Tucked between Anchorage and Denali National Park, Alaska’s Mat-Su Valley is home to nature-based attractions, historical sites and quaint cities.
“The Mat-Su Valley is a region the size of West Virginia, and we’re just 35 miles north of Anchorage,” says Casey Ressler, marketing and communications manager for the Mat-Su CVB. “[The area] is filled with Denali adventures like flightseeing and riverboat trips in Talkeetna, Matanuska Glacier (Alaska’s largest road-accessible glacier), fishing, outdoor recreation and more.”
One of Ressler’s must-dos for groups heading to his region is Hatcher Pass Road. The 50-mile road winds its way from Wasilla and Palmer through the Talkeetna Mountains to the town of Willow. Originally used by Alaska gold-rush miners in the 1930s and 1940s, the area is now a popular recreational spot.
“Hatcher Pass Road is one of the most scenic drives you’ll ever take,” he says. “You are surrounded by alpine meadows, the Little Susitna River, granite peaks and vast wilderness. It’s the Alaska people dream of, and it’s extremely accessible.”
In addition to taking in the great views along the way, groups can visit Independence Mine and do some hiking. Positioned at the 3,886-foot summit of Hatcher Pass, the mine was Alaska’s largest source of gold until it was closed prior to World War II. The buildings remain today, and daily tours of the mine’s facilities are offered in the summer.
Along Hatcher Pass Road, visitors can find some of the best hiking trails in Alaska, including the Gold Mint Trail and Reed Lakes Trail. Gold Mint follows the glacial-fed Little Susitna River and goes past a number of waterfalls. Reed Lakes takes hikers to two high-altitude lakes, including its namesake, and offers spectacular views of jagged mountains and the Mat-Su Valley below.
For more information, email Ressler or go to alaskavisit.com.
Top photo: Alaska’s Independence Mine State Historical Park
Photo by Tom Bol/Mat-Su CVB