T-Dog 200: Connecting Historic Trails and Communities
This year, the T-Dog is finally announcing a goal we've been working toward for years: connecting Susan Butcher's two iconic homes in Fairbanks and Eureka, Alaska! We are thrilled to bring this vision to life and reopen trails between Minto, Eureka, and Manley for mushers to explore.
With the commitment to these trails comes a slightly different format for the T-Dog 200. While the route and schedule are changing, the race will retain the same spirit of promoting self-supported wilderness travel, thoughtful dog care, and camaraderie along the trail.
The 2027 T-Dog 200 offers a little bit of everything the Tanana Valley has to offer! From the hill climbs and more technical mushing between Minto and Manley, to the historic mail trail winding through dense forest, to the wide-open Minto Flats and dense forests on the way to Nenana, each section brings its own challenges and rewards. The adventure finishes with a run upstream on the braided Tanana River to Fairbanks.
The 2027 Race Format
The T-Dog 200 will begin with a pre-race meeting for mushers and handlers, along with veterinary checks for the dogs, in Fairbanks before everyone heads out of town.
Friday, March 19 | 8–10 PM | Trailhead Start in Minto
Mushers will depart from Minto on Friday evening, beginning a roughly 160-mile self-supported journey to Nenana. Teams will have approximately 42–44 hours to complete this portion of the course, managing their own travel and rest schedules along the way.
The first 75 miles will take teams from Minto to Manley Hot Springs, traveling through the historic mining community of Eureka, where mushers will have the option to stop and enjoy some hospitality.
In Manley, mushers can look forward to a warm welcome and a celebratory atmosphere before continuing another 85 miles toward Nenana, with a hospitality stop at the historic Tolovana Roadhouse along the way.
Sunday, March 21 | 4 PM | Nenana Restart and Fairbanks Finish
Teams will have until Sunday afternoon to complete the self-supported portion of the race and prepare for the final leg. There will be no mandatory rest requirement in Nenana, allowing mushers to decide how best to manage their run and rest schedules throughout the first 160 miles.
Whatever your strategy, the goal is the same: to have you and your team rested, ready, and eager for that final run up the Tanana River to the finish line in Fairbanks!
Teams will not be permitted to depart Nenana before 4 PM, with final restart procedures to be announced. From there, it's a roughly 50-mile race upstream on the Tanana River to the finish line at Trail Breaker Kennel!
The Spirit of the T-Dog 200
As always, the T-Dog 200 is about more than racing. By giving mushers the freedom to manage their teams through the first 160 miles, we hope to encourage thoughtful decision-making, excellent dog care, and the skills that make long-distance wilderness travel possible.
We are especially excited to connect the communities of Minto, Eureka, Manley, Nenana, and Fairbanks, along with the historic Tolovana Roadhouse, through this event, celebrating the history of these trails and the travelers who keep them alive.
We can't wait to share this new chapter of the T-Dog 200 with you!
T-Dog 135: One Trail, Five Ways to Race!
The T-Dog 135 is back, and we're reopening our middle-distance race to skijor and bikejor participants alongside dog mushers, bikers, and skiers!
Race Details
Distance: Approximately 135 miles (134 miles mapped)
Route: Manley Hot Springs → Tolovana Roadhouse → Nenana → Fairbanks
Disciplines: Dog mushing, skijor, bikejor, skiing, and biking
Entry Fee: $175
Participant Limit: 30 total
15 dog-powered slots
15 human-powered slots
Saturday: Trailhead Start & Manley → Nenana (86 Miles)
Start: Between 8 AM and 10 AM in Manley Hot Springs.
Manley → Tolovana Roadhouse: 31 miles
Tolovana Roadhouse → Nenana: 55 miles
Participants manage their own travel and rest schedules along this self-supported leg.
For dog-powered participants, travel times during the first 86 miles do not count toward their final race times.
Tolovana Roadhouse will offer a hospitality stop and potable drinking water for human athletes. Stopping is optional, and participants are not required to treat Tolovana as a checkpoint.
Sunday: Nenana → Fairbanks (48 Miles)
Dog-powered participants:
Sourdough Start in Nenana at 8 AM.
Participants manage their own run/rest schedules during the first 86 miles to be ready for the final leg.
Human-powered participants:
No mandatory rest or arrival time in Nenana.
May continue directly through Nenana without participating in the Sourdough Start.
Must depart Nenana by 2 PM on Sunday or be disqualified.
Human-Powered Gear & Safety
There is no mandatory gear list for skiers and bikers. This race offers human-powered athletes the opportunity to participate in an event structured like a sled dog race, with long, self-supported stretches between checkpoints.
Participants should be prepared to either continue moving forward or shelter in place in the event of an emergency. In extreme conditions, previous participants have spent up to 26 hours traveling between Manley and Nenana and 16 hours between Nenana and Fairbanks.
Recommended gear includes:
Adequate layers and equipment to stay warm while not moving.
A stove and fuel for melting snow to make drinking water.
Finish Line
Trail Breaker Kennel, Fairbanks
The final 48 miles follow the Tanana River upstream from Nenana.
Whether you're racing on runners, skis, or wheels, the T-Dog 135 is an opportunity to challenge yourself, share the trail, and be part of our growing winter sports community!
T-Dog 50: Bring the Whole Family!
The T-Dog 50 is back for 2027, following the same format as last year! Despite its name, this race is actually 48 miles, taking participants from Nenana to Fairbanks, traveling upriver on the beautiful Tanana River to finish at Trail Breaker Kennel.
Open to dog mushers, skijorers, bikejorers, bikers, and skiers, the T-Dog 50 is a chance for participants of all ages and experience levels to get out on the trail and be part of the T-Dog community.
New this year, we're increasing the maximum dog team size to 10 dogs! This change celebrates the growing popularity of tag sleds and our enthusiasm for making dog mushing a family affair. Whether you're heading down the trail with your grandchild or your best friend, we want you to be part of the experience.
For newer mushers, the T-Dog 50 is a great place to start building race experience, especially if you're hoping to work your way up to a longer, multi-leg race in the future. It's an opportunity to gain confidence, learn from fellow participants, and experience the excitement of race day.
We love bringing different winter sports together on the same trail! The wide, flat expanse of the Tanana River makes this a wonderful course for mushers, skijorers, bikejorers, skiers, and bikers to share an adventure. With an aid station halfway along the route, the T-Dog 50 offers a welcoming opportunity for human athletes from different disciplines to experience the excitement of a winter sled dog race.