COUNTDOWN

With temperatures hovering around the freezing mark, it won’t be long until the snow blankets the Valley. Until then, however, you still have time to take advantage of the many hiking opportunities in the Mat-Su.

Many Alaskans come to the Mat-Su Valley throughout the summer because of the wonderful hiking trails that crisscross the landscape, whether it is all the way north on the Glenn Highway toward Lake Louise or on the Parks Highway to Denali State Park.

Brisk temperatures make fall hiking even better – the crisp air fills your lungs after working your way down the trail. But where can you get out and enjoy that feeling? Just about anywhere, really.

Visit the Mat-Su CVB’s website at www.alaskavisit.com/trails for a comprehensive list of trail maps in the Mat-Su Valley. It’s a great starting point to plan your late fall hiking adventure. Trails are maintained by a number of organizations – Alaska State Parks, the Mat-Su Borough and more.

In the core area, a perfect spot to spend a weekend afternoon in October is Crevasse Moraine. Since it’s at low elevation, it will be on the last trails to see snow this late in the season. Located off Loma Prieta Drive on the Palmer-Wasilla Highway, the series of loops are perfect for beginning hikers all the way to those with lots of experience.

Crevasse Moraine is part of the Matanuska Greenbelt Trails system, which ties together several hiking trails in the Palmer area. These trails encompass parts of Matanuska Lakes State Recreation Area, Kepler Park, the UAF Matanuska Experimental Farm and Mat-Su College.

The trails in this system range from hardened, asphalt-style trails to wide track and single track trails. When the snow finally does come, this series of trails is perfect for the cross-country skiers.

Make sure you take advantage of the last few weeks of fall to get out and explore some of the many trails the Mat-Su Valley has to offer. Dress appropriately — layers, layers, layers — and make sure you bring enough water as the dryness of fall can dehydrate you quickly. You can turn your hike into a giant scavenger hunt by jotting down a few geocache locations before you head out.

Casey Ressler (casey@alaskavisit.com) is the marketing and communications manager at the Mat-Su CVB.