The show, which features booths and demonstrations about all things outdoors, is a highlight for me, because I know it's almost time to dust off my fishing rods, dig out my camping gear and...

For many, when winter hits, the fishing gear gets put away for the season. But that doesn't have to be the case - ice fishing is a great winter pastime in the Mat-Su Valley, with opportunities to catch lake trout, landlocked salmon and more in a variety of locations. Just an hour north of Anchorage...

Tucked behind Main Street in downtown Talkeetna, the Susitna Salmon Center is a great way to learn more about one of Alaska's most important resources, as well as find one-of-a-kind Alaska art. The Susitna Salmon Center is an educational center focused on salmon and the aquatic ecosystem that is a...