Race Map

 

Northern Route  (Even Years)

 

 

 

Checkpoints Distance between Checkpoints* Distance from Anchorage Distance to Nome
Total Distance 975
Anchorage to Campbell Airstrip  11  11 964
Willow to Yentna Station 42 53 922
Yentna Station to Skwentna 30 83 892
Skwentna to Finger Lake 40 123 852
Finger Lake to Rainy Pass 30 153 822
Rainy Pass to Rohn 35 188 787
Rohn to Nikolai 75 263 712
Nikolai to McGrath 48 311 664
McGrath to Takotna 18 329 646
Takotna to Ophir 23 352 623
Ophir to Cripple 73 425 550
Cripple to Ruby 70 495 480
Ruby to Galena 50 545 430
Galena to Nulato 37 582 393
Nulato to Kaltag 47 629 346
Kaltag to Unalakleet 85 714 261
Unalakleet to Shaktoolik 40 754 221
Shaktoolik to Koyuk 50 804 171
Koyuk to Elim 48 852 123
Elim to Golovin 28 880 95
Golovin to White Mountain 18 898 77
White Mountain to Safety 55 953 22
Safety to Nome 22 975 0

 

 


 

Southern Route  (Odd Years)

 

route_southern

Due to the route changes over the past few years, this route was used for 2018 and 2019.

 

Checkpoints Distance between Checkpoints* Distance from Anchorage Distance to Nome
Total Distance 998
Anchorage to Campbell Airstrip 11 11 987
Willow to Yentna Station 42 53 945
Yentna Station to Skwentna 30 83 915
Skwentna to Finger Lake 40 123 875
Finger Lake to Rainy Pass 30 153 845
Rainy Pass to Rohn 35 188 810
Rohn to Nikolai 75 263 735
Nikolai to McGrath 48 311 687
McGrath to Takotna 18 329 669
Takotna to Ophir 23 352 646
Ophir to Iditarod 80 432 566
Iditarod to Shageluk 55 487 511
Shageluk to Anvik 25 512 486
Anvik to Grayling 18 530 468
Grayling to Eagle Island 62 592 406
Eagle Island to Kaltag 60 652 346
Kaltag to Unalakleet 85 737 261
Unalakleet to Shaktoolik 40 777 221
Shaktoolik to Koyuk 50 827 171
Koyuk to Elim 48 875 123
Elim to Golovin 28 903 95
Golovin to White Mountain 18 921 77
White Mountain to Safety 55 976 22
Safety to Nome 22 998 0

 

 


 

OFFICIAL RACE MAP 2021 GOLD TRAIL LOOP

2021 Iditarod trail route may change, based on circumstances.

Gold Trail Loop Details
Read this list of Gold Trail Loop details, so you can follow your favorite musher throughout the race without missing a beat! Race Standings and GPS will list checkpoint names with N for traveling North up the trail and S for traveling South on the return. This naming convention will help differentiate checkpoints since mushers will be going through each twice. Read the list of updated trail miles below.

  • No Ceremonial Start in Anchorage this year.
  • Restart at Deshka Landing, which is 5 miles from the usual Restart Willow Community Center location. (No spectators admitted)
  • Yentna will not be an official checkpoint but the trail will go by that area
  • Takonta will not be an official checkpoint but the trail will go by that area.
  • Loop from Iditarod around Flat and back to Iditarod. Flat is not a checkpoint.
Three mandatory layovers:
  • 24-hour at any official checkpoint between the Skwentna to Iditarod stretch, including Skwentna or Iditarod. Must be taken before going on to Flat for the return.
  • 8-hour at any official checkpoint between the Rohn to Rohn stretch, including either Rohn stops. On a normal route, this would have been taken between the Shageluk to Kaltag stretch.
  • 8-hour at Skwentna on the return trip. On a normal route, this would have been taken in White Mountain.

 

Checkpoints

Distance between

Checkpoints

Distance from

Anchorage

Distance back to

Deshka Landing

Deshka Landing N to SkwentnaN

67

83

785

Skwentna N to Finger Lake N

40

123

745

Finger Lake N to Rainy Pass N

30

153

715

Rainy Pass N to Rohn N

35

188

680

Rohn N to Nikolai N

75

263

605

Nikolai N to McGrath N

48

311

557

McGrath N to Ophir N

41

352

516

Ophir N to Iditarod N

80

432

436

Loop around Flat was removed due to snow conditions.

20

442  (Flat)

416

Iditarod S to Ophir S

80

432

336

Ophir S to McGrath S

41

352

295

McGrath S to Nikolai S

48

311

247

Nikolai S to Rohn S

75

263

172

Rohn S to Rainy Pass S

35

188

137

Rainy Pass S to Finger Lake S

30

153

107

Finger Lake S to Skwentna S

40

123

67

Skwentna S to Deshka Landing S

67

83

0

Total Distance

 

  832 (updated without Flat loop)

Please note: Distances on each year’s race map are estimations as the actual trail placement can vary from year to year based on conditions and can affect the actual mileage.

 


 

Fairbanks Route (2017)

Map courtesy of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources

 

 

Checkpoints Distance between Checkpoints* Cumulative Distance to Nome
Anchorage to Campbell Airstrip 11 11 968
Fairbanks to Nenana 60 71 908
Nenana to Manley 90 161 818
Manley to Tanana 66 227 752
Tanana to Ruby 119 346 633
Ruby to Galena 50 396 583
Galena to Huslia 82 478 501
Huslia to Koyukuk 86 564 415
Koyukuk to Nulato 22 586 393
Nulato to Kaltag 47 633 346
Kaltag to Unalakleet 85 718 261
Unalakleet to Shaktoolik 40 758 221
Shaktoolik to Koyuk 50 808 171
Koyuk to Elim 48 856 123
Elim to Golovin 28 884 95
Golovin to White Mountain 18 902 77
White Mountain to Safety 55 957 22
Safety to Nome 22 979 0
Total Distance 979