Best Things To Do in Palmer / Wasilla Area
Just 45 minutes north of Anchorage, these two adjoining towns offer easy access to the gorgeous Matanuska Valley, as well as mountains and glaciers.
1. Visit the Matanuska Glacier
For a great day trip, follow the Glenn Highway on your way to Palmer and the Matanuska River Valley; within an hour you’ll be surrounded by dramatic scenery. There’s lots to see and do on this scenic drive, including an easy hike to a 200-foot waterfall and a historic village.
For other activities, go with a guide:
You can experience the thrill of walking on the gorgeous glacier, take an ATV or Jeep tour, go rafting on a glacial river, or try ziplining.
You can even combine the thrill of dogsledding on a glacier with an exciting flightseeing trip that lands right on the glacier, where you’ll meet the dogs before they pull you around the ice!
2. Take a Scenic Drive to Hatcher Pass & Independence Mine
Explore scenic Hatcher Pass on a 3-hour round-trip drive from Anchorage—the road is about 60 miles long and offers lots of opportunities for recreation.
The gorgeous alpine tundra bursts with wildflowers in the summer and is packed with snow in winter.
At the top of the pass you’ll find amazing views of mountain ranges and peaks, some great blueberry picking, and Independence Mine Historical State Park—a former gold mine where you can explore the fascinating old buildings.
3. Devour the Agriculture
In the fertile Matanuska Valley, where vegetables grow to be monster-sized, agricultural tourism is definitely a thing.
Drive the Old Glenn Highway, a country road through land that has been farmed for decades. See animal-raising in action (and get a history lesson) at the Musk Ox Farm, and take the kids to pet a reindeer at the Reindeer Farm.
Want to go with a guide? Sign up for a tour with Alaska Farm Tours and stop at 3 farms to experience what life is really like for Alaska’s farmers.
And to sample the goods, head to Raven’s Perch, at the Knik River Lodge, which serves farm-to-table dishes with spectacular views.
4. Get in the Air
If you're short on time, or just want to experience Alaska's majesty from above, a flightseeing tour is the answer.
You can choose from short 1-hour sightseeing tours, soaring over glaciers, to longer-day experiences that can include glacier trekking, ice climbing, heli-hiking, iceberg kayaking and paddleboarding, and more.
The sky is the limit!
5. Go for a Hike
This area serves up a wealth of scenic parks and trails to explore. One amazing option is The Butte, a small mountain with a short but steep climb that gives you a great view out over the area’s farmland and out to craggy peaks and the Knik Glacier.
If you’re feeling ambitious, Hatcher’s Pass offers a couple 8-mile (full-day) hikes, like Gold Mint Trail or Reed Lakes.
Or grab the opportunity to take a guided hike on the Matanuska Glacier itself.
Not ready to go it alone? Join Revel Treks + Tours on a half or full day hike. They also offer speciality tours like a downtown walking tour of Palmer, a Hike & Brew trip, as well as multi-day backpacking.
6. Explore the History
This area offers a fascinating look at how settlers arrived and how agriculture developed.
One of the most interesting stops is the Colony House Museum in Palmer, which was built for the New Deal resettlement project undertaken by the Roosevelt Administration in 1935.
You’ll learn how this project came to be—possibly even from descendants of the original colonists who settled here back in the day.
7. Visit Local Breweries
“Fresh and local” doesn’t just apply to just the produce in the Palmer/Wasilla area—you’ll also find a wealth of innovative breweries creating unique beers.
It’s truly a local experience—not only is the beer brewed locally, but the breweries are great way to meet locals and experience the local culture for yourself.
Stop by craft breweries like Bleeding Heart, Arkose, Bear Paw River Brewing, and Matanuska Brewing and see what flavors they have on offer!
8. Celebrate at the Alaska State Fair
Come late summer, everyone gears up for the Alaska State Fair, which has been around for 75 years and takes place at the fairgrounds in Palmer.
Alaskans love it and so will you! Expect carnival rides and games, fantastic concerts, uniquely Alaskan food, and vendors selling only-in-Alaska goods that are perfect for souvenirs.
You’ll even see some of the giant vegetables this area is famous for…a 127-pound cabbage, anyone?!
9. Come for Winter Fun
This area rocks the cold weather with lots to do.
Start with a dog sledding excursion, where you can learn what the Iditarod is really like at a mushing school or even up on the Matanuska Glacier itself!
10. Get Out on the Water
AK Paddlesports offers guided tours and also has kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes available to rent with the option of delivery and pick-up available.
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Palmer / Wasilla
Palmer / Wasilla Area Day Tours & Attractions View All
The sport of packrafting is a great way to enjoy rafting and explore the gorgeous Alaskan wilderness. Do it with Alaska Helicopter Tours out of Palmer and you’ll also experience a scenic helicopter ride and have your choice of half- or full-day trips.
With Alaska Backcountry Adventure Tours, you can experience glaciers inaccessible by road. Never fear if you’ve never driven an before; this company teaches you to maneuver your ATV through the Alaskan wilderness with your guide at the lead. Your destination is the magnificent Knik Glacier, where you’ll enjoy lunch and gorgeous scenery.
Set off with a small group and an experienced guide for an unforgettable exploration of the Mat-Su Valley area on foot. Nestled between the Chugach Mountains to the south and the Talkeetna Mountains to the north, there are craggy, snow-capped peaks and rushing rivers everywhere you turn: a classic Alaskan setting that comes packed with a rich history. Opt for a half-day or full day hike, or choose a hike & brew or a town tour to learn the ...more
Lift off in a helicopter for an incredibly scenic 15-minute flight over the Knik River on your way to the Knik Glacier. Once you’ve landed, your guide will help you get equipped with all the gear you need to make your ascent up the glacier wall or down into a glacial moulin, including rope, harness, helmet, boots, crampons, and ice tools. Never ice climbed before? No problem
Glacier trekking, kayaking, ice climbing, and other activities are even more special when combined with a spectacular helicopter ride through Alaska’s dramatic scenery. Thanks to key partnerships with other experienced Alaskan tour operators, Palmer based Outbound Heli Adventures is able to coordinate seamless outings of a lifetime! And, they pride themselves on offering the most amount of flight time with their excursions.
Summer or winter, visit a family-run champion kennel, meet friendly dogs and an experienced musher for a ride along private trails with views of Denali. Opt to ride in the sled or mush your own. Or, for a truly authentic adventure, go on a training run for the Iditarod! Large groups and special events welcome when organized in advance.
Embark on an unforgettable paddling adventure in Alaska with AK Paddlesports! Nestled just outside Anchorage, this family-founded company offers a vast selection of top-quality watercraft, including paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes, available for rent by the day. Experience the convenience of equipment delivery and pick-up, allowing you to spend more time exploring Alaska’s scenic lakes.
Stunning scenery, a thrilling ride and happy puppies: this tour out of the Anchorage area offers an unbeatable combination of classic Alaska experiences that will delight families or — really, anybody. Taking a total of about 90 minutes, and running from mid-May to early September, this tour includes a Flightseeing round trip, a small friendly group environment, and plenty of one-on-one time with the dogs and their mushers.
Experience the excitement of racing champion sled dogs at the Alaska Mushing School, just 75 minutes from Anchorage. Get a professional’s insight into the mushing lifestyle as you ride behind a team of energetic sled dogs on trails connected to the famous Iditarod route. Bundle up and ride in comfort, or brave the cold and drive the team yourself!
Hop aboard an eco-friendly snowmobile in Girdwood and ride on groomed trails beneath massive, 7,000-foot glaciated peaks or visit the dazzling blue ice of Spencer Glacier. Or, head north of Anchorage for a trail ride through mid-alpine black spruce forests. No experience necessary, all gear provided, and warm beverages and snacks included.
Paddleboarding becomes a truly unique sport in Alaska, especially when you have the opportunity to glide across bright blue pools on a glacier! And that’s exactly what you can do when you go glacier paddleboarding with Alaska Helicopter Tours. Enjoy a 15-minute scenic flight then set off on a serene paddle across crystal-clear water. No experience necessary!
Winter or summer, experience the thrill of running Iditarod sled dogs and even have a chance to drive! Meet the sled dogs and hear first-hand just what it’s like to run the Iditarod.
There’s nothing quite like the thrill of catching an iconic Alaskan fish like salmon or halibut. And when you take an intimate half- or full-day trip with the passionate anglers at Alaska Outdoors Addiction out of Anchorage, you’ll cast your line amid incredible scenery on an expedition that’s carefully catered to your interests. Rent the entire boat or come as a shared guest; either way, it will be a magical experience that’s perfect for both ...more
Short on time and want to see another side of Anchorage and the gorgeous surrounding area? Take a small-group tour with Escaping Anchorage, whose owner, Brittney, creates personalized adventures featuring beautiful scenery and real insights.
For outstanding viewing and incredible access to remote places, there’s nothing like flightseeing by helicopter. Join Alaska Helicopter Tours – a locally-owned, highly-respected helicopter tour and charter company – for excursions that reveal hidden sites just minutes from Anchorage. Spot wildlife from the air, stand on a glacier or land on a remote airstrip.
Owners Matti and Dan cannot think of a better way to appreciate Alaska than sharing it with others. Matti was born and raised in Palmer, Alaska and has been on snowmachines most of her life. Alaska Backcountry Adventures offers “mild to wild” experiences and prides itself on providing a customized experience for all levels of ability. It offers the widest variety of expeditions on the latest and greatest equipment.
Experience the thrill of heli-flightseeing year-round by flying with the experienced pilots from Heli Alaska, out of Wasilla. Just 40-minutes north of Anchorage, you’ll take off from a dock and be on your way to see Alaska from the air, looking down on glaciers, tundra, and wildlife. Many tours even include a glacier landing to explore these ancient rivers of ice on foot.
Just 60 miles north of Anchorage, in the heart of the Hatcher Pass Recreation Area of the Talkeetna Mountains, you can experience amazing tours, comfortable lodging, and hearty meals at Snowhook Adventures’ Lodge and Cabins. Whether you’re here in winter, spring, summer or fall, you can enjoy all-inclusive overnight experiences. Depending on the season, these tours include ATV/UTV riding, dog sledding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, northern lights ...more
Palmer / Wasilla Hiking Trails View All
How to get ThereThe Plumley-Maud Trail can be accessed from the end of Maud Road, or from the corner on Plumley Road near Caudill Road. 1) Access from Maud Road: From Palmer go south east 3 1⁄2 miles on the Old Glenn Highway, take a left on Maud Road, follow Maud Road for 1 1⁄2 miles. There is a small turn around and limited parking before the creek directly east of the road. Please be careful not to block the entrance to the trail or the… ...more
This is a popular, 4.3‑mile-long (8.6 round-trip) trail located 2 hours north of Anchorage in the Hatcher Pass area. It’s also gorgeous. At one point it climbs directly alongside a sheet of waterfalls falling from a wide granite ledge. As the trail winds its way to these falls, it passes the lake into which the falls drain. And after the falls, the trail ends at the tarn from which the falls drain. In other words, hike this trail and you’ll see a ...more
There are some nice long downhills with banked turns, a few shallow creek crossings, and some chunk sections. Most of this trail lies on south-facing hillsides, with views of the Knik River Valley and Pioneer Peak.
The 5‑mile-long Eska Falls Trail is located a 2‑hour drive north of Anchorage in the mountains above the town of Sutton. And it leads to one of nature’s symmetrically framed wonders — a 100-foot waterfall located at the end of a mile-long valley that’s flanked by two massive summits. This setting makes Eska Falls not so much a hike to a destination as much as a hike to a presentation.
This 4.5‑mile trail, some 2 hours north of Anchorage on the west side of Hatcher Pass, climbs 1,000 feet up a very typical Talkeetna valley — long, broad, and lined with towering peaks on both sides. It also passes by relics and ruins of old mining days, when these valleys echoed with the sounds of picks and drills.
Why Take This Hike This trail, located 90 minutes north of Anchorage just across the Matanuska River from downtown Palmer, makes no pretense about its purpose. Almost immediately after leaving the parking area, it begins to climb straight up the steep west face of Lazy Mountain. For some 2,000 feet, there’s nary a switchback or respite as the trail winds up to the summit ridge. It’s a truly breathless workout. The Details Out of Palmer,… ...more
Want to feel dwarfed by Alaska’s mountains? Take a 2‑hour drive north on the Parks Highway and then up Hatcher Pass Road, where you’ll find this 2‑mile-long ATV trail — a wide but occasionally steep path that leads to the crest of Box Lake Ridge. From the big, rounded top of this ridge, you can’t help but feel overwhelmed by the enormous Talkeetna Mountains that surround you.
Summit Lake, located some 60 miles north of Anchorage at the crest of Hatcher Pass, offers a short, memorable lakeside ramble. Here you can explore the surrounding gullies and slopes or just sit and watch hang gliders drift out over the long Willow Creek Valley, which extends for miles from the west side of the pass.
No official trail in Southcentral Alaska climbs as high as Matanuska Peak Trail. Beginning in a subdivision across the Matanuska River from Palmer, this nearly 6‑mile-long trail runs up some 5,700 vertical feet. Your destination is the 6,119-foot summit of Matanuska Peak, the very prominent rock spire that fills the sky just east of Palmer. But despite the imposing appearance of this mountain, the trail to its summit requires no extensive ...more
It’s not very often that people can see a glacier in an untamed and remote location, far from any road or cruise-ship route. But if you feel capable and confident enough to climb a very rough trail up many vertical feet of rocky terrain, then you might consider undertaking the hike to Snowbird Pass, located high in the Talkeetna Mountains just north of Hatcher Pass. From this vantage point you can look down the entire length of Snowbird Glacier. ...more
Are you a mountain runner looking for a tough workout? Consider Pioneer Ridge Trail. This trail, located a 1‑hour drive north of Anchorage on scenic Knik River Road, climbs some 5,200 feet over its 6 miles. Other trails, like Lazy Mountain Trail and Mount Marathon Race Route, may be steeper or rockier, but no trail in the Chugach Mountains climbs so steadily for so long as Pioneer Ridge.
Some 50 miles north of Anchorage, this 1.5‑mile trail makes for a fine family outing. From the picnic table at the uppermost end of the trail, you’ll find a satisfying panoramic view of the Matanuska River and Knik River valleys. It’s a view as good, or better, than that from many summits.
With a length of just 1.5 miles and a summit reaching only 874 feet, West Butte Trail on Bodenburg Butte — a 45-minute drive north of Anchorage — makes for a fine family outing. But even if you’re a more experienced hiker, don’t let the butte’s dwarf-like height dissuade you. This small bump in the center of a grand alluvial plain offers far-reaching views from its summit; plus, the climb includes a pulse-quickening 0.25 miles of stairs up the steep ...more
Explore the expansive gravel beds or meander along the mighty Matanuska-Susitna River and link up with the Matsu River Park trails, located in the trees to the west.
A straightforward trip with big scenery payoffs, like the picturesque Mint Hut and a valley dotted with hanging glaciers. This trip is a great first backpacking trip in Alaska with simple logistics. It’s 16 miles with options for additional miles and side trips.
Beginning a 1‑hour drive north of Anchorage in Government Hill Recreation Area, Government Peak Race Trail offers a fine opportunity for a hard workout; it climbs some 3,700 vertical feet in just 3 miles. Plus, this climb doesn’t include any extraordinary dangers. (A friend refers to one short ledge on this trail as “death rock,” but she tends to exaggerate.) Some sections require special care to negotiate, but you won’t have to traverse any ...more
The Fishhook Trailhead parking lot is located at mile 16.5 of Hatcher Pass Road. This area is actively used year round. In the summer it’s a great area to hike and in late summer the slopes are abundant with blueberries. This trailhead also leads to Marmot Mountain, were paragliders launch from the top and land in the parking lot. In the winter, the area draws individuals to sled, ski and snowmachine. This trailhead intersects with The Hatcher ...more
Located one-third of the way from Palmer to Wasilla, this 33-mile trail system meanders through boreal forest, farmland, and the rolling moraines left by the glaciers of the last Ice Age. The trails are some of the only non-mountain, non-motorized pathways in the area, and they’re popular with dog walkers, mountain bikers, geo-cachers, cross-country skiers, runners, and equestrians.
In the Talkeetna Mountains between the towns of Willow and Palmer, Hatcher Pass is a local favorite for recreation or a scenic drive. Hike in alpine tundra dotted with wildflowers and ptarmigan, ski fresh, deep powder, or visit Independence Mine Historical State Park.
Two trails travel over the Mat-Su College lands; one from the college and one from Snodgrass Hall. The Mat-Su College trailhead leads to a hilly loop and opens to beautiful views of Lazy Mountain, Twin Peaks, Bodenburge Butte, and Knik Glacier — the best mountain views in the entire greenbelt system.
As you approach the Independence Mine Parking Lot, the trail can be seen to the far right end. It crosses over a small bridge, and winds up past an old abandoned mining cabin, and then up a debris field and finally to the lake. Round trip, the hike is almost 2 miles, and the elevation gain is approximately 600 feet. The trail can be muddy and wet for the first .25 miles, but it’s worth the hike to see Gold Cord Lake, and a great view of the Mine ...more
Visible outside the windows of the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau, this state wildlife refuge is the result of the 1964 earthquake. Literally overnight, the land dropped by 6 to 20 feet; hay fields and pastureland became salt flats and marshland. Once home to cows and grains, the land is now prime habitat for moose, birds, and fish. Some 20,000 acres are protected in the refuge, which is a popular recreation and wildlife-viewing… ...more
This short, paved trail is an hour’s drive north of Anchorage in southern Wasilla. It leads out to a bluff on Palmer Hay Flats — a large stretch of wetlands with all kinds of wildlife. There, a viewing platform overlooks the flats and the Chugach Mountains beyond.