Connecting communities: Successes along the Iditarod Trail's Southern Trek

ALASKA—As the only National Historic Trail in Alaska, the Iditarod National Historic Trail inspires and draws Iditarod enthusiasts, history buffs and outdoor adventurers locally and from around the world. The historic trail, a symbol of frontier travel and the once-main artery of Alaska's winter commerce, provided access to a string of mining camps, trading posts and other settlements founded between 1880 and 1920.

Bridges are helping to connect pieces of the Iditarod National Historic Trail to create a contiguous trail. USDA Forest Service photo.

The Forest Service has management and stewardship responsibilities for 180 miles of the southern end of the Iditarod National Historic Trail, referred to as the Southern Trek. In collaboration with partners, volunteers and communities, Chugach National Forest staff are working to restore and develop the trail system. They hope to connect the communities of Seward, Moose Pass, Hope, Whittier and Girdwood, each of which can be found along the primary and commemorative routes related to the Iditarod National Historic Trail Southern Trek.

During a typical summer, volunteers, partner organizations and communities work with Forest Service staff. While no volunteer or public stewardship activities were conducted during the summer of 2020 because of pandemic concerns, great progress continues to be made on the Iditarod National Historic Trail Southern Trek.

Work completed on the historic trail included creating approximately 1,700 feet of new trail, and tread repair, drainage, turn-piking and extensive brushing on over 20 miles of trail. The construction of seven new backcountry dispersed campsites included the installation of bear boxes

Bear boxes installed at dispersed campsites will provide campers a safe a place for stashing food items overnight. USDA Forest Service photo.

and allows access to less experienced backcountry trail users.

In addition to the trail and campsite work, a new bridge now connects segments of the trail, and funding for two additional bridges has been secured with installation expected in 2021. Multiple surveys, for both site and trail easements on segments of the Iditarod National Historic Trail that cross state lands, have also been completed.

This continued work by dedicated Forest Service staff will help realize the vision of providing world-class summer and winter recreation opportunities and connecting communities while preserving the history of this section of the Iditarod National Historic Trail.

Drainage and trail work on the Iditarod National Historic Trail, allowing for water flow, safer footing and less trail damage. USDA Forest Service photo.

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