Experience dog sledding in Ontario

Best Ontario dog sledding tours

There are several options for dog sled tours across Northern and Central Ontario, typically offered from mid to late December through late March, depending on snow conditions. You’ll find a variety of packages, ranging from two-hour outings, half-day trips, full-day treks and multi-day dog sledding adventures.

Ontario dog sled tours are popular and the winter season passes quickly. Book your tour well in advance to avoid disappointment.

Abitibi Sled Dogs

Based near Timmins, Abitibi Sled Dogs offers a range of dog sled tours in Northern Ontario.

Tour the kennel to learn about the dogs, sign up for guided dog sled rides ranging from one hour to half-day and overnight dog sled trips, and camp on-site in a traditional heated canvas prospector tent.

Location: 4675 Municipal Road, Connaught

Borealis Sled Dog Adventures

Borealis Sled Dog Adventures offers day tours and overnight wilderness trips in Northwestern Ontario, near Vermilion Bay, between Dryden and Kenora.

Venture into the snowy boreal forest with veteran guide, musher and artist Burton Penner, who has been sharing his love of dog sledding since 1989.

Location: Box 303, Vermillion Bay

Sugardogs Adventure Co.

Sugardogs Adventure Co. offers dog sledding experiences on a private trail system in the beautiful Almaguin Highlands on the western edge of Algonquin Provincial Park.

Programs include a two-hour workshop for groups of three or fewer and a 3.5-hour tour for groups of four to eight people.

Location: Forest Lake Road, Sundridge

Winterdance Dogsled Tours

Meet the beloved team of Siberian huskies at Winterdance and experience the magic of winter in Central Ontario on a variety of guided dog sledding adventures on private trails.

Night tours provide the unique opportunity for northern lights dog sledding. Cozy on-site cottage accommodations are available.

Location: 1888 Hodgson Road, Haliburton

Voyageur Quest

Go dog sledding next to Algonquin Provincial Park with Voyageur Quest.

The three-day Algonquin Dog Sled, Snowshoe and Ski package includes epic winter activities, comfortable accommodations, gourmet meals and a traditional sauna.

Location: Surprise Lake, South River

North Ridge Ranch

North Ridge Ranch specializes in beginner- and family-friendly dog sled tours in Muskoka.

Fully guided, all-inclusive one-hour and half-day packages are available.

Location: 1823 Williamsport Road, Huntsville

Egan Creek Outfitters

Based in Bancroft, Egan Creek Outfitters is centrally located between Toronto and Ottawa.

Dog sled packages range from scenic trail tours to family-specific outings, as well as a mobile service that travels to surrounding regions to offer dog sledding adventures.

Location: Bancroft

Green Feet Dogsledding

Based in Port Elgin, Green Feet Dogsledding capitalizes on Lake Huron’s snowbelt to offer dog sled tours, training and workshops in Bruce County.

Book a family-friendly dog sled ride or sign up for a hands-on dog sled lesson. The unique aspect of Green Feet’s operation is that the company doesn’t own its own sled dogs—instead, energetic local dogs are used to form the dog sledding team and go back to their owners at the end of the day.

Location: various locations near Port Elgin

Dog sledding races and events

Attending a dog sled race or event is a great way to learn more about dog sledding.

Witness the athletic performance of canines and humans in a variety of categories and experience the dog sledding heritage in a fun winter carnival atmosphere.

Kearney Dog Sled Races

Ontario’s largest dog sled races are held in the town of Kearney, north of Huntsville, annually in early February. The weekend event features several difference classes of races as well as fun activities over the two days.

Location: 58 Park Road, Kearney

Seguin Sled Dog Mail Run

This fun community event celebrates the history of dog sledding, with food, demonstrations, time to interact with sled dogs and opportunities to try dog sledding—all in the spirit of the activity’s role in carrying Canada’s mail.

Location: begins in Humphrey and ends in Rosseau

Information about dog sledding

What is dog sledding

Dog sledding is a type of winter sport called mushing—a mode of transport powered by dogs. Specifically, dog sledding involves a team of dogs pulling a sled.

Up to a dozen dogs, normally in pairs, are harnessed and arranged on a “gangline” that is attached to the dog sled. Natural leaders are placed at the front and the strongest dogs are positioned in the rear. Dog sleds are typically wooden, with slick runners, a foot-operated brake and space for a passenger to sit and a driver to stand.

Dog sledders are often called “mushers,” but the command “mush” is never used (outside Jack London novels). “Hike” or “let’s go” are standard dog sledding commands to get the team to run, with “gee” for go right, “haw” for go left and “whoa” for slow down. A typical team cruises at eight to ten kilometres per hour on dog sledding tours.

History of dog sledding in Canada

Who invented dog sledding and when was dog sledding invented? Dog sledding has Indigenous origins, especially among Inuit cultures, dating back long before European settlers arrived in what’s now known as Canada.

Dog sledding was adopted by fur trading coureurs de bois and later became an essential mode of transport for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Mail was also delivered by dog sled to remote Ontario communities well into the 1900s.

Northern dog breeds, such as Siberian huskies and Alaskan malamutes, embrace the sport and thrive in the cold. Alaskan huskies are speedy, strong, high-endurance mutts that are bred for dog sledding, and are commonly used for dog sledding and racing in Ontario and beyond. The Inuit dog is a hardy sled dog native to Canada’s High Arctic.

What to expect on a dog sledding tour

You don’t need to be experienced to try dog sledding in Ontario.

Most dog-sled tours include several sleds, with a trained guide leading the way. Before your tour, your guide will provide an orientation to ensure the ride is safe and fun for both you and the dogs. You’ll be introduced to the dog sled team and learn the basics of operating the sled and the signals you may hear or use.

You’ll quickly realize that dog sledding is a team effort: the driver often steps off the sled to run and push. It also doesn’t take long to appreciate the dogs’ ingrained desire to run and pull, as well as the unique relationship that grows between driver and dogs. Ethical dog sledding tour operators lavish their dogs with positive reinforcement and care for them like family members. This fosters powerful bonds, evident even on the shortest tour.

Dog sledding equipment

All these operators offer fully outfitted and guided tours; all you need to do is dress in warm layers for cold weather, including a winter coat and snow pants, winter boots, thermal layers, heavy socks, warm mitts and a hat.

How much does dog sledding cost?

Dog sledding operators in Ontario typically charge from $200 to $350 per person for a one- or two-hour tour. Half-day tours range from $300 to $500 per person. A full-day tour will cost between $600 and $1,000 per person. And multi-day tours will be $1,000+.

Keep in mind that operators provide different tour lengths and inclusions. Most charge per person, but some charge per sled, some of which can accommodate up to four people. Generally, the larger the group, the greater the discount.

Finally, make sure you’re fully covered. Verify personal insurance, review the operator’s policy and confirm insurance details before booking any adventure activity.

There’s an enduring appeal of harnessing canine power for winter journeys, in part because of the way dog sledding forges deep bonds between humans and dogs. Even the most basic two-hour dog sled ride in Ontario will leave you fascinated by this age-old pursuit.