South Lakes, Alaska
South Lakes is a community of 6,180 people in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska.
Why visit South Lakes
Townapedia lists 5 museums and landmarks, 3 parks and trails, 17 places to eat, 6 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Glenn Massay Theater, The Valley Cinema, Blanche and Oscar Tryck House and Wasilla Community Hall.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 68°F; January lows average 7°F, and about 49 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in South Lakes
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About South Lakes
South Lakes is a census-designated place (CDP) in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census, after the split of the former CDP of Lakes. As of the 2020 census, South Lakes had a population of 5,229. It is part of the Anchorage, Alaska Metropolitan Statistical Area.
From the Wikipedia article South Lakes, Alaska (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Museums and landmarks5
Blanche and Oscar Tryck House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Historic house in Alaska, United States
Wasilla Community Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Building in Alaska, United States of America
Wasilla Depot
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Railway station in Wasilla, the United States of America
Wasilla Elementary School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
School building in Wasilla, United States of America
Teeland's Country Store
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.1 mi
Parks, trails and playgrounds3
Restaurants and cafes17
Schwabenhof
Bar and pub · 1.0 mi
East Palmer-Wasilla Highway, Wasilla
Su-Th 14:00-23:00, Fr-Sa 12:00-23:59
5 more on the map.
Where to stay6
Churches and places of worship5
St. Juvenaly and His Companion Orthodox Mission
Church · Orthodox · 1.2 mi
962 South Hyer Road, Wasilla
Immanuel Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 2.2 mi
7540 East Cottrell-Campus Drive, Palmer
Mat-Su Evangelical Covenant Church
Church · Protestant
5201 East Mayflower Lane, Wasilla
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries29
Fred And Sara Machetanz Elementary School
School · 2.7 mi
4961 E Nelson Rd, Wasilla
Healthcare5
Ptarmigan Pediatrics
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.6 mi
3543 East Meridian Park Loop, Wasilla
Map of South Lakes
78 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23°F | 7°F | 0.8 in | 9.2 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 12°F | 0.8 in | 9.0 in |
| Mar | 34°F | 16°F | 0.5 in | 7.6 in |
| Apr | 48°F | 29°F | 0.3 in | 1.4 in |
| May | 59°F | 38°F | 0.7 in | 0.5 in |
| Jun | 66°F | 46°F | 1.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 68°F | 51°F | 1.9 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 65°F | 48°F | 2.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 57°F | 40°F | 2.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 43°F | 27°F | 1.4 in | 3.8 in |
| Nov | 29°F | 14°F | 0.8 in | 8.1 in |
| Dec | 25°F | 10°F | 1.0 in | 9.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Matanuska Exp Farm (2 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Matanuska-Susitna Borough has had 17 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-04-07: Severe Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2022-03-14: Severe Winter Storm And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-09: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2019-08-22: Deshka Landing Fire (Fire)
- 2019-08-20: Mckinley Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Warren "Bud" Woods Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 7 miles away.
- North Lakes 2 mi north, about 3 min by car
- Gateway 3 mi southeast, about 6 min by car
- Farm Loop 6 mi northeast, about 10 min by car
- Palmer 7 mi east, about 11 min by car
- Meadow Lakes 10 mi west, about 17 min by car
- Butte 11 mi east, about 18 min by car
- Knik-Fairview 12 mi southwest, about 19 min by car
- Lazy Mountain 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Houston 16 mi west, about 26 min by car
- Anchorage 29 mi south, about 46 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Wd1, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wes3, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Teeland right, Trwhite98, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Denali Star two SD70MAC locomotives, Len Turner from Lufkin, TX, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Glenn Massay Theater, South Side, Mmzx84mn, CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.