From mild to wild: Your Alaska Adventure Awaits
Educational, locally guided trips designed to connect you to our community
We recommend the following tours from our friends at Revel
Click a date on the calendar for availability and full details on these tours or visit Revel Treks and Tours.
Rocks, Rivers and Glaciers
Join us for a guided hike that combines outdoor adventure with learning. We’ll explore a glacial outwash plain, discussing what the landscape looks like today and how we can tell that glaciers were here long ago. Following our introduction to glaciers we will hike 1.5 miles up Bodenburg Butte, a local landmark with an 800-foot summit. Enjoy breathtaking views of the Knik Glacier (weather pending) and discover the region’s geological transformation on this educational outing. We’ll descend the same trail for a total hiking distance of 3 miles. Please note: this hike has over 500 stairs. Hikers should be able to climb up and down stairs comfortably.
Valleys and Hops
A taste of Palmer – we’ll head to a glacial valley in scenic Hatcher Pass for a mellow 4-mile, out-and-back hike on a flat, well-maintained trail. Along the way, learn about how glaciers carved the Mint Valley and what prospectors found while panning in the early 20th century. We’ll stop at an old beaver damn for snacks and a water break before heading back to the trailhead. Following our valley walk, we’ll stop at a local brewery (non-alcoholic options available). Learn about the brewers, discover what’s crafted using locally harvested ingredients, and sip on a beverage.
Palmer Downtown Walking Tour
Palmer’s downtown area is filled with charm and history. Join a local guide for a walking tour of the downtown area with behind-the-scenes stops into some of the town’s historic buildings. This trip starts with a review of what glaciers left behind thousands of years ago and how they’ve been integral to the area’s agricultural story. We’ll discuss the peoples who have called the area home for thousands of years – the Ahtna and Dena’ina. We’ll fast forward to downtown Palmer today, rooted in the Matanuska Colony Project of 1935. Many of the buildings in the downtown Palmer area were constructed during the project. The original trading post, school, teacher’s dorm, and superintendent’s home are all in downtown Palmer. Take a walk back in time and fall in love with the story of Palmer.