Bureau of Land Management, Alaska.
The Iditarod National Historic Trail celebrates a 2,300 mile system of winter routes that first connected ancient Native Alaskan villages, and later opened Alaska to the last great American gold rush. The Trail is still in use today with rural residents using it as a overland travel route between communities, muscle-powered competitors and motor-powered competitors using it in long-distance winter races, and modern-day adventurers testing their mettle in some of the most remote areas in North America. BLM maintains two remote, long-distance segments interspersed with public shelter cabins that provide respite from the elements. The most practical way to explore the trail is in the winter, when the hundreds of miles of swamps crossed by the Trail are frozen, making for easy passage. While offering outstanding opportunities for solitude, the Trail demands a high degree of self-reliance by the user, proficiency in extreme winter camping and travel by ski, dog team, snowmobile, or fat tire bike.