Maine Dog Sledding: Maine Winter Cabin Adventure

Four days of dog sledding at our cabin in Western Maine. Our next Maine dog sledding adventure is Winter 2025.

Do you yearn for silence? Do you love the sound of the wind whispering through the trees? Do you love dogs? Come experience dog sledding, sled dogs, and the peacefulness of the Maine woods at the Maryland Sled Dog Adventures cabin in Starks, Maine during our special Maine Winter Cabin Adventure (MWCA). Email catherine@marylanddogsledding.com to register. Our next Maine Winter Cabin Adventure will be held Winter 2025.

Each year, this special four day dog sledding adventure is held at the Maryland Sled Dog Adventures' cabin in Starks, Maine and includes opportunities to dog sled, cross country ski, and snow shoe. Participants will have hands on opportunities to learn how to drive their own dog team through the scenic solitude of the Maine woods. A special photo gallery features recent images from around the cabin. Our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure was featured in the Washington Post.

Our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure is designed to be a completely hands on, four day and three night, dog based adventure where women learn how, using a step by step approach, to actually drive a team of one to six sled dogs. Participants then go out and use the skills they have learned to drive on their own a team of sled dogs on the trails. In addition to dog sledding, participants are also encouraged to try cross country skiing and snow shoeing. If you would like to try cross country skiing or snowshoeing, please plan on bringing your own cross country skis, poles, boots, and snowshoes.

What can you expect from your Maine dog sledding adventure? Dog sledding instruction on miles of scenic Maine trails. During this adventure, you will be immersed in learning and living a hands on dog sledding adventure. Our dog sledding adventure is unique in that our sled dogs live indoors with us. This allows participants plenty of time for bonding with the sled dogs and unique opportunities for lots of doggy kisses.

Snowshoeing (with or without a sled dog) is an easy way to explore a winter wonderland. If you can walk, you can probably snow shoe. Snowshoes, unlike cross country skis or dog sleds, can be used in areas where the snow has not been packed down. Snowshoeing is a great cardiovascular workout! Snow shoes can be purchased inexpensively in stores or online from LL Bean or REI. For additional information on snow shoes, please visit our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure gear list.

In addition to lots of doggie fun, you can expect fabulous meals at your Maine Winter Cabin Adventure. All meals include a touch of gourmet dining. For a sample menu, please click here.

Other activities include trying to identify the fresh animal tracks that are seen around the cabin every morning. This part of Maine is home to abundant wild life including bear, moose, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, and deer. Prints and scat are frequently spotted around the cabin.

What can you hope to gain from choosing this dog sledding adventure? New friends, respect and love of our wonderful sled dogs, a basic understanding of dog sledding, lots of doggy kisses, and a deeper understanding and love for the outdoors.

Our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure is a family affair and we are a small, family run business. Your hosts for your special Maine dog sledding adventure will be sled dog dad, Eric, and sled dog Mom, Catherine.

To maintain the intimate nature of our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure and to ensure sufficient hands-on experiences dog sledding for each participant with the sled dogs, our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure is limited to just four participants.

Our three bedroom, 1200 square foot cabin is well equipped with propane heat, a wood stove, electricity, indoor plumbing (not always the case in rural Maine!), a full kitchen, full bath, and other amenities. There is no TV, internet, or phone, and cell phone coverage is spotty at best. The nearest towns to Starks, Maine are Madison, Maine (8 miles), Farmington, Maine (13 miles), and Skowhegan, Maine (19 miles). The cabin is nestled in the trees on approximately two acres and is situated on a town maintained (plowed) dirt road. Dog sledding, cross country skiing, and snow shoeing trails begin 300 feet from the cabin and criss cross the Maine countryside for hundreds of miles. Come experience Maine, the way life should be.

During your four day dog sledding adventure, you will rest in comfort in our new Maine log cabin situated in the small town of Starks, Maine. Enjoy the coziness of living with twelve happy sled dogs. Participants will be divided between two bedrooms and will be sharing a bathroom with all others in attendance. Sleeping arrangements will be a mixture of cots, beds, and bunks.

Who should attend our women's dog sledding Maine Winter Cabin Adventure? If you love dogs, have an adventurous nature, are open to new experiences, have always wanted to learn about dog sledding and sled dogs, and love the great outdoors, then this trip is for you. Our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure is ideal for individual women, mother-daughter pairs, or small groups of older Girl Scouts.

Can I physically do this trip? While we are happy to tailor this trip to different ability levels, participants should be in good physical shape and capable of aerobic and anaerobic activity (walking, running short distances, pedaling (pushing) the dog sled, etc.). Our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure also requires the following: (1) you must be able to lift at least 25 pounds; (2) you must be able to easily lift your legs 12 inches off the ground, up and over a moving object; and (3) you must be able to walk, run, show shoe, or cross country ski one mile. If you have any questions or concerns about whether you can physically do this dog sledding trip, please email Catherine at catherine@marylanddogsledding.com

Cost is $1200 per person. A $500 non refundable deposit is due at the time of registration. To secure your space in our women's Maine Winter Cabin Adventure, you must: (1) email catherine@marylanddogsledding.com indicating that you would like to register; (2) complete and return our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure registration form; (3) complete and sign our waiver; and (4) mail your $250 non refundable deposit to Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC. Please note that we do not accept credit cards. All checks should be payable to Maryland Sled Dog Adventures LLC. Your balance, $645, is due in January. Any cancellations after this date are non refundable.

Your fee includes cozy and comfortable lodging for three nights in our log cabin, all of your meals while attending our Maine Winter Cabin Adventure, all instruction, and unlimited doggy kisses. Meals will be served family style and will be prepared by amateur chef and sled dog mom, Catherine, with assistance from sous chef and sled dog dad, Eric. Please be sure to indicate any food restrictions on your registration form. Please visit our sample menu for additional information on meals during your Maine Winter Cabin Adventure.

We hope to see you at our women's Maine Winter Cabin Adventure!