Iditarod National Historic Trail - southern trek

The Route

The Iditarod National Historic Trail includes approximately 2,400 miles of primary trails and side/connecting trails between Seward and Nome, which link communities and historic sites.

The Iditarod National Historic Trail, a symbol of frontier travel and once main artery of Alaska's winter commerce, provided access to a string of mining camps, trading posts, and other settlements founded between 1880 and 1920. Congress designated the Iditarod as a National Historic Trail in 1978.

Recent History

In 2004, the Forest Service signed a decision to establish a commemorative trail system on the southern portion of the Iditarod National Historic Trail. This southern trek of the Iditarod National Historic Trail parallels the historic route between Seward and Eagle River by connecting a series of existing trail segments with new trails segments, totaling around 180 miles.

The Iditarod National Historic Trail on the Chugach National Forest was designated a Priority Area in 2018, one of only fifteen such trails in the United States. The Forest Service is coordinating with partners, communities, and volunteers to share stewardship of this unique and historic trail system. The vision for a continuous trail system will be achieved through a collaboration with non-profit partner organizations, grassroots community efforts, and state and federal agency partners. Once completed, the communities of Eagle River, Girdwood, Moose Pass, and Seward will be connected via the continuous trail system and will provide world-class summer and winter recreation opportunities, while preserving the history of this section of the Iditarod National Historic Trail.