HORSEBACK RIDING IN PALMER
Saddle Up and RidePalmer features multiple groomed and rugged trails for horseback riding from the Matanuska Greenbelt to Governent Peak. Surrounded by mountains and lush woodland trails, Palmer is truly a great place to get out and ride. You don’t even have to have your own horse! The Reindeer Farm and others offer horseback tours in the area.
Horseback Riding Trails and Experiences
Featuring several riding tours in the Greater Palmer area from 1.5-3 hours, Alaska Horse Adventures is open Year Round. Additionally, they have a 6 hour Kayak tour in the Butte.
Part of a 30+ mile network of trails in the Matanuska Greenbelt, it cuts through the forest in a loop just over a mile long. These dirt trails are dotted with about 100 signposts to help with navigation and provide hours of exploration.
For directions and additional information, please contact the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Development Department or click on the website link above.
The Crevasse-Moraine trail system features over 6 miles of interconnected trails and is is open year round. These trails run along what was once a glacier bed and ranges widely in difficulty from trail to trail.
For directions and additional information, please contact the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Development Department or click on the website link above.
This 16 mile (round trip) trail follows the Little Susitna river up to it's headwaters. One of four major trails in Hatcher Pass, north of Palmer, it has a gradual incline for the first few miles before becoming much steeper. It is open to hiking, biking, and skiing, and you can even do a little gold panning along the way.
For directions and additional information, please click on the website link above or alaska.org/detail/gold-mint-trail.
Government Peak offers popular summer hiking trails just north of Palmer. The Main trail to the peak can be daunting, though it offers some of the best views of the area all the way to the Knik Glacier. Multiple trails for biking and horseback riding also traverse the area. Note that the parking area is open from 8 AM to 8 PM, so be careful not to get locked in.
For directions or additional information, please contact the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Development Department or click on the website link above.
This trail offers an easy forested 2 mile trek through the woods around Lazy Mountain. It also features three access points, year-round availability, as well as public restroom and picnic areas.
For directions and additional information, please contact the Matanuska-Sustina Borough Community Development Department or click on the website link above.
A beautiful, non-motorized trail that follows an old railroad bed along the Matanuska River. The trail can be started either from downtown Palmer, or Moose Creek, and runs approx. 6 miles from end-to-end.
For additional information, please contact the Matanuska-Sustina Borough Community Development Department or click on the website link above.
The Plumley-Maud Trail is a relatively flat trail that runs through the woodlands of the Butte, just Southeast of Palmer. Between 5 and 10 minutes drive, depending on which end of the trail you start, it is accessible on foot, as well as by ATV or even horse and is open for use year-round. If you are looking for a gorgeous jaunt through the birch and spruce forests in the area, this trail is for you.
For additional information, please contact the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Community Development Department or click the website link above.
The Reindeer Farm sits at the feet of Bodenburg Butte just 10 minutes out of downtown Palmer. The farm site was originally part of the Matauska Colony Project, operating as a dairy farm, but would move to reindeer and various other animals in the 1980s. Being the only stop in the valley to offer tours of a maintained herd of 100-300 reindeer, 2 elk, a bison, and a moose (including petting and feeding), as well as horseback tours, it is an incredible experience for the whole family.
Sunderland Ranch, located just outside of Palmer, offers a variety of options for your Palmer trip. With a B&B, horseback riding, and even Day Camps for children to learn ranch-related skills, you're sure to have a blast.