Where To Stay In the Mat-Su Valley
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Hotels and Lodges
RV Parks & Campgrounds View All
There’s nothing quite like camping in the woods with the family when you’re a kid. The crackling campfire and gooey s’mores. Biking around the campground loop. Running through the forest and gathering wood. Catching (and landing) that first fish. Here we offer details for nine great public family campgrounds within a 90-minute drive from Anchorage.
These two almost identical cabins (only 200 feet apart) are aimed toward adventurers and families who want to include both paddling and hiking in their daily adventures. They offer direct access to two lakes as well as the park’s trail system. Though relatively close, each cabin is colored by a slightly different atmosphere. Lynx 2’s porch faces the sunset, with good afternoon sun and a view of Lynx Lake. It feels open, more exposed. Lynx 3 ...more
Red Shirt Cabin 3 celebrates the ancient spirit of Red Shirt Lake as a gathering place. The lake once featured large salmon runs and summer camps for Dena’ina Native groups, and still hosts private cabins on its southern half. The cabin may be perfect for large parties in quest of lake action, a platform for those who want strenuous days of paddling, fishing, swimming, and motoring followed by rousing evening campfires.
Located on an isthmus between a sheltered cove and the main body of a vast backcountry lake, Red Shirt Lake Cabin 2 offers a basic, easy-to-heat base for exploring 1,186-acre Red Shirt Lake regardless of weather. It gives a small party no-fuss access to water, fuel and ski trails — a cozy space to relax when the day is done and the light begins its dying slant.
The campground is pretty open, since bark beetles killed the big, old spruce trees. The campsites attract RVers and campers, and each of the 24 sites has a fire ring and picnic table. There’s potable water at a hand pump.
This handsome, well-seasoned log cabin is the postcard for your public use cabin dreams. If they filmed “Alaska Public Use Cabins — The Movie,” the producers would have a hard time finding a better place than James Lake for the setting.
Be careful, it’s easy to miss this turn-off as you drop down the hill, but look out for the sign “Caribou Creek Recreational Area.” This seldom-used campground is a quiet place to camp, away from highway noise. It has fire rings and picnic tables, and there’s a trail to the creek. It’s a one-mile walk to the water. It’s a nice stream and it’s part of the State Recreational Gold Mining Area. So bring a pan and try your luck!
Ideal for those paddling, boating, fishing, hiking as well as those looking for seclusion away from the lake’s more popular routes for skiing and snowmobiling. The cabin faces the sunset and may be the perfect locale to string a hammock for long summer afternoons listening to forest birds.
Bald Lake Cabin is a great choice for people who want to stay at an Alaska wilderness cabin on a pristine lake, but don’t want to travel far to get there. On the hillside overlooking isolated Bald Lake, the cabin offers seclusion and privacy only a short walk from your vehicle. It’s a “best of both worlds” kind of place — where you can spend the day exploring a virtually private lake with interesting bays, or quickly dash back to your vehicle to ...more
Camping by this 108-acre lake inside the Nancy Lake State Recreation Area near Willow feels like you’ve reached the end of the road. To the west stretches unbroken wilderness to the Alaska Range and beyond. And yet, the 97 sites in this friendly, heavily treed campground offer all the regular campground amenities of outhouses, fire rings, picnic tables and water pump. South Rolly contains pike and stocked rainbow trout.
Hotels & Lodges View All
This fly-in lodge on a private lake in the Talkeetna Mountains is a great place to unplug. It is also an ideal destination to escape the crowds as the lodge only accommodates small groups of 10 or less. Take guided hikes to look for wildlife and enjoy nature, kayak, go fishing, pick wild berries, or just relax and enjoy the peace and blissful views.
Built atop a high bluff, the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge overlooks the Susitna River Valley and surveys the entire Alaska Range, with Mt. Denali right in the middle. On a clear day, all of the common rooms plus certain guest rooms offer this same fabulous panorama. Take in the view as you enjoy a meal and a selection from the award-winning wine list.
The Northwoods Lodge is a remote lodge where visitors can find themselves in a 45 minute flight from Anchorage. The lodge specializes in guided fishing, and guests can enjoy 8 to 10 hours of fishing a day if they choose. Guides help you spin or fly fish for trophy king salmon, silver and sockeye salmon, or resident rainbow trout, arctic grayling and northern pike
Exploring Alaska’s backcountry lakes, forests and rivers is a phenomenal experience. Wilderness Place Lodge — tucked away on a remote river northwest of Anchorage — offers excellent access to nearly any freshwater fish you came to Alaska for, along with a unique eco-travel experience that comes with a high level of service, a variety of non-fishing activities and the mellow freedom to create an Alaskan experience that suits your own taste.
Discover cozy cabins, great food, and big Alaskan adventures at this intimate lodge that sits on the edge of the wilderness yet is super-accessible from Anchorage. It lies tucked in at the back of the Knik River Valley and at the end of Knik River Road, where Alaska’s real wilderness opens up, with mountain and river views — but without a flight or long drive. It’s the perfect place to escape for a few days, with lots of activities available from ...more
Iconic and remote Alaskan adventure lodge in the Talkeetna Mountains, accessible by road just 60 miles north of Anchorage. Open year-round, you’ll stay in rustic, comfortable cabins with access to some of the best hiking and skiing in the world, just outside your door. The lodge and cabins sit dramatically above treeline, offering breathtaking mountain views and endless adventure opportunities.
This lodge offers spectacular views of Mount McKinley and is situated within Denali State Park on the banks of the Chulitna River. Rooms offer nine-foot ceilings and fans; some offer amazing mountain views. When you’re not in your room, relax in the Great Room with its huge stone fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows. Or, step outside and stroll one of the three nature trails, either on your own or on a guided, park ranger-led walk.
History, fun, and massive portions of food come together at this institution, which was built over 3 years starting in 1914. Choose from a variety of cozy rooms in the main roadhouse and wake up the smell of fresh baked goods from the Kitchen in the morning. Or, for a more private experience, book one of the cabins out back or the Museum Apartment at the end of the block.
Bed & Breakfasts View All
This intimate 4‑room B&B, just 45 minutes from Anchorage in charming Palmer, is set on six gorgeous acres and comes with great views, delicious breakfasts, and hosts who are passionate about making you feel right at home.
Adventure Lodges View All
Iconic and remote Alaskan adventure lodge in the Talkeetna Mountains, accessible by road just 60 miles north of Anchorage. Open year-round, you’ll stay in rustic, comfortable cabins with access to some of the best hiking and skiing in the world, just outside your door. The lodge and cabins sit dramatically above treeline, offering breathtaking mountain views and endless adventure opportunities.
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
Built atop a high bluff, the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge overlooks the Susitna River Valley and surveys the entire Alaska Range, with Mt. Denali right in the middle. On a clear day, all of the common rooms plus certain guest rooms offer this same fabulous panorama. Take in the view as you enjoy a meal and a selection from the award-winning wine list.
Discover cozy cabins, great food, and big Alaskan adventures at this intimate lodge that sits on the edge of the wilderness yet is super-accessible from Anchorage. It lies tucked in at the back of the Knik River Valley and at the end of Knik River Road, where Alaska’s real wilderness opens up, with mountain and river views — but without a flight or long drive. It’s the perfect place to escape for a few days, with lots of activities available from ...more
Wilderness Lodges View All
This fly-in lodge on a private lake in the Talkeetna Mountains is a great place to unplug. It is also an ideal destination to escape the crowds as the lodge only accommodates small groups of 10 or less. Take guided hikes to look for wildlife and enjoy nature, kayak, go fishing, pick wild berries, or just relax and enjoy the peace and blissful views.
The Northwoods Lodge is a remote lodge where visitors can find themselves in a 45 minute flight from Anchorage. The lodge specializes in guided fishing, and guests can enjoy 8 to 10 hours of fishing a day if they choose. Guides help you spin or fly fish for trophy king salmon, silver and sockeye salmon, or resident rainbow trout, arctic grayling and northern pike
Exploring Alaska’s backcountry lakes, forests and rivers is a phenomenal experience. Wilderness Place Lodge — tucked away on a remote river northwest of Anchorage — offers excellent access to nearly any freshwater fish you came to Alaska for, along with a unique eco-travel experience that comes with a high level of service, a variety of non-fishing activities and the mellow freedom to create an Alaskan experience that suits your own taste.
Fishing Lodges View All
Exploring Alaska’s backcountry lakes, forests and rivers is a phenomenal experience. Wilderness Place Lodge — tucked away on a remote river northwest of Anchorage — offers excellent access to nearly any freshwater fish you came to Alaska for, along with a unique eco-travel experience that comes with a high level of service, a variety of non-fishing activities and the mellow freedom to create an Alaskan experience that suits your own taste.
The Northwoods Lodge is a remote lodge where visitors can find themselves in a 45 minute flight from Anchorage. The lodge specializes in guided fishing, and guests can enjoy 8 to 10 hours of fishing a day if they choose. Guides help you spin or fly fish for trophy king salmon, silver and sockeye salmon, or resident rainbow trout, arctic grayling and northern pike
Public Use Cabins View All
14′ x 16′ Cabin on Byers Lake that sleeps up to 6.
Bald Lake Cabin is a great choice for people who want to stay at an Alaska wilderness cabin on a pristine lake, but don’t want to travel far to get there. On the hillside overlooking isolated Bald Lake, the cabin offers seclusion and privacy only a short walk from your vehicle. It’s a “best of both worlds” kind of place — where you can spend the day exploring a virtually private lake with interesting bays, or quickly dash back to your vehicle to ...more
12′ x 16′ cabin on shore of Byers Lake. Sleeps 6.
Red Shirt Cabin 3 celebrates the ancient spirit of Red Shirt Lake as a gathering place. The lake once featured large salmon runs and summer camps for Dena’ina Native groups, and still hosts private cabins on its southern half. The cabin may be perfect for large parties in quest of lake action, a platform for those who want strenuous days of paddling, fishing, swimming, and motoring followed by rousing evening campfires.
12′ x 28′ road accessible cabin that sleeps up to 6.
Ideal for those paddling, boating, fishing, hiking as well as those looking for seclusion away from the lake’s more popular routes for skiing and snowmobiling. The cabin faces the sunset and may be the perfect locale to string a hammock for long summer afternoons listening to forest birds.
For lakeside adventures of all kinds — with canoe trails, pike fishing and wildlife viewing nearby — try this 22,500-acre multi-use park outside Willow, featuring 131 lakes and a network of trails. Its 13 public use cabins range from places that offer motorboat access, to vehicle parking, to true wilderness refuges reachable only by canoe or ski trail. Winter creates a snow-sport mecca for cabin users too — skiing, Nordic skating, snow biking and ...more
Centered on a park-like island with winding trails through the brush, Red Shirt Lake Cabin 1 is a big cabin that’s an easy paddle from the launch point at end of the three-mile Red Shirt Lake Trail. From its sprawling front porch, you can glimpse water on two sides, but no major vistas. Situated in the mouth of the lake’s protected northwestern lobe, the cabin is a great launch point for exploration by canoe when the main lake becomes windy and ...more
The Don Sheldon Mountain House may be the world’s most spectacularly situated cabin. Perched on a 4.9 acre rock and ice covered outcrop located at the 5,800 foot level, in the middle of the Don Sheldon Amphitheater just above the Ruth Gorge, it is surrounded on all sides by towering granite walls and glaciers flowing off the flanks of Denali, less than 10 miles away. It’s used primarily from March through October by photographers, skiiers, ...more
These two almost identical cabins (only 200 feet apart) are aimed toward adventurers and families who want to include both paddling and hiking in their daily adventures. They offer direct access to two lakes as well as the park’s trail system. Though relatively close, each cabin is colored by a slightly different atmosphere. Lynx 2’s porch faces the sunset, with good afternoon sun and a view of Lynx Lake. It feels open, more exposed. Lynx 3 ...more
This handsome, well-seasoned log cabin is the postcard for your public use cabin dreams. If they filmed “Alaska Public Use Cabins — The Movie,” the producers would have a hard time finding a better place than James Lake for the setting.
Located on an isthmus between a sheltered cove and the main body of a vast backcountry lake, Red Shirt Lake Cabin 2 offers a basic, easy-to-heat base for exploring 1,186-acre Red Shirt Lake regardless of weather. It gives a small party no-fuss access to water, fuel and ski trails — a cozy space to relax when the day is done and the light begins its dying slant.
If you want a convenient no-frills outpost close to your boat or airplane — and just off the winter trail — Nancy Lake Cabin 3 will fit the bill. What this well-used, old-style public use cabin lacks in amenities or architectural wonder may be compensated by its simplicity and ease of heating on frigid winter nights. Cozy is the word — a warm, dry refuge after a long day outside.
Cabin & Vacation Rentals View All
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
Discover cozy cabins, great food, and big Alaskan adventures at this intimate lodge that sits on the edge of the wilderness yet is super-accessible from Anchorage. It lies tucked in at the back of the Knik River Valley and at the end of Knik River Road, where Alaska’s real wilderness opens up, with mountain and river views — but without a flight or long drive. It’s the perfect place to escape for a few days, with lots of activities available from ...more
Iconic and remote Alaskan adventure lodge in the Talkeetna Mountains, accessible by road just 60 miles north of Anchorage. Open year-round, you’ll stay in rustic, comfortable cabins with access to some of the best hiking and skiing in the world, just outside your door. The lodge and cabins sit dramatically above treeline, offering breathtaking mountain views and endless adventure opportunities.
Enjoy your own private log cabin in the wilderness, with all the modern conveniences, just an hour north of Anchorage and minutes from Wasilla and Palmer. Nestled at the entrance to Hatcher Pass in the Talkeetna Mountains, your cozy log cabin makes an ideal base camp for all your Alaskan adventures!
Lodge in a spacious heated yurt with kitchenettes and wood stoves year round in the iconic Matanuska-Susitna Valley with endless activities from hiking to dog sledding and gazing at the northern lights.
History, fun, and massive portions of food come together at this institution, which was built over 3 years starting in 1914. Choose from a variety of cozy rooms in the main roadhouse and wake up the smell of fresh baked goods from the Kitchen in the morning. Or, for a more private experience, book one of the cabins out back or the Museum Apartment at the end of the block.