Travel and adorable animals are two of my favorite things. Even better? Travelling with cute animals! So when I visited Park City, I was excited to try dogsledding for the first time — and I loved it. Here are five reasons why:
1. It’s a relaxing escape to the wilderness.
I took a 40-minute drive from Park City to a rustic lodge nestled on 100,000 acres of land near the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest. Once there, I was surrounded by stunning, peaceful mountain scenery. So far removed from the ski resorts, I felt like I had the wilderness to myself. It was blissfully quiet for a few moments before I heard a group of dogs barking in the distance. At that point, I couldn’t wait to meet all the cute canines!
2. I made lots of new friends.
When the dogs arrived, they seemed pretty enthusiastic about spending the morning running around in the snow. In fact, one of them had so much energy, she was literally jumping for joy. After the guide helped all of us into our seats, the sleigh took off at a brisk pace. Eventually we took a break at a tranquil, snowy riverbank, and I had the opportunity to socialize with and cuddle up to the dogs — and take pictures with them, of course.
3. It’s a cool way to travel.
The dogsledding adventure consisted of a half-hour ride, a short socializing break, and another half-hour ride, giving us plenty of time to sit back and take in the scenery. It was also entertaining to watch the dogs in action, whether they were running energetically or playful frolicking in the snow. During the first ride, one of the pups kept looking back at me with a grin on her face, as if to ask me: “Isn’t this the best?”
4. It’s a great alternative for nonskiers.
Dogsledding was a fun way to immerse myself in the winter landscape without putting on skis. In fact, one of the guides told me that many people sign up for dogsledding because they’re looking for something to do while their travel companions hit the slopes. But it’s also fun for the entire family — during my dogsledding excursion, one lucky kid got to steer the dogsled. And yes, I was a little jealous!
5. Because how could I resist this face?