Anchorage to Wasilla: Best Stops, Food Rec's, and More (from a local) -

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If you’re planning a trip north of Anchorage, there’s only one road to get there, the Glenn Highway. Whether Wasilla is your destination or part of a larger trip, there are a surprising amount of stops along the highway as you head toward Wasilla.

Best Stops Between Anchorage and Wasilla

There are MANY fantastic stops along this stretch of road and I recommend building in a few of these stops on your trip.

In order, here are my recommended stops. As someone who grew up right here, I know you’ll be so glad you took a few detours. There’s quite a bit packed into this short 44-mile drive.

If you do every stop, this will easily take all day. I recommend picking a few stops on the way there then visiting the ones you missed on the way back.

glenn highway fall images exit to eklutna lake alaska

Eagle River

Not long after you leave Anchorage, you’ll soon see the exit for Eagle River, the closest town to Anchorage. This town sits in a mountain valley in the Chugach Mountains and is absolutely gorgeous. Only about 24,000 people live here but there’s suprisingly quite a bit to do. You can take the first exit called ‘Hiland Road’ or the main Eagle River exit, depending on what you want to do.

Explore the Eagle River Nature Center

This is my top recommended stop. The drive alone is gorgeous and once you reach the end of the road you’ll see the Eagle River Nature Center. Then about half a mile along the trail you’ll reach the viewing platforms, and you can continue along the Albert Loop path to even longer boardwalks and beautiful nature.

The nature center is open Wednesday thru Sunday from 10-5pm in the summer so you can stop in to look at animal hides, learn about the local wildlife, and talk to the staff about recent bear or moose sightings. If it’s closed signs with sightings or warnings will be posted outside.

I love this area because it’s so quiet and peaceful. You’re at the end of the road, so other than some planes going by, the only noise you’ll hear are birds and the rustle of leaves. It’s also popular so there’s usually a few other people on the trail.

Eagle River Nature Center boardwalk dad and son Alaska

Hike to Barbara Falls

This is a local spot to view a beautiful waterfall and do some exploring. This can barely be called a hike as it’s a hilly short trail to reach the falls. Beginner level fitness is perfectly fine.

The parking area is quite small and you drive through a neighborhood to get to the trail. Type in ‘South Fork Falls Trailhead’ in Eagle River and it’ll pop right up.

Tip! If you enjoy hiking, be sure to check out my guide on the best hikes near Anchorage

barbara falls but it's the creek in eagle river alaska fall no leaves on trees — Not the falls – the only image I have of the hike

Hike Mt Baldy or Simply Take in the Views

Mt Baldy is the most popular hike in Eagle River. To get here take the switchback road up Skyline Drive until you reach the end. There’s a large parking area and on a clear day you can easily see Denali and the Alaska Range.

The hike is steep and a bit scrambly in spots. I recommend doing the loop by heading up the hill trail to the right, going up the switchbacks to the top, then heading down the other path. There is a private homestead alongside this trail so just be respectful of the private property signs.

Since this trail is so popular, the parking lot can fill before 10am on the weekends. Weekdays usually aren’t too bad. Even if you don’t do the entire hike it’s still beautiful even just a few switchbacks up. I recommend using AllTrails for navigation (it’s free).

Mt Baldy Eagle River image of the trail summer Alaska

Stop for a brew at Odd Man Rush

Many people are surprised to learn that Alaska has a booming brewery scene. In Eagle River, it’s hard to beat Odd Man Rush. The brewery is owned by some former local hockey players which is apparent by the hockey stick wall and decor inside. They also have a fun cassette tape wall too.

The brewery is two stories on the inside and they recently opened a rooftop bar as well! If beer isn’t your thing, they have a full bar with a variety of options.

Coffee at Jitters

This local establishment has been around since 1994. They have a variety of pastries and muffins and serve up great coffee. I love the vibe of this place and there’s always rotating local art on display for sale. If you want to shop, you can head next store for both Alaskan made and other carefully sourced products.

Grab a Bite to Eat

I recommend 431 Glacier River, Stalk Steakhouse for an incredible meal (dinner only), Corks & Hops, the new Eagle River Alehouse (with a Tiki bar!), Jalapeno’s or Chepo’s for good Mexican, or for some sushi I recommend Jimmy’s.

eagle river fall drone from above sunset colorful alaska — Eagle River in Fall

Thunderbird Falls

After you’ve hopped back on the highway, you’ll soon enough see the exit for Thunderbird Falls. This is a relatively flat 2 mile hike to the falls. When you arrive you’ll be looking down on them, but you can hike down the unofficial trail to get to the water below. It’s a great trail, especially on a sunny day when the mist from the falls can cool you off (it sometimes gets hot here…sometimes).

Eklutna Lake

This is another stunning place you’d have no idea exists from the highway. It’s about a 30 minute detour from the highway to get here and the drive alone is gorgeous (notice a theme here). The lake is glacial fed and supplies about 90% of Anchorage and Eagle River’s drinking water (yes, we drink glacial fed water!).

This area can be a quick stop or can be turned into a half day adventure. There’s a gravel trail that runs alongside the 7 mile lake. There’s a popular hiking trail (Twin Peaks) and you can also rent bikes or kayaks from Lifetime Adventures. There’s also camping here and it’s a popular spot for locals.

Stop for Ice Cream

On the way out, you can stop for ice cream or a snack at the rest stop right outside the park. You can’t miss it!

eklutna lake summer pretty kayakers getting ready to go in alaska — Eklutna Lake

eklutna lake drive fall alaska intense red colors moody pretty in my opinion — Fall in Eklutna

Eklutna Tailrace

This is a quick but beautiful stop about 5 minutes off the main highway. The water here is an incredible turquoise color. There’s a bridge to go across it and a few short trails in either direction once across. If you look in the woods, you can see the larger Knik River and get some nice views in other directions. There are also some old trucks and vehicles that were dumped here years ago which can still be seen today.

This is a great spot to snag some family photos. It’s also a popular fishing spot so be respectful of the locals fishing here.

Eklutna Tailrace Fall Broken Down Truck Image Alaska

Reflections Lake

I love this short but sweet 1.3-mile trail around the lake. When the lake is still (which is often), you get mirror image views of the mountains in the water. It makes for great photos. The trail has a fun little boardwalk and a 3-story climbing tower about halfway along for even better views.

I always recommend people stop here to stretch their legs. I recommend doing the entire trail, it’s mostly flat and just over a mile long. This way you get views from all directions.

Reflections Lake Wasilla Alaska Sunset — View from the tower at sunset

Optional Detour: Old Glenn Highway

If you want to extend this drive even more, you can take the Old Glenn Highway exit. This is the same road to reach Eklutna Tailrace (which I highly recommend). Here are some places to stop at along this drive.

Knik Glacier Viewpoint

Head down the Old Glenn Highway until it starts to curve left, then take Knik River Road. This drive is gorgeous. Beautiful. Stunning. It feels remote yet it’s only an hour from Anchorage. This drive is a huge part of the appeal of this detour.

Before long you’ll reach the Knik Glacier Viewpoint. It’s an unofficial turnout gravel area before the Hunter Creek Bridge (see photo below). If you miss it you can simply turn around. The road ends shortly after this lookout point so you could also catch it on the way back.

Alaska Glacier Lodge

If you want some adventure and plan ahead, you could do a helicopter or ATV tour to Knik Glacier.

Grab Lunch at the Lodge

You can also simply stop for lunch at Raven’s Perch with beautiful mountain views here. The lodge has many cabins available for rent as well.

Alaska Glacier Lodge Knik summer cabins and restaurant alaska summer

Alaska Glacier Lodge helicopter taking off knik alaska summer

Palmer

Instead of heading back to the highway, you can instead get back on the Old Glenn Highway, cross the bridge, and take the road all the way to Palmer. Along the way, stop at the large ‘beach’ area along the river, hike the Bodenburg Butte, and stop at the Matanuska River for views (just before the big bridge).

For a full list of things to do in Palmer visit my guide here.

Palmer Alaska photo of water tower summer

Wasilla

Wasilla is a large and sprawling town that’s a massive commuter area for those living in Anchorage. There are a lot of lakes here, 4-wheeling trails, woods, and people that enjoy a peaceful life still close to the ‘big city’.

It may be hard to tell because everything is so spread out but there are some fun things to do. Wasilla wouldn’t be my first recommendation to stay for someone visiting Alaska since it’s in the center of a valley and not really setup for tourism. However, if you enjoy experiencing local life when you travel, this is a good place to explore.

Things to Do

Museum of Wasilla – A small but informative museum about Wasilla and local wildlife.
Iditarod Museum – Another small museum where you can learn all about Alaska’s official sport – dog mushing!
Hatcher Pass – It’s hard to describe Hatcher Pass in just a few sentences. It’s a gorgeous state park loaded with hiking trails, rivers, gorgeous scenery, and even an old gold mine.
Visit a Brewery – There are a few breweries here such as BearPaw River Brewing and Susitna Brewing Co.
Visit One of the Many Lakes – Finger Lake, Big Lake, and Wasilla Lake have public parking areas. Wasilla Lake (pictured below) is right off the highway and has a playground if kids need to stretch their legs.

Grab a Bite to Eat

If you’re stopping here on your way North, there are plenty of restaurant options. Pattaya for fantastic Thai, Taqueria Los Magueyes or Tacos Cancun has AMAZING Mexican food, Krazy Moose Subs for a quick sandwich, BearPaw River Brewing for great pizza (and brews), Cafe Khao Neow for Laotian food, or Last Frontier for hearty American pub food. You can stop at House of Bread for a fresh loaf of homemade bread right off the road too.

Anchorage to Wasilla: Best Stops, Food Rec’s, and More (from a local)