Iditarod Trail named after the now-abandoned town of Iditarod, commemorates the last great gold rush in America to the Iditarod gold fields and the critical role that dogs played in the settlement and development of Alaska. It is a common myth that the race commemorates the dogsled relay known as the 1925 "Serum Run" from Nenana to Nome. The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race was first established by Joe Redington, Sr. in the early 1973 to encourage the designation of the Iditarod Trail as a National Historic Trail, bring the dying tradition of dog sledding back to the villages of Alaska, and
Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race spectators, hosted at various local dining establishments. The race is named after the Apostle Islands, which is an archipelago of islands in Lake Superior, off the coast of Bayfield. Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race is a dogsled race held in Bayfield, Wisconsin, during the first weekend of February. It is the largest dogsled race in the Midwestern United States. The race has been an annual event since 1996. The Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race consists of five individual races, which include: a 10-dog, 80 mile race; an 8-dog, 60-mile race; a 40-mile "Sportsman's Race",