Located approximately 60 road miles or 15 minutes by plane north of Anchorage, Big Lake is far enough away from the Big City to offer the peace and quiet of country life, yet close enough to provide all the necessary and desired amenities. The community covers nearly 138 square miles at the west end of the Matanuska-Susitna Valley and has grown from a single homestead in the early part of the century into a bustling community of about 2000 full-time residents, including three-time Iditarod champion Martin Buser and his family. As a tremendously popular tourist and recreational area, 58% of the areas total housing are recreational units, resulting in large weekend and seasonal population increases as the area teems with people who have come to enjoy the many recreational opportunities. Big Lake is known as Alaska's Year-Round Playground.