Dog Sledding in Park City
Dog Sledding Adventures in Park City
While Park City is known as one of the world’s premier skiing and snowboarding destinations, there are other winter sports to explore in the area, including dog sledding. Whether you’re interested in racing, spending time with dogs, or just seeing the Wasatch Mountains in a whole new way, if you’ve ever been curious about dog sledding, Park City is just waiting for you.
Why Is the Park City Area Great for Dog Sledding?
If you’re interested in dog sledding, Park City has many features which make it an exciting option. Of course, Utah sees an average of 300-400 inches of snowfall annually, creating ideal conditions for sled dogs. Beyond that, Park City offers:
Amazing views. Dog sledding can take you through groves of aspens and pines, past mountain-fed streams, and along lakes. Along the way, you can see nature and the mountain range, creating photo-worthy moments every minute.
Expert-level mushers. Iditarod is the largest dog sledding competition in the world, held every year in Alaska. The mushers and trailers who take part are the best of the best, and Park City has Iditarod racers helping residents and visitors dog sled.
Amenities. Before and after dog sledding, you can head to one of Park City’s restaurants for an amazing meal or drink, go shopping, check out some art, go skiing or snowboarding, or take in the nightlife.
If you have never tried dog sledding before, the range of tours, tour operators, musher instruction, and gear available lets you try the activity. And if you’re serious about dog sledding, private trails and special multi-week camps let you build your skills.
How Do You Go Dog Sledding in and Around Park City?
If you don’t have your own team of Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies, Chinooks, Alaskan Malamutes, or other sled dogs, Park City has several options. One of the best solutions is to get an experienced musher to show you the basics on a tour or organized dog sled trip. When it comes to dog sled tours, Park City, Utah, has several professional mushers and outfitters waiting to help you:
All Seasons Adventures. The team at All Seasons Adventures is passionate about rescuing the dogs who work as sled dogs on their tours. Adults and kids three and older can take dog sled rides of up to one hour with local mushers.
North Forty Escapes. North Forty Escapes has a private 10,000-acre ranch where the team offers one-hour dog sled adventures, split dog sledding of two 30-minute rides, and combination dog sled and snowmobile adventures. The North Forty Escapes trails are not accessible to the public, and neither is the heated lodge where you can wait for your tour or have a hot chocolate or snack by the fireplace. The company offers a free shuttle to and from Park City.
Destination Sports. A team of Alaskan and Siberian Huskies takes you along private trails at Destination Sports during a customized one-hour sled ride. Whether you want to learn the basics of mushing or want a romantic sled ride for two, Destination Sports has experienced mushers to help you. You can also combine your sled ride with snowmobiling, snowshoeing, dinner, and horse-drawn sleigh rides.
Luna Lobos Dog Sledding. This award-winning company is a Park City family-owned professional racing team and kennel, offering dog sledding adventures, educational dog sled tours, kennel tours, and other activities. If you’re looking for dog sled rides, Park City is only 15 minutes away from Luna Lobos. Luna Lobos even has a musher program to help you learn how to drive a dog sled and offers activities in the summer as well.
Bear Ridge Adventures. Located 25 minutes outside of Park City, Bear Ridge Adventures is a family-operated business offering dog sledding on tandem sleds on private trails. Experienced mushers offer a one-hour experience or a two-hour dog sled experience, during which you can harness and unharness the dogs as well as spend more time with them. A three-hour dog sled tour is also available. During that tour, you get to enjoy lunch and spend more time with each of the sled dogs.
When choosing your tour operator, consider the experience you want to have and what you hope to get from your adventure. Whether you just want to try dog sledding for an hour or want a longer adventure that lets you spend quality time with the dogs, look for the mushers offering that type of excursion.
What Do You Need to Know Before You Try Dog Sledding?
When you try dog sled rides, Park City offers experienced dog mushers, meaning you don’t need to know how to turn, brake, or harness the dogs when you arrive. Your tour guide or musher will help you with that. Instead, here’s what you will want to know:
Weight restrictions apply. The weight allowed on each sled depends on the team, but it’s important to obey the limits to avoid harming the dogs. Most tour operators in Park City offer split rides, where you can take two 30-minute rides so your group can all get a chance to try dog sledding without paying for an extra sled.
Dress appropriately. When you’re racing over the snow, it can get cold. Check the weather before you go and dress in layers, with sturdy boots as well as a hat, winter jacket, face protection, and mittens to protect you from the chill. Dress like you’ll be skiing.
Be ready to work with the dogs. Sled dogs try their best and you can help them along by running up the hills or kicking. Don’t shout to make yourself heard and keep the lines tight, staying calm and focused as you go and maintaining distance from other sleds. Don’t worry: your tour guide or musher will show you what to do, but come prepared to work with the dogs.
Think like a pack. If you are on a tour with a few sleds, stay with the other sleds. If you want to stop and hop off to take a picture, make sure your tour guide has secured the sled before you walk away or make sure someone else has control of the team.
The biggest thing to remember is to bring your sense of fun. Spending time with a friendly team of dogs in the snow and learning how to drive a sled is an adventure you’ll want to remember for a lifetime. Dog sledding also creates opportunities for amazing photos, so remember to pack your camera.
Why Is Benloch Ranch Ideally Situated for the Person Who Loves Dog Sledding?
If you’re interested in dog sled tours Park City, Utah offers a variety of options, from one-hour tours to training in riding a sled and more. If you’re passionate about dog sledding, you may want to come back often or even make Park City your vacation destination year after year. Purchasing a home or second home in Benloch Ranch puts you just steps from dog sledding adventures and a host of winter activities every year.
If you’re passionate about dog sledding, you’ll love the amenities at Benloch Ranch, since they help get you outside in the snow more often. Indoor and outdoor storage helps you keep your gear on-site while our more than twenty miles of trails help you stay fit for all your winter and summer activities. Need winter gear or want to book a sled ride? The Benloch Ranch Shoppes, shuttle, and Benloch Concierge are all there to help.
The floorplans at Benloch Ranch make it easy to return from your winter adventures to a space that feels like home. With generous outdoor spaces for entertaining and relaxing, a smooth transition from indoor space and outdoor areas, and oversized windows, you can enjoy more of the surrounding nature and mountain views from home.
We’re also deeply committed to sustainability to maintain the land for future generations. If you’d like to see how Benloch Ranch might be part of your future, contact us to find out more about our community.