This Hidden Destination In Alaska Is A Secret Only Locals Know About
By Courtney|Published September 16, 2016
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Courtney
Author
Living and loving life in Alaska, Courtney enjoys living a happy life based on simple principles; work hard, be kind, stay humble. She is an avid dog lover with hobbies that include running, fly fishing, hiking & snowboarding.
When most people think about Alaska they don’t exactly picture an abundance of farm country. But this special place in the MatSu Valley has defied all odds and succeeded at bringing a magical Musk Ox Farm to life in the last frontier. Located in the town of Palmer just about an hour northeast of Anchorage is The Musk Ox Farm, a stunningly beautiful non-profit organization dedicated to the domestication of these incredible ice age mammals.
Surrounded by the towering Chugach and Talkeetna Mountains is a place where you can come and explore all that there is to know about these animals that were once endangered. Bring the kiddos to swoon over the babies or head inside and explore the gift shop filled with hand-made items from annually harvested qiviut. There is no doubt that this hidden attraction is one of Alaska’s best kept secrets. Be sure to tell all your friends about your new favorite place!
From Alaska's largest city of Anchorage, head north towards the town of Palmer on the Glenn Highway. It will take you about an hour to drive the 46 miles to reach this hidden destination, but trust us when we say that the trek is worth it every single time. The views along the way are pretty incredible as well!
When you arrive at the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, you'll be greeted by a gorgeous amount of farm country along with classic big red barns. The scenery truly looks (and feels) like something straight our of a storybook.
You eyes will be enchanted by huge towering mountains in the distance and the massive, stoic animals that stand beneath them will completely captivate your heart after just one glance. "The Musk Ox Farm is a non-profit organization dedicated to the domestication of the musk ox and to the promotion of qiviut production as a gentle and sustainable agricultural practice in the far north."
These burly animals can can weigh up to 900 pounds when full grown. Calves generally weigh around 20-25 pounds at birth and can gain as much as one pound per day after being born. If you plan to bring the family to this wonderful farm, be cautioned that your kiddos will likely fall head-over-heels in love with the adorable babies. Actually... so will the parents! They are irresistibly cute (and that might even be an understatement).
Visitors to this amazing farm in the MatSu Valley are able to enjoy an up close and personal experience with these magnificent paleolithic ruminants through guided tours and engaging exhibits. In the distance you can watch the massive mammals along with their babies as they run around, chow down, greet you at the fence or snooze in all sorts of wild spots.
They also have fun events at the farm that include things like live music, fun concerts, running with the bulls and ox-toberfest. If you're looking for something that is fun for the whole family, this special spot delivers every single time.
Inside is a truly fascinating gift shop with tons of different hand made items. They are proud to feature some of the world's only gently hand-combed qiviut fiber, qiviut yarn and qiviut garments. This ultra-fine fiber is eight times warmer than wool and softer than cashmere.
Visitors love things such as the earrings and necklaces made from the horn tips of of the animals on the farm and the hand knit little sock earrings from the farm’s qiviut. Hand made quality items like this that are truly a labor of love, now THAT is hard to find in this day and age.
The Musk Ox might not quite recognize their popularity just yet, but we are convinced that they are all model material. Matanuska Glacier is nice but the Musk Ox (named Lincoln) truly makes it come to life. Talk about a great holiday card idea!
And if you're looking for someone to model any brand name clothing, these striking creatures do a darn good job. Carhartt doesn't know how lucky they are! America's Next Top Model, watch out!
In the wintertime at -15 degrees when the rest of us are shivering our tushies off, these beautiful Musk Ox embrace the storm head on. Absolutely majestic!
