Take a summertime sleigh ride near Willow in a 2-seater cart specially designed for dog mushing. Be greeted by a guide and a yard full of excited dogs. Get away from noisy motors and traffic on a secluded trail. Later, take a nature walk and see a demonstration of winter sledding gear.
Just an hour drive north of Anchorage, and only 45 minutes north of Palmer, come meet the dogs and watch their energy levels skyrocket as your guide gets the team ready to go.
Then, hit private trails for a 1-2 mile run, depending on weather conditions, and be fully immersed in the wild. The carts are 100% dog-powered so you can take in the natural sounds around you.
Keep your eyes peeled as you may catch a glimpse of a moose, fox, lynx, black bear, or bald eagle. Make several stops along the way to give the dogs a chance to cool down and take photos with them.
Once back in the kennel, watch the dogs energetically dive into kiddie pools and zip around. They'll usually make their way over to you for a cuddle or two before taking off again. Treat yourself to some cookies and water to rehydrate.
Next, head out on a nature walk to a wooden pavilion with views of Denali for a hands-on presentation of the training gear used in wintertime. Check out Iditarod race sleighs and try stepping onto the runners. Slip on this year's Iditarod race bib and get into the shoes of an Alaskan musher.
Hear personal tales of the race tracks from your guide. Conclude the tour in an indoor gift shop where you can see more racing memorabilia and check out race team swag.