Our Memorable Journeys

Day 21- 9/11/2018 - Driving the Glenn Highway to Palmer

Today's Weather: High 65, Low 45, Mostly sunny all day.

Today we drove back toward Anchorage along the Glenn Highway National Scenic Byway. Bordered by the Chugach Range to the south and the Talkeetna Mountains on the north, the landscape of the Matanuska Valley is home to historic farms dating back to President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. Today, descendants of the first 203 farming families who came to the new Matanuska Colony from the Midwest, still provide Alaska Grown Produce to consumers across Alaska. All the produce we’ve had in Alaska has been wonderful.....locally sourced, fresh and tasty.

Sheep Mountain

We visited Matanuska Glacier State Recreation Site for a dramatic view of the valley glacier which is 27 miles long by 4 miles wide. It is the largest glacier accessible by car in the US.

We are staying tonight in the historic town of Palmer which is located in Alaska’s agricultural heartland. The Palmer Visitor Center has a beautiful garden and nice displays relating to agriculture in the area. Palmer is home of world record cabbages, carrots, and other vegetables, grown in the Matanuska Valley’s deep loamy silt. The combination of the glaciers, wind, water and lots of summer sunlight give Palmer unique qualities to grow giant vegetables.

Palmer Visitor Center

Artichoke

Russian Virgin Bower

For our last overnight in Alaska we are staying at Alaska’s Harvest B&B in Palmer, about 45 miles north of Anchorage. The large and amazing B&B is located a couple miles outside of town on beautiful wooded 15 acres with peaceful walking trails, a barn with the Shetland Sheep they raise, and a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains.

Alaska's Harvest B & B

The view from our room

Wrangell the ram

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