Wasilla

Wasilla

The town of Wasilla is home to 10,000 residents, situated in a picturesque location between Lake Lucille and Lake Wasilla, surrounded by the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains. The town, well known as the headquarters of the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, is located in the Mat-Su Valley on Alaska's route, 40 miles north of Anchorage and 315 miles south of Fairbanks. Near Wasilla is the headquarters of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a log cabin museum featuring historical exhibits, videos, photos of former champions and racing equipment. Many Iditarod racers live north of Wasilla, and during the summer they organize tours of their kennels, mushing demonstrations and even sled rides. The Knik Museum and Sled Dog Musher's Hall of Fame on the Iditarod Trail is housed in one of two buildings that remain from the original settlement of Knik, which was formerly used as a pool hall and roadhouse. Wasilla acts as a gateway to the alpine adventure and beauty of the Hatcher Pass. The pass, at 3,886 feet above treeline, is a popular tourist destination because of its views of the jagged granite peaks of the Talkeetna Mountains, gold mine finds, trails and Independence Mine State Historical Park. The 272-acre park contains the 16 buildings, mines and other remains of the Alaska-Pacific Mining Company, one of Alaska's leading hard rock gold mines before its closure in 1955. The Mat-Su Valley around Wasilla is home to lakes and rivers, where you can catch a wide variety of fish, from Rainbow Trout and Grey Trout to Lake Trout, Arctic Char and King Salmon.