ANCHORAGE, Alaska -The Bureau of Land Management will host the finish of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race Ceremonial Start March 7 at the BLM Campbell Tract. The Ceremonial Start is a spectator-friendly event where mushers and dogs interact with fans. The timed portion of the world’s most famous sled dog race begins March 8.
The 730-acre Campbell Tract is a great location to get an up-close view as the mushers and their dog teams emerge from the woods and trot down the Campbell Airstrip to finish their 11-mile run from downtown. It takes teams about 45 minutes to make the run from downtown to the Campbell Tract.
The BLM Campbell Creek Science Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., providing a place to learn more about the Iditarod National Historic Trail.
Free shuttle buses will provide access to race viewing areas on Campbell Tract from parking lots at Kasuun Elementary and Abbott Loop Community Park. Shuttle bus service will run from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. There will be no public parking available at the Campbell Tract. Handicapped parking will be available at the Campbell Creek Science Center. Parking at the Smokejumper Trailhead will be closed for the event, starting Friday, March 6 at 4 p.m.
Download the map showing parking areas, bus stops, and race viewing sites.
The BLM asks visitors to leave their dogs at home for this event to avoid conflicts with sled dogs. In addition, the Campbell Tract is closed to motorized recreation and is a “No Drone Zone."
The BLM serves as federal administrator for the Iditarod National Historic Trail. The BLM also issues recreation permits for other events on the Iditarod National Historic Trail and is a partner in the Iditarod Trail to Every Classroom! (iTREC!) teacher professional development program.
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management
