John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon Combines Community, History and Lots of Sled Dogs

From 1879 to 1899, John Beargrease delivered mail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais, according to the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon website. With four dogs and 700 pounds of mail in tow, Beargrease made the trip in as few as 28 hours. Today, mushers and sled dog teams of up to 16 dogs with greatly improved technology and without the 700 pounds of mail can only barely better that time while competing in the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon.

The 2025 edition of the Beargrease begins at 11 a.m. on January 26 at Billy’s Bar in Duluth, according to the Beargrease website. From there, teams will travel over 300 miles of hills to the finish line in Grand Portage.

However, they won’t do it alone. The Beargrease attracts “diehard fans” year after year, according to Kjersti Vick, marketing and public relations director at Visit Cook County Minnesota. They aren’t just there to pet some cute dogs, though.

“It’s about the experience of seeing the dogs and the mushers and how they interact,” Vick says.

“Dogs are really focused with their trainer and their musher,” adds Linda Jurek, Visit Cook County executive director.

The dogs, who Vick describes as “elite athletes,” are born and bred for challenges like the Beargrease, Jurek says. They are thoroughly checked for fitness before the race and will be forced to rest if they aren’t fit enough, Vick adds.

The veterinarians making those checks are further evidence of the fanatical support the Beargrease draws. Veterinarians come from across the country to volunteer at the Beargrease and return year after year, according to Vick.

For those who do come out to watch parts of the race, the viewing experience differs depending on where spectators choose to check in. The start of the race has a raucous and festive atmosphere. Viewing from the Sawville Trail Center, however, where teams often pass through in the middle of the night, is entirely different — a chance to watch the teams work in the snow-dampened silence of a North Shore winter night. This varied experience makes the Beargrease a fascinating experience, even for repeat viewers.

“I’m not an enthusiast … but every time I go to one of the checkpoints, I learn something new about the sport,” Vick says.

One of the mushers spectators will have the chance to see is Grand Marais native Erin Altemus. She lives and works at a camp on the Gunflint Trail and qualified for the Iditarod last year, Jurek says.

The Beargrease is one of the qualifying races for the Iditarod, the thousand-mile dog sled race that stretches from Anchorage to Nome in Alaska.

For those who can’t make it to see the Beargrease in person, it’s easy to follow online via its website, which features regular updates from race checkpoints and GPS tracking of the teams.

In addition to the marathon, the Beargrease has three other races: the Beargrease 120, the Beargrease 40 and the Beargrease 120 Junior Class. The 120 and 120 Junior Class start together at 10:56 a.m. on January 26 and the 40 starts last at noon and is a single-day race.

If that still isn’t enough sled dog racing for you, or if the Beargrease is just too far away, you’re in luck — the Gunflint Mail Run Sled Dog Race starts on January 11. The Gunflint Mail Run has two classes, the 12-dog 100-mile race and the eight-dog 65-mile race, and starts and ends at the Trail Center Lodge in Grand Marais.

If you find yourself on the North Shore and want to see for yourself what it’s like to ride behind a sled dog team, you’re also in luck! Points Unknown in Hovland, Minn., about 25 miles from Grand Marais or Grand Portage, offers dog sledding experiences and comes highly recommended by Jurek and Vick.

For those who make the trip to the North Shore for the Beargrease, Jurek and Vick also recommend taking the opportunity to explore the surrounding area and experience all it has to offer

“If you’re here for the Beargrease you’re still going to be able to find quiet corners of our county, or you’re still able to go to Lutsen Mountains and experience high-adrenaline skiing,” Jurek says.

Jurek also encourages those interested in the Beargrease to reflect on the man himself. The Beargrease has only ended in Grand Portage since 2019, a change Jurek celebrates along with John Beargrease.

“It’s a really cool connection knowing John Beargrease was part of the Anishinaabe and the race now ends on native land,” Jurek says. “Maybe that’s the Native American spirit piece of it, but it just feels magical to end the race in Grand Portage.”