ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – If you’ve ever been to the ceremonial start in Anchorage or greeted a team along one of the many Iditarod checkpoints, you know it can be hard for fans of the race to really get up close and personal with the race’s athletes.
In Wasilla however, the Iditarod Race Headquarters has made that possible.
“It’s a great family stop because they can see the museum and the gift shop and go on a ride at an affordable price,” said Iditarod veteran and 2025 top 10 finisher Riley Dyche.
Housing the history of the over 1000-mile sprint, the Iditarod HQ offers a variety of things for guests to do, including getting a brief experience of the speed and power a dog team has under their feet. Dyche, is on hand to offer rides for guests at $10 per person, using many of the dogs that are a part of his official Iditarod race squad.
“It’s excellent training for the dogs,” Dyche said. “We stay quite busy with tour groups coming in and a lot of local foot traffic. It’s kinda like a weight program for a football player. It keeps them fit and in shape.”
The trail ride allows people to get up close and personal with the animals tasked with the long journey to Nome each year. It’s an experience Dyche says isn’t possible during race season.
“A lot of people see sled dogs going ballistic in their harnesses and they assume they are these high strung, maybe even aggressive dogs,” Dyche said. “In reality, you can see they are super affectionate.”
The course, a quarter mile loop around the dog yard, might be someone’s first time seeing how much power these dogs generate. Do it enough times, and Dyche says, you’ll know what it’s like to be on the Iditarod trail yourself.
“I always tell them that 3,999 more loops and you’ll have run the Iditarod,” Dyche laughed.
Outside of the tour, guests are welcomed to enter the main building, which acts as an office, gift shop, and museum of the Iditarod’s history. Guests are welcomes to look around and get a glimpse of the many trophies, artifacts and pictures documenting standout moments from race’s past. There’s also a thirty-minute movie that guests can watch in-house or purchase to view at home, alongside other mementoes that are also for sale. That even includes extra musher bibs from previous races.
The Iditarod Wasilla HQ is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week.
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