596:
133:
665:
to Kaltag through the ghost town of
Iditarod. On even years, the race travels north from Ophir through Ruby and Galena to Kaltag. The 1925 Serum Run followed 500 miles (800 km) of trail (now designated as the Iditarod National Historic Trail system) between Ruby and Nome. The Iditarod Trail Invitational human powered race for bikers, runners and skiers also follows the Iditarod Trail from Knik to McGrath with a 350-mile race and to Nome in a 1000-mile race. In 2024, Sunny Stroeer of Utah became the first woman to ski the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational.
478:
27:
279:
664:
Today the race follows much of the primary route of the
Iditarod National Historic Trail, with a segment alternating north or south, depending on the year. (These segments are also part of the Iditarod National Historic Trail). Every odd year (i.e., 2011), the race travels the south route from Ophir
507:
Nine months after the route was surveyed, two prospectors made a 'Christmas Day Strike' in the
Iditarod Mining District, and the last great gold rush was on. Between 1910 and 1912, 10,000 gold seekers came to Alaska's "Inland Empire". In the following years they worked $ 30 million of gold from the
631:
Most of the historic
Iditarod Trail is located on public lands managed by the State of Alaska or federal agencies, although some segments pass over private lands. No one entity manages the entire historic trail—management is guided by a cooperative plan adopted by state and federal agencies in the
582:
struck fear in the hearts of Nome residents. Winter ice had closed the port city from the outside world without enough serum to inoculate its residents. Serum from
Anchorage was rushed by train to Nenana and picked up by a sled dog relay. Twenty of Alaska's best mushers and their teams carried the
488:
When
American explorers and prospectors arrived in the north, they quickly learned from Native Alaskans that sled dog teams were the only way to reliably move goods and people across the frozen landscape. Not by chance, the "Seward to Nome Trail" as the Iditarod was originally called, was first
660:
to Nome. The
Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was first established by Joe Redington Sr. in the early 1973 to encourage the designation of the Iditarod Trail as a National Historic Trail, bring the dying tradition of dog sledding back to the villages of Alaska, and promote the sport of competitive
318:
and the lack of 'gold fever' resulted in far less travel. The trail might have been forgotten except for the 1925 diphtheria outbreak in Nome. In one of the final great feats of dog sleds, twenty drivers and teams carried the life-saving serum 674 miles (1,085 km) in 127 hours. Today, the
614:
Forest and tundra reclaimed the
Iditarod Trail for almost a half a century until Alaskans, led by Joe Redington Sr., reopened the routes. To draw attention to the role dogs played in Alaska's history, Redington and his friends created an epic sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome. The
586:
This was to be one of the final great feats by sled dogs. Within a decade, air transport replaced the sled dog team as the preferred way to ship mail. With downturns in gold mining, most of the roadhouses closed, boom towns emptied, and the
Iditarod Trail fell into disuse.
639:
Every year local groups, community clubs and individuals contribute time and money to maintain and improve the
Iditarod Trail. The statewide non-profit Iditarod National Historic Trail Inc. helps protect and improve the trail and keep the "lore of the trail" alive.
656:, commemorates the last great gold rush in America to the Iditarod gold fields and the critical role that dogs played in the settlement and development of Alaska. It is a common myth that the race commemorates the dogsled relay known as the 1925 "Serum Run" from
531:
apart—about 20 miles—to shelter and feed trail users. Freight shippers, mail haulers and well-to-do passengers relied on dogsleds. Less wealthy foot-travelers used snowshoes, skis, and the occasional bicycle.
536:
Meals were two dollars each, and blankets spread over wild hay on a pole bunk cost another two dollars. High prices for those days, but a cabin in the shadows of Denali is a long way from civilization.
680:
The Iditarod National Historic Trail Seward to Nome Route: A Comprehensive Management Plan, March 1986. Prepared by Bureau of Land Management, Anchorage District Office, Anchorage, Alaska.
701:
619:
ultimately revived dog mushing in Alaska and around the world. After years of effort by Redington and the Alaska Congressional delegation, the Iditarod was designated as a
890:
323:
serves to commemorate the part the trail and its dog sleds played in the development of Alaska, and the route and a series of connecting trails have been designated
810:
875:
497:... having two basket sleds and 18 sets dog harness made ... at Seward we spent five days 'trying out dogs' and repacking the outfit ready for the trip ...
900:
870:
549:
By 1918 the stampede reversed itself. New winter mail contracts bypassed the fading town of Iditarod in favor of more direct routes to Nome, and
880:
314:
brought thousands of people over this route beginning in 1908. Roadhouses for people and dog barns sprang up every 20 or so miles. By 1918
690:
512:... in the month of March I left for the north. That was many years ago when there were only two modes of travel, mush dogs or just mush.
830:
425:
The trail went north from Iditarod through the now abandoned towns of Dikeman and Dishkaket and then northwest to the village of
91:
636:
coordinates cooperative management of the trail and is the primary point of contact for matters involving the entire trail.
770:
561:
63:
895:
302:. Its route crossed several mountain ranges and valleys and passed through numerous historical settlements en route from
472:
brochure "Iditarod National Historic Trail: 100 Years of America’s Last Great Gold Rush Trail Seward to Nome 1910-2010"
351:. The trail was about 1,150 miles (1,850 km) long. The Iditarod Trail's antecedents were the native trails of the
219:
70:
187:
110:
865:
850:
811:"Sunny Stroeer makes history as first and only woman to finish the 1,000-mile Iditarod Trail Invitational on skis"
44:
77:
48:
429:. The trail then followed the 90-mile (140 km) long Kaltag Portage, an ancient native trading trail, to
649:
616:
320:
59:
527:
With the rush, entrepreneurs quickly erected roadhouses and dog barns along the trail at a convenient
633:
469:
379:
294:, is a thousand-plus mile (1,600 km) historic and contemporary trail system in the US state of
620:
172:
37:
595:
573:
490:
132:
84:
375:
8:
885:
557:
419:
442:
430:
560:
is the last remaining historical roadhouse on the Iditarod Trail and is listed on the
387:
335:
The Iditarod Trail was a trail that connected a point 50 miles (80 km) north of
653:
528:
438:
344:
450:
407:
403:
340:
774:
657:
482:
460:
with large freight sleds carrying up to 1,100 pounds (500 kg) of freight.
426:
336:
311:
303:
299:
859:
446:
415:
391:
371:
356:
234:
221:
202:
189:
583:
serum 674 miles (1,085 km) from Nenana to Nome in just over 127 hours.
477:
437:. From Unalakleet, the trail coursed north and west around the shore of the
796:
434:
411:
399:
395:
390:
was founded in 1915. The trail then passed west through the valleys of the
348:
307:
550:
352:
315:
278:
579:
457:
383:
364:
179:
26:
590:
360:
402:
and Rainy Pass. West of the Alaska Range, the trail crossed the
295:
154:
831:
Iditarod National Historic Trail (Bureau of Land Management)
840:
726:
270:
845:
835:
298:. The trail began as a composite of trails established by
748:
553:
drew young miners and workers away from the gold fields.
453:. It then proceeded to its end on Front Street in Nome.
418:. After Ophir, the trail went southwest through the
891:
Units of the National Landscape Conservation System
626:
51:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
773:. Iditarod National Historic Trail. Archived from
282:Map of the historical and current Iditarod trails.
481:Start of the Iditarod National Historic Trail in
857:
591:A partnership effort re-opens the Iditarod Trail
468:This section is adapted from the public domain
876:National Historic Trails of the United States
578:In the winter of 1925, a deadly outbreak of
378:Valley and northward to the trading post of
609:Joe Redington Sr., "father of the Iditarod"
522:
489:mapped and marked in 1908 by a four-person
370:From its beginning, the trail wound along
330:
901:Bureau of Land Management areas in Alaska
871:Long-distance trails in the United States
111:Learn how and when to remove this message
652:, named after the now-abandoned town of
594:
476:
456:The trail was used during the winter by
277:
858:
841:Alaska Public Lands Information Center
643:
707:from the original on January 28, 2012
562:National Register of Historic Places
49:adding citations to reliable sources
20:
881:Historic trails and roads in Alaska
13:
771:"Iditarod National Historic Trail"
691:"Iditarod National Historic Trail"
14:
912:
824:
567:
290:, also known historically as the
836:Iditarod Historic Trail Alliance
627:Management of the Historic Trail
599:Dogsledder on the Iditarod Trail
414:mining district and the town of
382:, the largest town on the Upper
325:Iditarod National Historic Trail
137:Robert Sorlie and team near Nome
131:
25:
36:needs additional citations for
803:
789:
763:
741:
719:
683:
674:
1:
668:
493:crew supported by dog teams.
312:discovery of gold around Nome
146:1,600 mi (2,600 km)
846:Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
650:Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
617:Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
406:Valley to the hills west of
339:, where a forerunner of the
321:Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
7:
751:. Blm.gov. December 7, 2011
749:"Bureau of Land Management"
727:"Last Great Race on Earth®"
386:until the railroad town of
374:, over Crow Pass, down the
359:Athabaskan Indians and the
10:
917:
896:Gold rush trails and roads
571:
467:
463:
441:, passing the villages of
698:Bureau of Land Management
634:Bureau of Land Management
604:Trail work is never done.
470:Bureau of Land Management
266:
258:
250:
178:
168:
160:
150:
142:
130:
125:
523:Roadhouses and dog barns
271:https://www.iditarod.com
866:Hiking trails in Alaska
851:human winter ultra race
632:mid-1980s. The federal
621:National Historic Trail
517:Charles Lee Cadwallader
331:Historic Iditarod Trail
173:National Historic Trail
612:
600:
574:1925 serum run to Nome
547:
520:
505:
491:Alaska Road Commission
485:
300:Alaskan native peoples
283:
602:
598:
534:
510:
495:
480:
281:
541:Harold Penkenpaugh,
292:Seward-to-Nome Trail
235:64.4981°N 165.4112°W
203:61.7450°N 150.0511°W
45:improve this article
777:on February 4, 2012
644:Iditarod race route
558:Cape Nome Roadhouse
420:Kuskokwim Mountains
231: /
199: /
16:Long-distance trail
601:
502:W.L.Goodwin (1908)
486:
284:
240:64.4981; -165.4112
208:61.7450; -150.0511
817:. March 28, 2024.
543:Nuggets and Beans
276:
275:
121:
120:
113:
95:
908:
819:
818:
807:
801:
800:
793:
787:
786:
784:
782:
767:
761:
760:
758:
756:
745:
739:
738:
736:
734:
723:
717:
716:
714:
712:
706:
695:
687:
681:
678:
661:dogsled racing.
610:
545:
518:
503:
439:Seward Peninsula
410:and entered the
345:Iditarod, Alaska
246:
245:
243:
242:
241:
236:
232:
229:
228:
227:
224:
214:
213:
211:
210:
209:
204:
200:
197:
196:
195:
192:
135:
123:
122:
116:
109:
105:
102:
96:
94:
60:"Iditarod Trail"
53:
29:
21:
916:
915:
911:
910:
909:
907:
906:
905:
856:
855:
827:
822:
809:
808:
804:
795:
794:
790:
780:
778:
769:
768:
764:
754:
752:
747:
746:
742:
732:
730:
725:
724:
720:
710:
708:
704:
693:
689:
688:
684:
679:
675:
671:
646:
629:
611:
608:
593:
576:
570:
546:
540:
525:
519:
516:
504:
501:
475:
466:
404:Kuskokwim River
343:ended, through
341:Alaska Railroad
333:
254:Sled dog racing
239:
237:
233:
230:
225:
222:
220:
218:
217:
215:
207:
205:
201:
198:
193:
190:
188:
186:
185:
138:
117:
106:
100:
97:
54:
52:
42:
30:
17:
12:
11:
5:
914:
904:
903:
898:
893:
888:
883:
878:
873:
868:
854:
853:
848:
843:
838:
833:
826:
825:External links
823:
821:
820:
802:
788:
762:
740:
718:
682:
672:
670:
667:
645:
642:
628:
625:
606:
592:
589:
572:Main article:
569:
568:Nome serum run
566:
538:
524:
521:
514:
499:
483:Seward, Alaska
465:
462:
337:Seward, Alaska
332:
329:
288:Iditarod Trail
274:
273:
268:
264:
263:
260:
256:
255:
252:
248:
247:
182:
176:
175:
170:
166:
165:
162:
158:
157:
152:
148:
147:
144:
140:
139:
136:
128:
127:
126:Iditarod Trail
119:
118:
33:
31:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
913:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
863:
861:
852:
849:
847:
844:
842:
839:
837:
834:
832:
829:
828:
816:
812:
806:
798:
792:
776:
772:
766:
750:
744:
728:
722:
703:
699:
692:
686:
677:
673:
666:
662:
659:
655:
651:
641:
637:
635:
624:
622:
618:
605:
597:
588:
584:
581:
575:
565:
563:
559:
554:
552:
544:
537:
533:
530:
529:day's journey
513:
509:
498:
494:
492:
484:
479:
474:
471:
461:
459:
454:
452:
448:
444:
440:
436:
432:
428:
423:
422:to Iditarod.
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
398:and over the
397:
393:
392:Susitna River
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
372:Turnagain Arm
368:
366:
362:
358:
354:
350:
346:
342:
338:
328:
326:
322:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
280:
272:
269:
265:
261:
259:Maintained by
257:
253:
249:
244:
212:
183:
181:
177:
174:
171:
167:
163:
159:
156:
153:
149:
145:
141:
134:
129:
124:
115:
112:
104:
101:February 2015
93:
90:
86:
83:
79:
76:
72:
69:
65:
62: –
61:
57:
56:Find sources:
50:
46:
40:
39:
34:This article
32:
28:
23:
22:
19:
815:Deseret News
814:
805:
791:
781:February 13,
779:. Retrieved
775:the original
765:
755:February 13,
753:. Retrieved
743:
733:February 13,
731:. Retrieved
721:
709:. Retrieved
697:
685:
676:
663:
647:
638:
630:
613:
603:
585:
577:
555:
548:
542:
535:
526:
511:
506:
496:
487:
473:
455:
435:Norton Sound
424:
412:Innoko River
400:Alaska Range
396:Yentna River
380:Knik, Alaska
369:
347:and then to
334:
324:
291:
287:
285:
107:
98:
88:
81:
74:
67:
55:
43:Please help
38:verification
35:
18:
551:World War I
458:dog mushers
376:Eagle River
316:World War I
238: /
226:165°24′40″W
206: /
194:150°03′04″W
169:Designation
161:Established
886:Diphtheria
860:Categories
729:. Iditarod
669:References
580:diphtheria
443:Shaktoolik
431:Unalakleet
384:Cook Inlet
357:Deg Hit'an
262:Volunteers
223:64°29′53″N
191:61°44′42″N
180:Trailheads
71:newspapers
711:April 26,
623:in 1978.
433:, on the
388:Anchorage
367:Eskimos.
702:Archived
700:. 2010.
654:Iditarod
607:—
539:—
515:—
508:ground.
500:—
353:Dena'ina
216:Finish:
151:Location
464:History
451:Golovin
408:McGrath
361:Inupiaq
267:Website
184:Start:
85:scholar
658:Nenana
449:, and
427:Kaltag
365:Yup'ik
310:. The
304:Seward
296:Alaska
155:Alaska
143:Length
87:
80:
73:
66:
58:
797:"ITI"
705:(PDF)
694:(PDF)
447:Koyuk
416:Ophir
92:JSTOR
78:books
783:2012
757:2012
735:2012
713:2021
648:The
556:The
394:and
363:and
355:and
349:Nome
308:Nome
286:The
164:1973
64:news
306:to
251:Use
47:by
862::
813:.
696:.
564:.
445:,
327:.
799:.
785:.
759:.
737:.
715:.
114:)
108:(
103:)
99:(
89:·
82:·
75:·
68:·
41:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
