Things to do in Palmer
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Pioneer Ridge Hiking Trail
Pioneer Ridge Hiking Trail is a 5.7-mile route from Knik River Rd that climbs the main ridge extending southeast from Pioneer Peaks (6400ft). You'll climb through forest until you reach the alpine tundra at 3200ft. Once on the ridge, South Pioneer Peak is a mile to the northwest, North Pioneer Peak is 2 miles. Scaling either requires rock-climbing experience and equipment. To the southeast, the ridge leads toward Bold Peak, the Hunter Creek drainage and eventually Eklutna Lake.
To reach the trailhead, turn onto Knik River Rd, just before crossing the river on Old Glenn Hwy, and follow it for almost 4 miles.
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McRoberts Creek Valley Hiking Trail
The backcountry hike up the McRoberts Creek Valley Hiking Trail provides an easy approach to 6119ft Matanuska Peak. The trail reaches the tree line in 2½ miles and 3880ft Summit Ridge in 9 miles. The trek to Matanuska Peak is a serious 18-mile endeavor. To reach the trailhead, take Old Glenn Hwy from Palmer toward Butte and turn left onto Smith Rd at Mile 15.5.
Follow Smith Rd for 1.4 miles, until it curves into Harmony Ave. There is no parking at the South Fork trailhead, so leave the car at the bend in the road.
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Musk Ox Farm
The Musk Ox Farm is the only domestic herd of these big, shaggy beasts in the world. These Ice-Age critters are intelligent enough to have evolved a complex social structure that allows survival under incredibly harsh conditions. Yes, you'll probably get to pet them, too. Qiviut, the incredibly warm, soft and pricey (around US$60 per ounce) material made from the musk ox's soft undercoat, is harvested here; fine sweaters and hats are for sale in the gift shop. Tours are given every half-hour.
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Lazy Mountain Hiking Trail
The best hike near Palmer is the berry-lined climb to the top of 3720ft Lazy Mountain Hiking Trail. The 2½-mile trail is steep at times, but makes for a pleasant trek that ends in an` alpine setting with good views of Matanuska Valley farms. Take Old Glenn Hwy across the Matanuska River, turn left onto Clark-Wolverine Rd and then right onto Huntly Rd; follow it to the Equestrian Center parking lot and trailhead, marked 'Foot Trail.' Plan on three to five hours for the round-trip.
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Knik Glacier Adventures
Trekkies take note; Knik Glacier is best known as the setting where a portion of Star Trek VI was filmed. You can get a partial view of the ice floe at Mile 7 of Knik River Rd off Old Glenn Hwy but the best way to experience it is on an airboat ride up the Knik River; Knik Glacier Adventures offers four-hour tours, departing at 10:00 and 15:00 daily and including a cookout within view of the ice.
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Colony House Museum
The thought-provoking Colony House Museum was a home built in 1935 during the original settlement of Palmer and its eight rooms are still furnished with artifacts and stories from that era. To bring the living-room piano to Alaska, members of one pioneer family left behind their luggage and stuffed their clothes in it, the only way to make their weight allotment.
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Matanuska Valley Agricultural Showcase
A garden featuring flowers and the area's famous oversized vegetables. But you have to be passing through in August if you want to see a cabbage bigger than a basketball. Every Friday during summer is Friday Fling (from 11:00 to 18:00 June to August), an open-air market with local produce, art, crafts, food and live music.
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Colony Kitchen
It serves the best breakfasts in town and serves it all day. Diner dinners include fried chicken, meat loaf and chicken fried steak. You'll eat beneath stuffed birds suspended from the ceiling (hence the 'Noisy Goose Cafe' nickname).
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Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm
Pyrah's Pioneer Peak Farm is the largest pick-your-own-vegetables place in the Mat-Su Valley with would-be farmers in the fields from July to early October picking everything from peas and potatoes to carrots and cabbage.
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Inn Café
What was once the Colony Inn where teachers used to dine is now a pleasant restaurant with sandwiches and salads most of the week, dinner and live jazz on Friday evenings and brunch on Sunday.
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Vagabond Blues
A cozy, gay-friendly coffee shop, with local art on the walls and often live music at night. Its blackboard menu includes healthy, homemade quiches, soups and salads.
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Reindeer Farm
The Reindeer Farm is a great place to bring the kids where they will be able to pet and feed, and are encouraged to think the reindeer are connected to Santa.
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La Fiesta
Palmer has this lively and affordable Mexican restaurant that fills up fast with locals.
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Carrs
- Palmer, USA
- Restaurants › Deli
It has groceries, a deli and a salad bar stocked in late summer with Mat-Su's finest.
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