Juneau Sled Dog Discovery

Fun for the whole family, the Juneau Sled Dog Discovery is your chance to actively participate in Alaska’s state sport of dogsled racing! Meet the huskies and their professional mushers who compete in the annual winter races, take a thrilling one-mile dogsled ride through the Tongass National Forest as part of the huskies’ summer training regime, and help train the athletes of the future by playing with dozens of roly-poly, utterly adorable husky puppies! The Juneau Sled Dog Discovery excursion runs for 2 1/2 hours, including scenic drives to and from the dog camp through the Tongass National Forest from the cruise docks to Douglas Island. Juneau dog sledding is a wonderful way to experience a tradition deeply embedded in Alaskan history and culture, to see the amazing bond between mushers and their husky teams, and to take a happily dizzying ride through the rainforest as the sturdy huskies set a pace you won’t believe. You’ll have just one regret at the end of this heart-warming Alaskan adventure — that you can’t take a puppy home!

Your Juneau dog sledding adventure takes place at a professional racing dog camp a short drive from the city on beautiful Douglas Island. The teams of 14-16 huskies will be jumping with excitement at your arrival, as they know they are about to race! Once you clamber aboard the custom wheeled sled used for summertime practice racing, your musher will give the signal to start and you will be off and dashing down a forest trail lined with giant spruce and hemlock trees. After your thrilling Juneau Sled Dog Discovery ride, you’ll meet a seasoned dog handler and retired sled dog who will give a lively demonstration of the care and training huskies receive from their mushers and handlers. You’ll also learn about the rigors of winter racing and see the equipment used for dogsledding. Then a short nature walk across a suspension bridge overlooking Fish Creek is followed by time with the husky puppies. These cute and cuddly little pooches adore attention, and your pats and cuddles help them socialize — an important contribution to their future athletic success! Juneau dog sledding will be an adventure that you won’t forget!

To combine dog sledding with an exhilarating helicopter tour, consider the Helicopter & Dogsled Glacier Excursion.