DULUTH, MN – The 39th Running of the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon begins at 10 am at Billy’s Bar in Duluth, MN on Sunday, January 29, 2023. The Beargrease trail includes the North Shore communities of Two Harbors, Finland, Tofte (Sawbill Checkpoint), Grand Marais (Trail Center and Skyport Checkpoints), Mineral Center, and Grand Portage. For information about checkpoint locations and anticipated musher arrival and departure times, visit www.beargrease.com. 

For up-to-the-minute information, including live tracking of race teams, go to www.beargrease.com. 

About the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon

The John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is the premier long-distance sled dog race series in the lower 48 states and one of Northern Minnesota’s greatest winter attractions. The sled dog marathon honors John Beargrease’s legacy, indigenous culture, and North Shore communities while celebrating the history of mushing and the incredible canine athletes who make it possible. 

John Beargrease was the son of an Anishinaabe chief and a Grand Portage band member who was born in Beaver Bay, on Minnesota’s North Shore. He is remembered for delivering mail to the communities of the North Shore from Two Harbors to Grand Portage, while also sharing news and weather with the people of these remote communities. His efforts were instrumental in connecting the people of the North Shore in a time when communication was difficult.