Located in Wasilla at 2100 S. Knik-Goose Bay Road, the Iditarod Sled Dog Race Headquarters houses a small museum about the iconic race. It is free to tour the museum and meet the team of sled dogs and puppies that are usually present during the summer. They offer a ride on a wheeled cart pulled by the sled dogs for $10/person. Inside the museum they have information about the race, sled dogs and the mushers. There is also a gift shop.
Tribute to the sled dogs
The museum plays a film about sled dogs and the Iditarod race. While we enjoyed seeing the footage of the dogs, the general tone of the film was fairly defensive, explaining the title question “Why Sled Dogs Run”. Apparently the sport has numerous critics who feel that the dogs shouldn’t be made to run the race. As we did not approach it from that viewpoint, the defensive tone was off-putting. I personally believe that the dogs love running. They are elite, well trained athletes. They run a 1,000 mile race in under 9 days. They are well cared for and are supervised/examined throughout the race by veterinarians.
Sled dog team offers cart rides
Sled dogs
The Iditarod Trail, now a National Historic Trail, had its beginnings as a mail and supply route from the coastal towns of Seward and Knik to the interior mining camps. The Iditarod Sled Dog Race is touted as “a commemoration of those yesterdays, a not-so-distant past that Alaskans honor and are proud of.” On the first Saturday in March, mushers line out their dog teams in downtown Anchorage for their turn to start the “Last Great Race on Earth, the Iditarod.”
Karla (author) and a sled dog puppy
This is a good stop for the whole family. Who doesn’t love puppies?!?
