Historical Hatcher Pass and Palmer Ale House

Depart Anchorage and travel north into the wide-open beauty of the Matanuska Valley, where your driver-guide brings the landscape to life with stories of early settlers, mining boomdays, and the communities that shaped Palmer.

Climb into Hatcher Pass for a highlight stop at Independence Mine State Historical Park—one of Alaska’s most impressive hard-rock gold mining sites from the early 1900s—where you’ll explore preserved historic buildings, imagine life in a rugged mountain camp, and take in sweeping alpine views of the Talkeetna Mountains.

Finish the day in downtown Palmer with a relaxed lunch at Palmer Alehouse, a longtime local gathering place, featuring pre-selected menu favorites and the opportunity to enjoy an included beer or tasting flight (non-alcoholic options available) before returning to Anchorage.