Mat-Su Valley Blog

This summer, get out and enjoy some of your favorite hiking trails and win as part of the Soles in the Backcountry event from AKtive Soles Performance Footwear in Palmer. The event runs through September and features many popular hikes, outdoor adventures and this year, a vertical challenge. To...

After a long and crazy winter, the weather is starting to turn, the snow is melting and our thoughts are naturally turning to summer adventures. Alaska summers seem to go way too fast, so we are making a checklist to make sure we get out and don't miss a thing this summer! With that in mind, here's...

Independence Mine in Hatcher Pass opens to the public on Friday, June 18, kicking off a summer of activity in one of the Mat-Su Valley's most iconic locations. Salmon Berry Travel and Tours, a leading Alaska-owned tour operator based in Anchorage, is operating the recreation area this summer for a...

A hidden gem in the Valley's trail system is also one of it's newest - Settlers Bay Coastal Park, just eight miles from Wasilla. The 295-acre Settlers Bay Coastal Park features something for nearly every outdoor recreationalist - hiking trails, mountain biking, views of the Chugach Mountains and the...

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...

Thanks to the Mat-Su Trails and Parks Foundation, a wide range of Mat-Su area trail maps are available in a convenient smartphone app. OuterSpatial is available for both iOS and Android platforms. It is a national app, but delivers localized content based on user's location. For the Mat-Su Valley,...

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....

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 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....