Trail Running Calendar Iowa 2025-2026

The Deer Dash Trail Races take place in Oak Grove Park, Hawarden, Iowa, offering 3.5, 7.5, and approximately 12.5-mile trail runs. The courses wind through densely wooded hills and prairie along the Big Sioux River, featuring single-track mountain bike and hiking trails with numerous twists, turns,..

The Crater Trail Run takes place in Decorah, Iowa, featuring challenging off-road single-track trails in Van Peenen Memorial Park, part of a 17+ mile mountain bike trail system. The event offers multiple distances: 50K, 25K, 10K, 5K, and a Kids Mile, with significant elevation gains ranging from 613..

The Schuetzen NEIN! Endurance Run is a challenging 9-hour trail running event held in Davenport, Iowa, at Schuetzen Park. Participants run a demanding 0.85-mile loop featuring 125-150 feet of elevation gain, with dirt and chipped rock single-track trails, stairs, and some grass sections. Runners can..

The Iowa Trail Run Series: A Midsummer Night's Run is an exciting running event scheduled for June 21, 2025, at McFarland Park in Ames, Iowa. Participants can choose between a 5K or 10K trail run, featuring a mix of single track, prairie, and gravel paths as the sun sets on a summer evening. A porti..

The House of Hope Trail Blaze is a running event scheduled for July 12, 2025, at George Wyth State Park in Waterloo, Iowa. Participants can choose from three race options: a Team 10K, an Individual 10K, and an Individual 5K. The event promises a scenic experience on the park's hard trails, with timi..

The Lake Macbride Trail Races, held in Solon, Iowa, offer two challenging trail running distances: 50K and 25K. Set in the scenic Lake Macbride State Park, Iowa's largest state park, the course features a mix of crushed limestone trails, technical snowmobile trails, single track, prairie, and hills...

The Whiterock Ultra is a trail running event held at the scenic Whiterock Conservancy in Coon Rapids, Iowa, featuring 50K and 50-mile race distances. Set within a 5,500-acre nonprofit land trust with 40 miles of trails along the Middle Raccoon River Valley, the course offers challenging terrain with..

The Trail of the Dragon 50K/50 Mile Run is an exciting endurance event taking place at Moorehead Park in Ida Grove, Iowa. Participants can choose between a 50K, consisting of three 10-mile loops, or a 50-mile option, which includes five loops. The course features scenic trails with challenging hills..

The Moorehead Park Trail Mazathon is a scenic marathon trail run set in Moorehead Park, Ida Grove, Iowa. Scheduled for August 2, 2025, the event features three distance options: a full 26.2-mile marathon, a 17.6-mile 2/3 Mazathon, and an 8.8-mile 1/3 Mazathon. Participants will navigate well-marked..

The Mines of Spain Trail Races, held at the EB Lyons Nature Center in Dubuque, Iowa, offer 4-mile, 7-mile, and half marathon trail runs through scenic and challenging terrain. Participants experience diverse trails including dirt single and double tracks, prairie grass paths, rocky technical section..

The Trench Run is a challenging 10K trail run held at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa. This unique race features a course that includes military simulations such as trenches, smoke, pyrotechnics, blank fire, military vehicles, fire trucks, streams, and occasional helicopter flybys, offering an experien..

The Iowa Trail Run Series: Annett Nature Center is a scenic running event taking place at the Annett Nature Center in Indianola, Iowa. Participants can choose between a 5K and a 10K race, both designed to showcase the beautiful landscape of the area, including gravel paths and dirt trails. A portion..

ScoCo50 is a trail running event held at scenic Scott County Park in Long Grove, Iowa, offering 50K, 10-mile, and 5-mile race distances. The course features a mostly dirt and grass trail loop of about 10 miles with approximately 950 feet of elevation gain per loop, winding through wooded and prairie..

The Booneville Backroads Ultra, held in Booneville, Iowa, offers challenging trail running through the scenic rural countryside and iconic Bridges of Madison County. The event features multiple distances: 100 miles, 100K, 50K, and a 10K, catering to a wide range of runners. Known for its significant..

The Pleasant Creek Trail Run, hosted by the Eastern Iowa Trail Alliance, is an annual trail running event held in Palo, Iowa. The 11th edition is scheduled for September 13, 2025, featuring three race distances: 15K, 30K, and 45K. The course runs on Pleasant Creek’s outer equestrian trail loop, prim..

The Broken Anvil Backyard Ultra is a challenging endurance running event held in West Point, Iowa, at South Park and Pollmiller Lake Campgrounds. Participants run repetitive 4.167-mile loops on a mixed-surface course featuring paved bike paths, roads, crushed gravel, and trails, with minimal elevati..

The Iowa Trail Run Series: Yellow River State Forest offers a unique running experience in the scenic driftless region of Iowa. Scheduled for September 21, 2025, this event features three race options: a 5K, a 10K, and a half marathon, catering to various skill levels. Participants can enjoy diverse..

The Doggone Tired Ultra is a trail running event held at Rodgers Park in Vinton, Iowa. It offers two race distances: a 50K ultra and a 10-mile run. The course features a scenic 10-mile loop around the park’s lake and campground, including wood chip trails, grassy fields, wooded technical sections, a..

The Iowa Trail Run Series: Jester Park offers participants a scenic running experience along the shores of Saylorville Lake, featuring a mix of trail surfaces such as gravel, dirt, and grass. Scheduled for September 28, 2025, the event includes two race options: a 5K and a 10K. Participants can expe..

The Swiss Valley Trail Races, held in Peosta, Iowa, offer three distance options: 5.2 miles, 25K, and 50K. Set within the scenic Swiss Valley Nature Preserve, the course features rugged terrain, creek crossings, and steep inclines, with each 5.2-mile loop climbing approximately 875 feet. The 25K con..