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Graham Creek Dog Derby Brings Dog Sleds to Foley
Foley Sports Tourism (FST) going to the dogs as they’ve added another canine event to the calendar with the Graham Creek Dog Derby having just been confirmed for January 25 -26, 2026.
The Dog Derby is a 25-mile dog sled race brought to Foley by the Mushers Union of Trail Tournaments (MUTT). MUTT President Sitten Staid said the event came about after Graham Creek Nature Preserve (GCNP) shared photos of January’s snowfall.
“We’ve always been interested in expanding our competition circuit to the Southeast, but most people felt we were barking up the wrong tree,” Staid said. “After seeing Graham Creek in the snow, the more we learned, the more we felt it was a good fit. It’s home to more than 100 acres of interesting terrain that would truly challenge our racers.”
Staid added while the organization is aware that snow is unusual for the area their extensive research into Alabama’s winter weather showed that there’s always something just a little bit crazy going on every week whether it be rain, wind, or even hail. The MUTT President said they’ve already been working with the City of Foley to ensure the dogs will be racing regardless of what’s going on.
“If there’s no natural snow the City does have a number of snow machines at our disposal that are mostly used during the Christmas holidays,” Staid said. “If we can’t have snow, we have it on good authority that Graham Creek can get pretty muddy, in fact they’ve turned it into an annual race for humans. Knowing that, it’s not that far fetched to host a dog sled race.”
City of Foley Executive Director of Leisure Services David Thompson said the Graham Creek Dog Derby is a new breed of event for FST but the department’s experience means it won’t be too ruff.
“Foley has hosted numerous police canine and dog agility competitions, so we have let the dogs out in the past,” Thompson said. “Add to that the way the Graham Creek staff works so well with the FST staff to pull off national and international events for cross country and archery, we know our pack of loyal employees will ensure this event is off the leash.”
City of Foley Sustainability and Natural Resources Director, Leslie Gahagan said her team at GCNP is always ready to share the beauty of Foley with visitors, regardless of whether they have two legs or four.
“MUTT started hounding us about hosting this race and at first we had our reservations, we just weren’t sure it was pawsible,” Gahagan said. “But like all out event partners, we work closely to iron out even the smallest details and make sure we’re on the scent of something truly extraordinary. Now that we’ve really talked it through we have no bones about it. We truly think this will share the unique beauty of the Preserve with an audience we may not have otherwise reached.”
The Graham Creek Dog Derby is scheduled for April 1, as in Happy April Fools Day y’all!
