John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon
John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon
The 39th running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon begins at Billy’s Bar. The start of the race is open to the public and free to attend. A gate or shuttle donation of $5 per individual or $10 per family is suggested.
The Beargrease is the longest sled-dog race in the lower 48 and is a qualifier for the famed “Iditarod” in Alaska. More than a dozen world-class mushers compete in the 300-mile marathon, which runs along the north shore of Lake Superior, through the Sawtooth Mountains and finishes near the Canadian border in Grand Portage.
The mid-distance race, now called the Beargrease 120, starts at Billy’s Bar and ends at the Trestle Inn. The Beargrease 120 is the most popular and competitive mid-distance sled dog race in North America.
The recreational-class race, now called the Beargrease 40, starts at Billy’s Bar and ends at the Highway 2 Gravel Pit in Two Harbors.
Race Start Schedule
| Time | Event |
| 7:00 AM | Billy’s Bar opens for breakfast. |
| 7:00 AM | Bernick’s Shuttles begin running from UMD Parking Lot W. Parking is free at UMD. Shuttles will run continuously until 2:30 PM. |
| 8:00 AM | Meet the Mushers. Mushers will be parked at East End Auto, next to Billy’s, for photos, autographs and conversation about racing. |
| 10:00 AM | Race start. Marathon teams go out first and wear cream-colored bibs. Beargrease 120 teams go at 11 a.m., wearing red bibs. Beargrease 40 teams depart at noon wearing green bibs. The last team should leave Billy’s at 12:30 PM. |
| 2:30 PM | Last shuttle for UMD leaves Billy’s; roads begin opening. |
Limited handicap parking will be available on a first come, first serve basis. Service dogs are welcome, however, no pets are allowed at any start, finish or checkpoint during the Beargrease.
All finishes are highly dependent on weather and trail conditions. The 40-mile race should finish on Jan. 30 in mid-afternoon. The 120-mile race should finish Jan. 31 in the morning. The 300-mile marathon is expected to finish on Feb. 1 in the afternoon.
