Trail Race Partners

Twenty five and 50 mile trail races, the Collegiate Peaks Trail Run starts and ends in Buena Vista, Colorado. The route follows single-track and jeep roads, and includes beautiful Colorado scenery, dramatics views, with 2,500 feet in elevation gain and loss– and twice that amount for the 50 miler.

Named Colorado’s “Best Race Series” by Colorado Runner Magazine in 2005 and 2008, the La Sportiva Vail Mountain Trail Running Race Series has become an iconic event, taking runners up trails and over mountain roads, through fields and forests and over streams in and around Vail for the past 17 years. New this year, the Boneyard Boogie will be an 11k and feature a new descent, while the Vail HillClimb will be one of only 10 races in the country to be part of the La Sportiva’s Mountain Cup Series.

A supported trail run and mountain bike race from Crested Butte to Aspen, this race crosses Colorado’s spectacular Elk Mountains. The route follows much the same course as its more famous winter sister event of the same name.  The races starts in Crested Butte and finishes at the base of Aspen Mountain. Racers may do the run solo or running together as a team of two.

Four races in one event, the Horror Hill Trail Races include a 5 km, 10 km, 25 km, and a six-hour ultra distance race. The races take place in the Kitchener-Waterloo area of Ontario, and runners have the option to raise funds for Camp Quality, a camp for children battling cancer.

A nine-mile, hilly, cross-country loop on dirt trails, the Woodminster race is the third and final race in the East Bay Triple Challenge race series. The race takes place in Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland, California, and is one of the oldest races in the country.

A short, steep race in a hilly, beautiful section of Vermont, the Race to the Top takes place on National Trails Day in June. The race consists of a 3.5 mile run, and a 1.5 mile fun run. The Race to the Top benefits the land conservation efforts of the Bradford Conservation Commission.

Named for early native American scout “Joe English” who was famous for his running exploits, this southern New Hampshire series consists of a 25 km “Trail Challenge” race May, and a marathon relay/ 6 hour ultra “Twilight Challenge” race in November.  The race benefits the local Amherst Land Trust.

This 12-hour ultra that consists of laps around Lake Hollingsworth, located between Tampa and Orlando.  Find out how many 3-mile laps you can run around the beautiful Lake Hollingsworth in 12 hours!

Run individually, or as part of a relay team. The race includes the opportunity for cash prizes, custom medals, raffles– plus a catered post-race meal.

The Mojave Death Race covers more than 250 miles. Teams of between 6 and 12 runners compete in 24 legs of running, mountain biking or road cycling in the event. Legs vary from 6 miles of running, through to 42 miles of cycling. The race passes through the Mojave National Preserve and ends near the California-Nevada border, in Nipton, California.

Consisting of 10 km and 21 km trail races, this event takes places at the Snow Valley ski resort in July, near Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, California. A triathlon and duathalon, also part of the series, takes place in June.

One of the most famous races of any kind in the country, the Mount Washington Road Race climbs the famed auto road from the base of the New England’s highest peak, to the summit of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the “Home of the World’s Worst Weather.” The race annually draws some of the best mountain runners from around the country and, indeed, the world. The race is capped at 1,300 runners and racers enter via a lottery system.

Consisting of 50 km, 50 mile and 100 mile events, the motto of this series of races is, “A glimpse of heaven… a taste of hell.” Located on the northeast side of Lake Tahoe, the races pass through the beautiful Sierra Nevada area. A lottery system caps the numbers of runners who may participate.

Looking for an end-of-the-season trail race? Warrior Creek has you covered! Run along the Warrior Creek trail in the W. Kerr Scott trail system near Wilkesboro, North Carolina, the event also features a one-mile kid’s fun run.

This Georgia trail run takes place in April, and consists of multiple distances, including 5 km, 10 km, half marathon and kid’s fun-run distances. Run through moderately rolling terrain in the Chicopee Woods area. The event supports the work of the 1,500-acre Elachee Nature Science Center.

This Georgia trail run takes place at the end of the season, in November, and consists of a 5 km, 10 km, half marathon and kid’s fun-run distances. Run through moderately rolling terrain in the Chicopee Woods area. The event supports the work of the non-profit 1,500-acre Elachee Nature Science Center.

Trail 2 Trail Racing is a competitive trail and endurance race series in Connecticut. The series consists of three events, each with a variety of distances, including 5 km, 10 km, half marathon and 50 km ultra races. The races take place at Huntington State Park, Kettletown State Park, and Chatfield Hollow State Park. Race dates range from May through October. There will be no race series in 2019, but the series will pick up again in 2020.

Want to trail run from Washington’s Rainier National Park all the way to the ocean? This is your chance! Relay teams and 50-mile ultras start near the entrance to the park and finish at Marine Park on Tacoma’s Ruston Way. The course passes through deep forests, alongside rushing rivers and streams and through historic towns. 

This Washington State half marathon, once part of the Rainier to Ruston race, is now its own event. Taking place at the end of July, the event is a point-to-point race. It starts in Buckley, crosses four beautiful bridges, runs to South Prairie, and finishes in the Orting town park.

A bike-run-paddle event based in Sacramento, California, Eppie’s Great Race now honors its founder, the gregarious and energetic Eppie Johnson. The race is into its fifth decade, and annually draws thousands of competitors.

A 10-mile trail race hosted by Great Glen Trails, at the base of New Hampshire’s famed Mount Washington in Pinkham Notch, the Black Fly run takes place in early June, and can be done either solo or as a relay.

First launched in 2008, Verbier-St. Bernard has proven itself to be a popular new addition to the Swiss trail running circuit. The June event now consists of three different races, using the famous resort village of Verbier as the finish point for each race. The events include a 68 mile run, a 37 mile-long event, and an 18-mile long run.

The Castles Ultra is truly a race unlike any other– an 80 km ultra, which passes through Cyprus’ Kyrenia mountain range, taking in two Crusader castles and ending in the  village of Bellapais, home of the ancient Bellapais Abbey.

Patagonian International Marathon takes place entirely in the majestic Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia. The event features four race distances: ultramarathon (63 km), marathon (42 km), half marathon (21 km) and 10km. The event calls attention to the conservation of Chilean Patagonia and contributes to the sustainable development of the region.

A 3.5 mile and 10 mile pair of races at Schweitzer mountain in Idaho, the routes are a mix of challenging single and double-track trails. Afterwards, enjoy the annual Schweitzer Mountain Music Festival.

A series of trail races and snowshoe races held in the Upper Great Lakes region of Michigan and Wisconsin, the Great Lakes Endurance series runs the gamut, from 5k events, through to full-fledged trail marathons. Events are held throughout the year.

The Adirondack Runners are an active club that hosts a number of events throughout the year, including weekly trail runs, breakfast runs and walks, and a wide variety of fun trail races– even a Polar Cap race in February. Their Adi’RUN’dack Trail Race Series, a 20k challenge, takes place on Tuesday nights in May.

An  18-mile course that follows the Wapack Trail between New Ipswich, New Hampshire and Ashburnham, Massachusetts, the Wapack Trail Race is part of the Grand Tree Race Series. There are four major mountains en route, too, as part of this notoriously tough race: Barrett, New Ipswich, Pratt, and Watatic peaks.

Sponsored by the Squannacook River Runners, this Groton, Massachusetts race series tours through the Groton Town Forest, and uses a combination of narrow dirt roads and winding, single-track trails, with no shortage of rocks, roots and leaves!

A twelve-mile long trail race held in early May in Amherst, Massachusetts, 7 Sisters consists of a six-mile out-and-back along a famously challenging course. The race was started in 1991, by the current race director, Fred Pilon, and uses a portion of the New England National Scenic Trail. Race proceeds are donated to the Friends of the Mt. Holyoke Range. More than $60,000 has been donated since the inception of the event. 7 Sisters is part of the Grand Tree Race Series.

Both held on the same day at the end of October, the Hairy Gorilla half marathon and the Squirrelly six mile race take place at the John Boyd Thacher State Park in Voorheesville, New York, not far from Albany. The races are part of the Grand Tree Race Series. Watch out for costumed volunteers and other Halloween themed surprises!

The XTERRA French River race is part of Oxford, Massachusetts’ French River Festival at the end of June. The festival includes a triathlon, vendors, and more. The race offers runners the choice between an 18 km or 8 km course, and is part of the Grand Tree Race Series.

A series of three trail races in Douglas and Oxford, Massachusetts, the Massachusetts series  varies in length from 8km to a half marathon. Racers can accumulate points in the XTERRA series. Support is minimal during the event, so come ready to be self-sufficient!

Taking place in April, the Merrimack River Trail Race is one of the first races in New England’s Grand Tree Series. Snow and ice on the course are always a possibility! A 10-mile race, the event takes place in Andover, Massachusetts, north of Boston.

One of the toughest and most famous ski races in the country, the Elk Mountain Traverse has captured the imagination of skiers since it was first first conceived, back in 1998. The race course is based on historic Colorado mail routes, and was inspired in part by the famed Swiss Patrouille des Glaciers. Starting at midnight on March 27th, teams of two racers traverse the Elk Mountains, from Crested Butte to Aspen. The course covers more than 40 miles, with an elevation gain of 7,800 feet. Finishing times range from 8 to 16 hours, for this epic event.

The Ultra Trail Torres del Paine takes place in late September in the majestic Torres del Paine National Park in Chilean Patagonia, which features magical and breathtaking landscapes. The 2014 inaugural edition features three race distances: a 109 km race, with a 3,116m ascent; a 67 km race with a 2,341m ascent; and a 42 km race, with a 1,300m ascent. The routes of the Ultra Trail Torres del Paine are located on trails between 30 and 500 meters above sea level, along multicolored lakes and towering mountains.

The mid-September Sugarbush Challenge is part of the new o2x series of races across New England, and includes just over 1,500 feet of elevation gain over a little more than four miles. The course, which includes ski trails and some rough, wooded terrain, starts at the Mount Ellen base, and finishes with great views, near the summit. All o2x events include an associated festival, with yoga, games, beer, a band, and even an educational speaker.

Coming in late September, the Sunday River challenge gains 1,588 feet over 3.33 miles. The course starts in front of South Ridge Lodge, and incorporates ski trails with rugged, off-trail terrains. The finish is at the summit, with views of the Mahoosuc range and much more of Maine and New Hampshire. All o2x events include an associated festival, with yoga, games, beer, a band, and even an educational speaker.

Coming in mid-October, the o2x Loon Mountain Challenge is one of the later races in the series. The race starts in the valley, next to the Pemigewasset River, and includes old logging roads, steep glades, and even a bushwhack. The finish line comes after climbing 1,750 feet over a bit more than four miles, and features great views of the White Mountain National Forest.  All o2x events include an associated festival, with yoga, games, beer, a band, and even an educational speaker.

At the end of October, the Windham o2x race is the last in their series. The course travels along winding switchbacks, summits East Peak, then includes on and off trail travel to the finish at West Peak. The course is about 3.7 miles long, with 1,350 feet of elevation gain. All o2x events include an associated festival, with yoga, games, beer, a band, and even an educational speaker.

The Wild Trails Race Series is one of the Southeast’s premier points based trail running experiences. Offering courses from 6.5 to 100 miles, the non-profit organization’s mission is to encourage and promote a healthy and active lifestyle through trail running and to advocate to protect and preserve land used for such activities. The Chattanooga, TN trail running area provides breathtaking views, single and double track courses, and incredibly rewarding racing environments.

The Alexandria Running Festival features a half-marathon, 5k, and 1k Kids Fun Run. The routes are scenic and fast; you will explore shady creeksides, trails, and parks in town. Hosted by the Marathon Charity Cooperation, all race proceeds fund their mission to improve the lives of and provide comfort to disadvantaged children and family around the world.

Based out of Ruhpolding, Germany (100 miles east of Munich), the Chiemgauer Mountain Ultra features technical terrain, narrow mountain trails, and challenging climbs. The main event is the 100 km course which loops first around Rauschberg Mountain and then Hochfelln Mastiff’s summit. For self-reliant, experienced runners wishing to explore even more of the German Alps, a self-supported prologue extension is offered.

Described as a “Lollipop Course,” the Chuckanut 50K takes place in March in Fairhaven, Washington. With the first 10 km repeated at the start and finish, the highlight of the course is a 30-km loop that travels along the Chuckanut Mountain ridge. This race started in 1993, and today is overseen by Runner Girl Races, a member of The Conservation Alliance and participant in the 1% for the Planet Program.

Far West Nordic Ski Education Association is a nonprofit organization that promotes the sport of cross country skiing. Every April, it hosts the Billy Dutton Uphill, an uphill cross country ski/snowshoe race in California’s Squaw Valley. The course has a distance of 3.2 miles, with a vertical climb of 2,000 feet. The funds raised from this event benefit its juniors program.

Organized by the Oregon Road Runners Club, the Hagg Lake Mud Runs occur each year in February. This muddy journey around Hagg Lake, once for the 25-km course and twice for the 50-km course, is on a single-track trail.

Masters of All Terrain currently organizes four racing events throughout the year in Florida. This includes two half-marathons, a marathon and an ultra-marathon.

With approximately 15,000 feet of uphill, Manitou’s Revenge is a 54-mile ultramarathon through the Catskills of New York. Held in June, this race started in 2013 and is a qualifier for the UTMB. Due to the difficulty of the course, race organizers allow a period of 24 hours for competitors to complete it.

Started in 1993, the Tyler Arboretum 10K Trail Run takes place in early April in Media, Pennsylvania. According to the race website, the course includes, “Four creek crossings, tons of elevation changes, plenty of reasons to question your sanity, along with nice gifts, good food and a fun crowd.“

The Amalfi Positano UltraTrail hosts three races along Italy’s scenic Amalfi Coast in May: a 55-km Ultratrail (3,700 meters), a 37-km Trail of the Sirens (2,350 meters) and a 16-km Trail of the Gods (945 meters).

Highland Events in New Zealand organizes various outdoor events throughout the year, such as the Southern Lakes Half Marathon, the Northburn Station 100-miler Mountain Run and the Mt. Difficulty Ascent.

The River Valley Ranch in Maryland hosts two running events each year – a Half-Marathon trail race in April and a Trail Festival in August, with races of varying distances. A 2-day Trail Expo precedes the Half-Marathon race.

The Miwok 100K gives runners the chance to take in spectacular views of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge, Mt. Tamalpais and the Point Reyes National Seashore. With less than a mile of paved road, the rest of the course consists of fire roads and single-track trails, and includes an elevation gain of 11,800 feet.

The TICK TOCK ULTRA is a 12 hour, or 6 hour lake-lapping challenge, which takes place at Lake Hollingsworth Park, in Lakeland, Florida on September 24th.

The ultra travels along a paved walkway that circumnavigates beautiful Lake Hollingsworth, as runners challenge themselves to log as many 2.84-mile laps as possible before the race concludes. Cash prizes are awarded to overall male and female winners, and medals are awarded to everyone who completes at least ten laps.