See below for details about each checkpoint.
1) Anchorage
Ceremonial start, Saturday March 1, 10 a.m.
2) Willow
Race restart, Sunday March 2, 2 p.m.
3) Skwentna
All mushers hit this checkpoint at junction of Skwentna and Yentna rivers the first night of the race. As many as 40 teams may be camped here.
4) Finger Lake
After Finger Lake comes the treacherous descent down Happy River Gorge.
5) Rainy Pass
At 3,771 feet, the highest point on the trail. Checkpoint is on Puntilla Lake.
6) Rohn
Was an original Iditarod roadhouse for dog teams carrying mail. Roadhouse is gone, replaced by a cabin built in the 1930s.
7) Nikolai
Village of about 100 people at end of bumpy 75-mile run across the Farewell Burn
8) McGrath
One of the larger towns (population 347) along the trail.
9) Takotna
Pretty, welcoming village known for its fresh pies. Favored spot to take 24-hour layover.
10) Ophir
Ghost town.
11) Cripple
Abandoned mining town and race's halfway point. First musher gets $3,000.
12) Ruby
Town of 185 is first checkpoint on Yukon River. First musher gets gourmet dinner. Next 150 miles on Yukon River.
13) Galena
Site of a former Air Force base.
14) Nulato
At confluence of Yukon and Nulato rivers.
15) Kaltag
Mushers leave Yukon River at village of 230. Rugged 90-mile Kaltag Portage to Unalakleet awaits.
16) Unalakleet
The biggest town (population 747) between Anchorage and Nome and the first on Norton Sound.
17) Shaktoolik
Hurricane-velocity winds and ground blizzards can cut visibility to zero quickly. Trail crosses Norton Sound to Koyuk.
18) Koyuk
Once to Koyuk, the rest of the trail is over land. Just 171 miles to Nome.
19) Elim
Checkpoint normally sheltered from the wind.
20) Golovin
Trail runs straight for much of the way to White Mountain, then crosses Fish River delta.
21) White Mountain
Mushers take final mandatory rest here, an eight-hour stop. 77 miles to Nome.
22) Safety
Last checkpoint, 22 miles from finish.
23) Nome