Description
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.
What's Included
Frequently Asked Questions
What if our cruise ship's schedule is canceled or delayed?
Do I get to drive the sled?
How long is the sled ride? Is it bumpy?
Is the sled ride on snow?
How many people will fit on the sled?
Why don't I see any tours available for my travel dates?
If you’ve entered your travel date and group size and do not see any tours available, the tours are most likely sold out, not operating that day, or the schedule has not yet been released for booking. If the specific tour you wanted is missing from the results, that usually means it is not available for your selected date, time, or group size.
Popular Alaska shore excursions like this one can sell out months in advance, especially during peak season. If you’re visiting by cruise ship, many tours also require a 45–60 minute buffer to ensure you make it to and from your ship on time, so departures too close to your arrival or all-aboard time won’t appear. For the best chance of securing your preferred tour, date, and departure time, we recommend booking as soon as your travel itinerary is confirmed.
Our live availability calendar is the most accurate and up-to-date source for open departures. If no options appear after you enter your details, we recommend checking other available tour types for your port or adjusting your group size if your party can split across separate departures or activities.
For future-season travel, schedules are released gradually, most often in the fall as cruise schedules are finalized. If you’re searching for next season and do not see availability yet, that usually means those departures have not been released, not that they are already sold out. We recommend checking back later as more schedules become available.