Eden Ethical Dogsledding

At Eden Ethical Dogsledding, the huskies say hello long before the sled leaves the yard. The dogs live free on 140 acres in Eden Mills, Vermont, where they’re never chained or penned, and they’re every bit as glad to see visitors as they are to run. Champion sprint musher Jim Blair and his team welcome you into the learning center to meet and photograph the dogs, then get you hands-on with harnessing and hitching your team before you set out on private trails groomed for the sled. In winter, the property’s higher elevation tends to bring reliable snow, so you glide through quiet forest with wide views of the surrounding mountains. From summer through fall, the dogs pull wheeled sleds instead, with stops along the trail for play and a swim in the pond.

Eden is about 45 minutes north of Topnotch, and every tour requires an advance reservation, so check Eden’s website for current tour options, seasons, and booking details. For winter tours, dress for sitting still in the cold, even though the dogs make it all look effortless. Then come back to Topnotch to thaw out in the indoor solarium, with plenty of photos and probably a little husky fur to prove it.