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. It's lining up to be the biggest Mat-Su Outdoors Show...

Half a world away, U.S. Olympians are chasing the gold in Tokyo. But here in the Mat-Su Valley, it's silver that is the top prize for anglers. The first two weeks of August brings the peak of the silver salmon season in the Mat-Su Valley, a great time to have some fun on the water and have some...

Pink salmon are far from the most desired salmon in Alaska's streams, but they also provide a great opportunity to get out and test your hand fly fishing in Susitna Valley streams. Last week, I was joined by a college friend from 25 years ago who wanted to do some Alaska salmon fishing. We loaded up...

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...

Right beside one of the busiest highways in Alaska, the Glenn Highway, you'll find peace and serenity at Reflections Lake, which is one of the Mat-Su Valley's hidden gems. The lake is located at the Knik River Access ramp just north of Palmer on the Glenn Highway. Despite it being right beside the...

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...

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...

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...