The Iditarod National Historic Trail extends from Seward to Nome and comprises a network of 2400 miles of winter trail connecting villages and mining camps in Interior Alaska.

History of the Iditarod Trail
Alaska’s Gold Rush era brought thousands of people to the area, hoping for wealth and prosperity. And with the influx of miners came the need for supply routes. While the trails themselves were not new – natives had developed the routes for their own trading and winter traveling purposes – the growth in population brought increased traffic and the need for development.

When gold was discovered on the beaches of what is now Nome, a city sprang up seemingly overnight. And when the Bering Sea froze in October, the residents of the new city were isolated from the outside world. A telegraph system was constructed and trails were cleared to provide a connection to the rest of the territory. Initially, winter mail and supplies went to Nome by way of Valdez and Fairbanks. However, many believed a shorter route could be found across the interior to the Cook Inlet area.

In 1908, Walter Goodwin of the Alaska Road Commission blazed a trail from Seward to Nome by way of Cook Inlet (today’s Anchorage region). It was a rough trail and considered feasible for further development only if it were to receive additional traffic. The stampede to Iditarod and Ruby from 1910-1912 provided this traffic, and thus Goodwin’s trail became the primary winter access route. Roadhouses sprouted up and the Alaska Road Commission improved and maintained the trail.

After the gold rush era, however, the trail fell into disuse. By the 1920’s, delivery of supplies and mail by dog team was being replaced by the airplane. It wasn’t until the 1970’s, when Joe Redington came along, that trail came back into the public eye. He dream of creating a race that would commemorate the role of sled dogs in Alaska frontier history, as well as finding a way to protect this historic trail so that there would always be a place to mush dogs. He worked relentlessly towards these two goals. In 1973 the first Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was held, and in 1978 the entire length of the Iditarod Trail, from Seward to Nome, was declared a National Historical Trail.

The Iditarod Trail today
The Iditarod National Historic Trail is still very much in use today. It is especially important as a route for several major events in Alaska every winter.

The Iditarod Trail Invitational is a human powered ultra-marathon that takes place annual in February. Racers with minimal support travel from Knik Lake (Wasilla) to either McGrath (350 miles) or Nome (1100 miles). Travel is by foot, skis, or bike and racers have some leeway in choosing their route, as long as they sign in at designated checkpoints. Believe it or not, bikers arrive in McGrath in as little as three days, while racers traveling on foot begin arriving on day five. Participants come from around the world.

The Tesoro Iron Dog is billed as the longest, toughest snowmobile race in the world. This race, also in February, runs from Wasilla to Nome and then back to Fairbanks for a total of nearly 2000 miles. Racers compete in pairs and generally start arriving in Fairbanks thirty-eight to forty hours after the start.

Perhaps the most well-known and widely publicized event utilizing the Iditarod National Historical Trail is the Iditarod Sled Dog Race, which starts the first Saturday of March in Anchorage. The 1000 mile race to Nome embodies the Alaskan frontier spirit – physical stamina, perseverance, and ingenuity in dealing with extremes of environment in an isolated setting.

Hiking the Iditarod Trail
By now you’ve probably noticed that most use of the trail occurs in the winter, when rivers and bogs are frozen and snow provides a smooth and even surface on which to travel. But don’t despair! If you are visiting Alaska in the summer, you can still get a taste of the trail on its southern end.

North of Seward, one can hike a portion of the trail over Johnson Pass. Trailheads are off the Seward Highway, at Mile 64 (Granite Creek Campground) or Mile 32.5 (South Trailhead), a 23-mile traverse by foot. The trail passes through alpine country and offers a couple of lakes where fishing is fair. Bear and moose are fairly common; mountain goats and Dall sheep may be spotted in the high country.

Closer to Anchorage, one can hike a part of the 24 mile traverse between the Eagle River and Girdwood. Outside Girdwood, the trail begins at the end of Crow Creek Road. If you are interested in mining ruins, this may be a good choice. Some of the earliest mining claims in this part of Alaska were made here, and the trail follows the old mining road. The trail climbs steeply to the pass, which at 3500 feet is the highest point on the Iditarod Trail.

If you want to avoid the steep climb, you might prefer hiking part of the Iditarod Trail from the Eagle River Nature Center. There are a variety of options available here, from an easy 3.2 mile loop to a more challenging one way hike up the valley. Either way, you’ll get a tiny glimpse of the beautiful yet rugged country the miners traveled in search of gold.