The modern sled-dog race made its first full run to Nome in 1973, and Wasilla became its institutional home — the valley town most tied to the long trail north. Wasilla was incorporated as a city in 1974, and as Anchorage grew, the Mat-Su became Alaska's fastest-growing region, with Wasilla its valley hub on the George Parks Highway between the city and Denali.
The Dena'ina Athabascan people lived in this valley long before the railroad. Wasilla itself was born in 1917, when the new Alaska Railroad pushed north and a townsite was platted and auctioned beside the line — a supply stop for the homesteaders and miners of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley. Early traders like O. G. Herning had worked the Knik country before the tracks arrived, and the railroad turned the crossing into a town.
Why People Visit Wasilla
Wasilla balances Alaska heritage with easygoing valley life — lakeside walks, broad mountain scenery, and the deep history of the long trail north. It's accessible, relaxed, and a practical base for exploring the Mat-Su Valley and Southcentral Alaska.
