Interior · Iditarod checkpoint
Ophir
A near-abandoned gold-mining settlement that serves as a checkpoint deep in the interior.
Approx. mile
~401
of ~1,000
To Nome
~599 mi
remaining
Leg
Interior
Interior
Setting
Historic mining district
On the trail
Ophir in the race
Ophir is where the trail splits: the northern route in even years and the southern route (through the Iditarod ghost town) in odd years like 2027. From here the country gets remote and wild.
Mile markers are approximate and shift with the year's route. Ophir sits on the interior leg of the 2027 southern route.
Background
History
Founded in the early-1900s gold rush, Ophir is now essentially a ghost town — used as the checkpoint where the northern and southern routes diverge.
Visiting
Getting there
Remote and roadless, with no permanent population; reached by ski-plane or the trail.
← Previous checkpoint
Takotna
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Iditarod
Plan around it
Events in Interior
Golden Days — Fairbanks
Ten-day celebration of Fairbanks' gold rush heritage with Alaska's biggest parade.
Fairbanks Tall Timbers: Darrin ‘Bear’ Edson
- The Fairbanks Tall Timber Series was created to honor those who have served the Fairbanks community well. Join accompl
Personal Health Training: How to Get Started and Advance
- In coordination with Foundation Health Partners, join us for up-to-the-minute health information presented by experts
The whole trail