This small town of 7,176 residents got on the national map as the hometown of former governor of Alaska and 2008 vice-president running mate Sarah Palin. When the national media came calling during the presidential election it discovered a scenic Alaskan town nestled between Lake Lucille and Lake Wasilla and surrounded by the Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains.
But Wasilla was already well known as the home of the world-renowned Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, that 1,049-mile event that’s held every march from Anchorage to Nome. Just outside of Wasilla is the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Headquarters, a log cabin museum featuring historical displays, video exhibits, photos of past champions and race paraphernalia. More information on dog mushing and racing can be enjoyed at the Knik Museum & Sled Dog Musher's Hall of Fame while a number of Iditarod racers live north of Wasilla and during the summer offer tours of their kennel, mushing demonstrations and even rides in a wheeled sled.
Wasilla also serves as a gateway to the alpine adventure and beauty of Hatcher Pass. At 3,886 feet in elevation, the pass is above the tree line and a popular destination for its views of the shattered granite peaks of the Talkeetna Mountains, gold mine artifacts and Independence Mine State Historical Park. The 272-acre park preserves the 16 buildings, shafts and other remains of the Alaska-Pacific Mining Company, one of the leading hard rock gold mines in Alaska before it closed in 1955.
Surrounding Wasilla in the Mat-Su Valley are lakes and rivers with fisheries that range from rainbow trout and grayling to lake trout and Arctic char. Among the most popular species is king salmon, which begin to move into the clear water streams of the Susitna River drainage in early June. Area visitor centers can provide information on road accessible sites, boat rentals and outfitters and guides that can provide a day of trophy fishing in area waters.
Wasilla was established in 1917 at the intersection of what are now Wasilla-Fishhook Road and the newly constructed Alaska Railroad as a supply base for gold and coal mining in the area. It remained a small town servicing the needs of the Mat-Su farmers until the early 1970s when the George Parks Highway was completed, providing direct access between Wasilla and Anchorage to the south and Denali National Park and Preserve to the north. The highway allowed Wasilla to become an important commercial center for tourists passing through and a bedroom community for Alaskans who work in Anchorage but didn’t want to live in the city. Alaska’s largest city is only 43 miles away or a one-hour's drive.