John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon

The 41st running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon launches January 25, 2026, from Billy’s Bar at 3502 West Tischer Road in Duluth, Minnesota, at 11:05 AM. The race traces the same Lake Superior North Shore route once traveled by Ojibwe mail carrier John Beargrease, who delivered supplies and correspondence between Two Harbors and Grand Portage by dog sled in the late 19th century. The marathon course extends approximately 400 miles to the north, finishing at Grand Portage Lodge and Casino on January 27. It is the longest sled dog marathon in the lower 48 states, a qualifier for the Iditarod, and by the account of several mushers, a more technically demanding race than the Alaskan event due to the Sawtooth Mountains’ unique elevation changes and the 40-mile-per-hour winds that regularly blow off Lake Superior across the open sections of trail.

The Race Series: Three Events, Three Distances

The 2026 Beargrease comprises three concurrent races departing the same start chute at Billy’s Bar. The Beargrease Marathon (the full 400-mile route) begins at 11:07 AM, with each team releasing every two minutes from Bib #1, the honorary Spirit of John Beargrease, through the full field. The Beargrease 120, a mid-distance race finishing at the Trestle Inn in Finland, Minnesota, on January 26, follows immediately after the marathon teams. The Beargrease 40, a single-day recreational race finishing at the Pit in Two Harbors on January 25, completes the series. All checkpoints and road crossings along the route are publicly accessible, providing family-friendly vantage points with hot chocolate, campfire atmospheres, and close-range views of the dog teams in motion. The Bernick’s Beargrease Bus shuttle from UMD West Lot and The Other Place Bar and Grill runs from 7 AM to 3 PM on race day at no required charge, handling the significant parking pressure at the race start area.

If You’re Going With Kids: Arrive by 8 AM for the Meet the Mushers session at the start pit, during which mushers and lead dogs are accessible for photographs, autographs, and direct conversation for a full three hours before the race begins. This is the single most family-engaging hour of the entire event: children can see and touch the sled dogs, ask the athletes questions, and understand what they are watching before the start sequence begins. Service dogs are welcome at spectator areas; pets are not permitted at any start, finish, or checkpoint location.

Duluth and the North Shore: What Surrounds the Race

Duluth occupies a dramatic position at the western tip of Lake Superior, where the Aerial Lift Bridge connects the downtown peninsula to the Park Point neighborhood across the ship canal. The city’s Canal Park district is a walkable waterfront area of converted industrial buildings, independent restaurants, and the Great Lakes Aquarium, which holds the only freshwater aquarium in North America dedicated exclusively to the Great Lakes ecosystem. The North Shore Scenic Drive (Highway 61) running northeast from Duluth toward Two Harbors and beyond follows the lake’s edge through 150 miles of some of the most singular waterfront scenery in the interior of the continent, with viewpoints, state parks, and cascade waterfalls accessible throughout January. For families and couples traveling to Duluth for the Beargrease and wanting to stay on the water, Lake.com lists vacation rental options along the Lake Superior shoreline communities of the North Shore that place guests within the race corridor between Duluth and Two Harbors.