Trail Running calendar near Naperville Park District 2025-2026

Summer Trail Classic takes place on August 24, 2025 at Paul Douglas Forest Preserve in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. The event offers three trail distances: approximately 4 miles, 9.5 miles, and 13 miles, forming the third stop in the Dick Pond Athletics Darn Tough Trail Race Series. Runners navigate t..

Located in Franklin Grove, Illinois, the Grist Mill Grind 10K is a technical trail race held in Franklin Creek State Park’s natural area. The fifth annual event offers a challenging 10K course with about 800 feet of elevation gain, winding over forest trails with several hills and four crossings of..

The Chupacabra Endurance 10-hour Run is held at Bluhm County Park in Westville, Indiana. This challenging event features a 3.4-3.5 mile trail loop with minimal pavement, which runners must complete within one hour per loop or face elimination. The race lasts 10 hours, testing endurance and speed, wi..

Naperville Trails Half Marathon & 10K, hosted by All Community Events, takes place in the Danada Forest Preserve area near Wheaton/Naperville, Illinois. It offers two distances: a USATF-certified half marathon and a 10K along crushed limestone trails, finishing around a grassy horse-racing track. Th..

The Cornell Days 5k and 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk is a family-friendly event held at Clinton Keith Mills Memorial Park in Cornell, Illinois. The event takes place on Saturday, September 6, 2025. It offers two distances: a 5K and a 1 mile Fun Run/Walk, starting and finishing at the park along a county blac..

The Hobo Trail Runs, hosted by Rockford Road Runners, take place at Rock Cut State Park in Rockford, Illinois. This annual event offers multiple trail running distances including 10k, 25k, and 50k races, with options to participate in single races or the challenging Triple Crown series (85k total) o..

Dirt Circus Chicago is a one-day, free community trail-running festival in the Chicago area, organized by UltraSignup. The event blends a casual social run with a pop-up expo featuring local race directors, brands, shops, and coaches. Participants choose between two routes, approximately 4.5 miles o..

Timely Nonsense is an urban ultramarathon held at a 58-acre park in Chicago, at the intersection of California and Montrose. The course features a 0.75-mile paved loop that runners complete for the 6-hour or 12-hour timed events. An aid station at the Start/Finish provides typical ultrarunning fare,..

The Tiger 10 Miler is an annual trail race held at Byron Forest Preserve and the Nardi Equine Prairie in Byron, Illinois. The 8th edition of this event features a challenging 10-mile course with twists, turns, and hills through scenic natural areas. Participants receive a custom finisher's medal and..

Half Day at the Lake is a unique ultra-running event held in Evanston, Illinois, featuring 6- and 12-hour race options. The race takes place on a scenic 2-mile loop along Chicago’s north shore lakefront path, passing through Evanston’s lakefront and Northwestern University’s campus. The course is a..

The Tryon Farm 50k is a trail running event held at Tryon Farm in Michigan City, Indiana. The course features an 8-loop 4-mile trail combining open grassy fields, single-track dirt trails, and small pavement sections. The event also offers shorter distances including 2-mile, 4-mile, 8-mile, and 25k..

Limestone Rocks! 8-Hour or 4-Hour Race takes place at Limestone Park in Kankakee, Illinois. Runners choose an endurance 8-Hour or a 4-Hour option, competing on a 1.65-mile loop course. The surface is mostly crushed limestone with sections of asphalt; the course is roughly half flat and half hilly, f..

Hindsight Ultra Trail Runs, held in Dixon, Illinois, offers a grassroots ultra running experience with distances of 25K, 50K, 100K, and 100 miles. The course features a 7.85-mile loop combining roughly 50% singletrack, 30% grassy meadows, and 20% gravel paths, with about 6,200 feet of elevation gain..

The Fall Trail Classic 2.0 is a trail running event held at Marengo Ridge Conservation Area in Marengo, Illinois. It features two races on the same day: a 4-mile run through oak and hickory woodlands, small stream bridges, and restored prairie trails, and a 7-mile run that includes the 4-mile loop p..

The Des Plaines River Trail Races, held in Lake County, Illinois, offer a scenic and fast trail running experience with distances including a Half Marathon, Marathon (Boston Qualifier), 50K, and 50 Mile ultra. Starting and finishing at Half Day Forest Preserve, the course features a flat, wide, crus..

Soul Crusher is a trail-running event in Crystal Lake, Illinois, offering 5- and 10-mile options. Runners navigate single-track forest trails through Veteran Acres and Sternes Woods, with a course described as challenging, fun, and bone-decorated. The start line sits in the middle of the park at a s..

The Buckley 5 Miler is a scenic and challenging cross-country trail race held at the Buckley Homestead in Lowell, Indiana. The 5-mile course features a 2-mile loop on the north side of the park followed by a 3-mile loop through the park, finishing at the pioneer farm. Runners encounter a picturesque..

Palos Park Spooky Shuffle 2025 is a 5K and 10K trail run/walk held at Swallow Cliff South Forest Preserve in Palos Park, IL, organized by the Palos Park Department of Recreation & Parks in partnership with the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Runners traverse the Sag Valley Trail System on wide, unp..

Witches in the Woods 5K/2K is a Halloween-themed running event at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Crown Point, Indiana. Participants can choose a 5K Timed Halloween Run or a Non-Timed Halloween 2K Walk. The night-time course weaves through the fairgrounds’ trees and surrounding roads, with flashlight..

Fancy Nonsense 25k/50k is a whimsical ultramarathon organized by CUSS Running, held near Chicago at Red Gate Woods in the Palos Trail System (Willow Springs/Lemont, IL). The course is a 5.5-mile mostly runnable single-track loop, repeated to reach 25k or 50k. Expect a playful, mischievous atmosphere..