Iditarod Trail
Photo: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The Iditarod Trail is a historic trail that connects Seward, Alaska with Nome, Alaska and the rest of the Seward Peninsula. In winter, it is navigable by dogsled or snowmobile. In summer, segments of the trail can be hiked, while many sections are barely usable. Rivers are used for inter-village transportation instead.
According to the Bureau of Land Management, which maintains parts of the trail, "the Trail demands a high degree of self-reliance by the user, proficiency in extreme winter camping and travel by ski, dog team, snowmobile, or fat tire bike."
UnderstandMost of the trail is far from people, and most inhabited places by the trail are small villages, if that. You will mostly be on your own in real wilderness in a harsh climate.
PrepareIn winter the trail can be explored by snowmobile, ski or dog sled.
Get inTo get in, you have to somehow get to Seward or Nome. You might be able to take a cruise ship or the Alaska Marine Highway to Seward or Whittier, or fly into the Seward Airport, among other ways.
GoThere is no single simple walking itinerary for the whole Iditarod Trail.
Go nextAt the western end of the trail, Nome offers museums, gold-rush history and access to the Seward Peninsula. Most travellers continue by air to Anchorage.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Iditarod Trail" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons