Sled Dog Racing Alaskan Malamute, Alaska

Add Dog Sledding To Your List Of Things To Do In Alaska

Dog Sledding is the Ultimate Alaska Experience.

By: Taylor Fuller | Published on January 13, 2022

You've got the icy wind in your hair, your cheeks are turning red from the cold, your smile is frozen into place, and your adrenaline is pumping. All you can hear are dogs barking around you. You're in Alaska, and you're dog sledding. As the powerful dogs speed up, the sled teeters to one side, you hold on, and you know at that moment, you're experiencing something truly special. Dog sled tours in the Alaskan Frontier is one of the most exciting things to do in Alaska.

Dog Sledding Huskies Iditarod National Historic, Seaward, Alaska

Fun Things To Do In Alaska For The Whole Family

Alaska Juneau Dog Sledding — Boy Getting Puppy Kisses in Alaska

There's nothing like an amazing adventure during a vacation, and if you're looking for things to do in Alaska, dog sledding is a bucket-list experience. The best part? It's fit for the whole family. Young children can ride on the sleds with their parents after playing with puppies, and grandparents can enjoy a leisurely pace if they wish. As long as you're willing to get involved in the adventure, it's sure to be one everyone will enjoy.

Get In Gear – What To Wear In Alaska?

Before you hit the trailheads, your tour providers will set you up with some gear. Guides are friendly and helpful, and they'll make sure you know what to wear as well as ensure that it fits you well to keep you warm throughout the day hiking in Alaska. This usually includes waterproof layers, a heavy coat, and boot toppers for your shoes so your feet stay warm and dry. Make sure you wear lots of your own warm layers. Dry-wicking thermals are a must as your base layer, followed by a wool sweater, a down jacket, and a hat and gloves. Depending on the time of year you go, your packing list may change, but you'll need layers year-round. In the summertime, opt for thinner layers, but remember you'll still likely need a heavier jacket in the evening.

Document your dog sledding fun with a camera, but make sure it has a strap so you don't lose it while zooming through the Last Frontier!

Planning Your Alaska Dog Sled Tours

The great thing about an adventure like dog sledding is you can have many different experiences. The things you do will vary by the time of year you travel. But don't worry, dog sledding is possible every season in Alaska.

Mendenhall Glacier, Alaska Dog Sled — People on Dog Sled in Mendenhall Glacier

Hop on with a champion Alaskan Huskies in Fairbanks as you take a tour by dog sled over frozen rivers, through sprawling open snowfields, and under snow-covered canopies. Check out the trails from above when you hop in a helicopter in Juneau, and get a view of the icy, sleek glacier you'll be mushing over once you land. Or, experience a training session during the summertime in Anchorage where you'll be pulled by sled dogs on a wheeled sled.

Siberian Husky Puppy with Blue Eyes, Alaska

Hop on a sled with champion Alaskan Huskies in Fairbanks, and sled over frozen rivers, through sprawling open snowfields, and under snow-covered canopies.

No matter the tour available to you, you'll spend your day surrounded by beautiful, powerful dogs. Oh, and let's not forget about the puppies! Nearly every dog sledding tour in Alaska includes a kennel tour and time to play with the cutest, squishiest puppies you've ever seen.

A day filled with puppies and a dog sled race in Alaska? Sounds pretty perfect to me.

Alaska Tour Adventures Await

Meet The Famous Iditarod Sled Dogs

You can't come to Anchorage without visiting the dogs that run the Iditarod Trail during the most famous dog sled race in Alaska. Visit the Iditarod champions' kennel and enjoy a dog sled ride as North America's highest peak, Denali, towers over you. Ride in the basket of the dog sled while your guide takes you over frozen rivers and stunning sandbars.

Find A Glacier In Alaska

Helicopter Winter Tour in Mountains, Alaska

Visiting Alaska in the summer may mean a slightly different climate, but that doesn't mean you can't cuddle some sled dogs or ride on a real dog sled. All you need to do is find a glacier. You may be wondering, "Well, how do I do that?" Just hop in a helicopter and take a ride to a snow-covered glacier where you'll be able to stand on the runner of a sled or ride in the basket while being pulled by sled dogs.

Try A Summer Cart Dog Sled Training Run

Alaskan Sled Dogs Running Along Summer Path, Alaska

If you're tight on time or you're not too keen on helicopters, you can still take part in the fun. You'll switch your sled for a wheeled cart that your husky sled dogs will pull on a lush mountain trail. This is a truly unique experience because when most people think of dog sledding in Alaska, a snowy backdrop fills their minds.

Take A Sled Dog Kennel Tour

Adrenaline pumping activities aren't for everyone, but that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the fun. Instead, opt for a visit to the kennel to play with puppies. In between puppy kisses, you'll learn all about some of the Iditarod champions and bloodlines from the mushers who not only run these tours but also mush in the Iditarod race.

See The Northern Lights – Go Aurora Spotting

Silhouette of Sled Dog Team by Northern Lights, Alaska — Silhouette of Sled Dog Team by Northern Lights, c

If you're lucky enough to be visiting Fairbanks during Northern Lights season, which is between August and April after the midnight sun has ended, you should opt for a dog sledding tour at night. Imagine how cool it would be to sit on your dog sled, look up at the sky, and be led under the striking green and purple lights of the aurora borealis by a powerful pack of huskies. Truly, a bucket-list moment.

Written By
Taylor Fuller

Taylor Fuller is a travel and lifestyle writer. She has lived and traveled all over the world and loves to share her experiences. She is the author of The Rainbow Atlas and currently calls London her home.

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