About Us

Do What You Love – Love What You Do

Paws for Adventure is a working dog tour kennel devoted to sharing sled dog education and dog sled adventure with guests from all over the world.

Established in 1998, Paws has been a leader in the Fairbanks tourism industry providing short rides, mushing schools, overnight and multi-day adventures and moonlight mushing tours for small family groups as well as larger tour companies.

The owner/ founder of the company is Leslie Goodwin-Williams.

Born and raised in Salem, Virginia, Leslie graduated with a BS in Biology and after several years of doing fieldwork for the NPS, USFS and BLM in Montana, Colorado and Oregon, she came to Alaska to teach elementary school in the early 90s. It is in the Native Athabascan village of Minto, in the interior of Alaska, that she drove her first sled dogs in a spring carnival. Since that time, she has raised and loved many litters of sled dogs and traveled many Alaskan trails by dogteam. She now owns 40 dogs that she shares with you in her kennel. She and her husband Dave Williams have been owners of the historical Tolovana Roadhouse since 2010 and traveled the Old Mail Trail between Nenana, Tolovana and Manley with many adventuresome guests.

Paws for Adventure is not one person, but a crew of working professional mushers and tour coordinators. Each musher has dedicated their life to their animals, their adventures with animals, and to providing excellence in sled dog education and tour operation. The mushers’ backgrounds include extensive backcountry adventure with dogs, mid and long-distance training and racing, and year-round dedication to their unique Alaskan lifestyle with sled dogs and other animals. Our tour coordinators and assistants are all dedicated and helpful professionals who either live in Alaska full-time or come to Alaska seasonally to experience its beauty and wildness and are eager to help you learn about mushing and enjoy this unique experience.

Our dogs are Alaskan huskies, a breed known for their strength and endurance, their dedication to their people, and their friendly personalities. Unlike many other kennels, at Paws you are invited to spend some extra time visiting with the Paws dogs in their home kennel after your tour, give some extra pats to your favorites, and go home with lots of photos and videos.

A visit to Paws for Adventure provides an exceptional and exciting experience from a crew of highly knowledgeable and dedicated individuals who have done the work year-round and for many years to put together the BEST in dogsled adventure for you.

Paws Through The Years

What Our Clients Say

One of the great Fairbanks experiences! A+++

Wonderful experience! Just a short walk from A Taste of Alaska Lodge! Awesome ride with musher Peter! The dogs were well cared for and seemed happy to be taking us for a ride. We appreciated Leslie arranging for her husband to drive us up the hill to the lodge! One of the great Fairbanks experiences! A+++

Joyce Yamada (Feb 2018)

What a great experience with a knowledgeable guide

What a great experience! Knowledgeable guide. Chase made our hour trip fun, I even got to stand next to him on the sled. I would recommend this organization for anyone wanting a true Alaskan experience.

Tina Inman (Dec 2017)

Wonderful Experience for our first time

First time ever dog sledding. Had a wonderful experience. Leslie and Chase were not only knowledgeable about dog sledding, they were just so personable and fun to talk with. They take such good care of the dogs. The dogs are happy, healthy and sociable. So glad we picked PAWS!

Bonnie Payne (Nov 2017)

About Us

Paws Through The Years

What Our Clients Say

Herning Rd., Fairbanks, AK 99712

(907) 699-3960

dogs@pawsforadventure.com