Countdown to Iditarod 2026
Checkpoints 2026 (Northern Route)
Anchorage 72 miles
Nome 975 miles
Willow
The trail begins on Willow Lake and winds through typical northern woodlands, consisting of birch forests and spruce swamps. The trail runs over flat land and through gently rolling hills.
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Anchorage 53 miles
Nome 922 miles
Yentna
Of all the checkpoints on the Iditarod Trail, Yentna experiences the greatest density of traffic. The teams haven’t been on the trail long enough to spread out. They arrive at Yentna Station one right after the other.
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Anchorage 83 miles
Nome 892 miles
Skwetna
Compared to checkpoints further down the trail, Skwentna Checkpoint is very short lived. Roughly twelve hours from the time the first team arrives, the final team will depart.
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Anchorage 123 miles
Nome 852 miles
Finger Lake
In the heart of the snow country, here it is not uncommon to have 10 feet of snow on the ground. The checkpoint is at Winter Lake Lodge. From Finger Lake, the mushers begin the long climb to Rainy Pass.
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Anchorage 153 miles
Nome 822 miles
Rainy Pass
On Puntilla Lake in the heart of the Alaska Range, the checkpoint is located at Rainy Pass Lodge, the guiding operation of the Perrins Family. From here the trail crosses Rainy Pass itself, the highest point on the Iditarod.
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Anchorage 188 miles
Nome 787 miles
Rohn
The gateway to the interior, Rohn Roadhouse marks the transition point where the mushers start to venture into the flatlands of the interior, along with dropping temperatures.
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Anchorage 263 miles
Nome 712 miles
Nikolai
This is the first of many Native villages along the Iditarod Trail. The checkpoint is located in the Community Hall.
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Anchorage 311 miles
Nome 664 miles
McGrath
Located near the confluence of the Kuskokwim and Takotna Rivers, this thriving community has two stores, a bar, and a restaurant.
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Anchorage 329 miles
Nome 646 miles
Takotna
Situated on the banks of the Takotna River, this town has a store and a restaurant. This is one of the smallest towns with one of the biggest welcomes.
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Anchorage 352 miles
Nome 623 miles
Ophir
A ghost town that took its name in 1908 from the lost country of Ophir, the source of King Solomon’s gold. The checkpoint is at Dick and Audra Forsgren’s cabin.
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Anchorage 425 miles
Nome 550 miles
Cripple
This checkpoint marks the “official” halfway point in the race for the northern route, signified by GCI’s presentation of a halfway trophy and $3,000 in gold nuggets to the first musher to reach the checkpoint.
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Anchorage 495 miles
Nome 480 miles
Ruby
The first checkpoint on the famous Yukon River, the longest river in Alaska, stretching 1,875 miles from its headwaters in the Yukon Territory of Canada to the Bering Sea
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Anchorage 545 miles
Nome 430 miles
Galena
Galena derived its name from lead sulfate ore found in the area, known chemically as galena. The town was founded in 1920 when Natives moved down river from the old town site of Louden because of the availability of firewood
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Anchorage 582 miles
Nome 393 miles
Nulato
Originally founded in 1838 at the confluence of the Nulato and Yukon Rivers, Nulato was a Russian trading post.
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Anchorage 629 miles
Nome 346 miles
Kaltag
Kaltag is the home of Virginia Kalland, widow of Edgar Kalland who was one of the original mushers who helped carry life saving diphtheria serum along this trail in 1925
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Anchorage 714 miles
Nome 261 miles
Unalakleet
This village is the largest community on the Iditarod Trail between Wasilla and Nome. Two well stocked stores, as well as two restaurants can be found here. The checkpoint is in front of the AC store.
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Anchorage 754 miles
Nome 221 miles
Shaktoolik
From here the trail continues overland for a short distance, then leads the mushers out onto the ice of Norton Bay, one of the most treacherous segments of trail that the musher may have to contend with. The checkpoint is at the armory.
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Anchorage 804 miles
Nome 171 miles
Koyuk
Once this checkpoint is reached, the mushers can breath a sigh of relief as almost all of the rest of the trail is at least over land. The checkpoint is the City Recreation Center.
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Anchorage 852 miles
Nome 123 miles
Elim
The checkpoint is usually at the fire hall. From here the trail heads over the hills of the Kwiktalik Mountains inland a little way to the next checkpoint on Golovin Bay
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Anchorage 880 miles
Nome 95 miles
Golovin
The checkpoint is located at the checker’s home. Golovin has one store. From here the trail heads across Golovin Bay, then overland to the next checkpoint
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Anchorage 898 miles
Nome 77 miles
White Mountain
Just 77 miles from Nome, this village is located on the banks of the Fish River. It takes its name from that of a picturesque nearby mountain. The checkpoint is located in the community hall building up the hill from the store.
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Anchorage 953 miles
Nome 22 miles
Safety
The last checkpoint before Nome, just 22 miles away. Here the mushers are on the coast of the Bering Sea and travel on the beach most of the way to Nome.
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Anchorage 975 miles
Nome 0 miles
Nome
The Burled Arch signifies the end of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The gold rush atmosphere still abounds, especially when “Iditarod Fever” hits town with the entire community turning out to welcome the mushers and visitors alike to their community
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Checkpoints 2023 (Southern Route)
Anchorage 72 miles
Nome 987 miles
Willow
The trail begins on Willow Lake and winds through typical northern woodlands, consisting of birch forests and spruce swamps. The trail runs over flat land and through gently rolling hills.
Anchorage 53 miles
Nome 945 miles
Yentna
Of all the checkpoints on the Iditarod Trail, Yentna experiences the greatest density of traffic. The teams haven’t been on the trail long enough to spread out. They arrive at Yentna Station one right after the other.
Anchorage 83 miles
Nome 915 miles
Skwetna
Compared to checkpoints further down the trail, Skwentna Checkpoint is very short lived. Roughly twelve hours from the time the first team arrives, the final team will depart.
Anchorage 123 miles
Nome 875 miles
Finger Lake
In the heart of the snow country, here it is not uncommon to have 10 feet of snow on the ground. The checkpoint is at Winter Lake Lodge. From Finger Lake, the mushers begin the long climb to Rainy Pass.
Anchorage 153 miles
Nome 845 miles
Rainy Pass
On Puntilla Lake in the heart of the Alaska Range, the checkpoint is located at Rainy Pass Lodge, the guiding operation of the Perrins Family. From here the trail crosses Rainy Pass itself, the highest point on the Iditarod.
Anchorage 188 miles
Nome 810 miles
Rohn
The gateway to the interior, Rohn Roadhouse marks the transition point where the mushers start to venture into the flatlands of the interior, along with dropping temperatures.
Anchorage 263 miles
Nome 735 miles
Nikolai
This is the first of many Native villages along the Iditarod Trail. The checkpoint is located in the Community Hall.
Anchorage 311 miles
Nome 687 miles
McGrath
Located near the confluence of the Kuskokwim and Takotna Rivers, this thriving community has two stores, a bar, and a restaurant.
Anchorage 329 miles
Nome 669 miles
Takotna
Situated on the banks of the Takotna River, this town has a store and a restaurant. This is one of the smallest towns with one of the biggest welcomes.
Anchorage 352 miles
Nome 646 miles
Ophir
A ghost town that took its name in 1908 from the lost country of Ophir, the source of King Solomon’s gold. The checkpoint is at Dick and Audra Forsgren’s cabin.
Anchorage 432 miles
Nome 566 miles
Iditarod
This ghost town, once a bustling community of over 10,000, was the heart of the Iditarod Mining District, from whence the trail got its name
Anchorage 487 miles
Nome 511 miles
Shageluk
The name is an Ingalik Indian name meaning “village of the dog people,” and when the Iditarod hits town, that is especially true.
Anchorage 512 miles
Nome 486 miles
Anvik
The first checkpoint on the Yukon River. The church bell signals the arrival of the first musher to this picturesque village. The Lakefront Anchorage serves a five course dinner to the first musher arriving at this checkpoint as well as a cash award.
Anchorage 530 miles
Nome 468 miles
Grayling
This will be the last village checkpoint the mushers see until they reach Kaltag, 130 miles further up the trail. There is a village store here. The checkpoint is in the old community center.
Anchorage 592 miles
Nome 406 miles
Eagle Island
At this checkpoint, the musher finds his constant battle with cold winds on the Yukon River about half over, but it’s still a long 65 miles to the next checkpoint. Ralph Conatser’s cabin , the only dwelling in Eagle Island, is the checkpoint.
Anchorage 652 miles
Nome 346 miles
Kaltag
Kaltag is the home of Virginia Kalland, widow of Edgar Kalland who was one of the original mushers who helped carry life saving diphtheria serum along this trail in 1925
Anchorage 737 miles
Nome 261 miles
Unalakleet
This village is the largest community on the Iditarod Trail between Wasilla and Nome. Two well stocked stores, as well as two restaurants can be found here. The checkpoint is in front of the AC store.
Anchorage 777 miles
Nome 221 miles
Shaktoolik
From here the trail continues overland for a short distance, then leads the mushers out onto the ice of Norton Bay, one of the most treacherous segments of trail that the musher may have to contend with. The checkpoint is at the armory.
Anchorage 827 miles
Nome 171 miles
Koyuk
Once this checkpoint is reached, the mushers can breath a sigh of relief as almost all of the rest of the trail is at least over land. The checkpoint is the City Recreation Center.
Anchorage 875 miles
Nome 123 miles
Elim
The checkpoint is usually at the fire hall. From here the trail heads over the hills of the Kwiktalik Mountains inland a little way to the next checkpoint on Golovin Bay
Anchorage 903 miles
Nome 95 miles
Golovin
The checkpoint is located at the checker’s home. Golovin has one store. From here the trail heads across Golovin Bay, then overland to the next checkpoint
Anchorage 921 miles
Nome 77 miles
White Mountain
Just 77 miles from Nome, this village is located on the banks of the Fish River. It takes its name from that of a picturesque nearby mountain. The checkpoint is located in the community hall building up the hill from the store.
Anchorage 976 miles
Nome 22 miles
Safety
The last checkpoint before Nome, just 22 miles away. Here the mushers are on the coast of the Bering Sea and travel on the beach most of the way to Nome.
Anchorage 998 miles
Nome 0 miles
Nome
The Burled Arch signifies the end of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. The gold rush atmosphere still abounds, especially when “Iditarod Fever” hits town with the entire community turning out to welcome the mushers and visitors alike to their community