TARC Stone Cat Trail Festival

About the race

The TARC Stone Cat Trail Festival is a trail running event scheduled for Saturday, November 7, 2026, at Willowdale State Forest in Ipswich, Massachusetts. The start and finish are located at the Paul F. Doyon Memorial School, 216 Linebrook Road. The event is organized by the Trail Animals Running Club, a nonprofit whose event profits are donated to land conservation and trail organizations.

Distances offered include:

• 10K : one 10K loop.
• Half marathon : one 12.5 mile loop plus a 1K field loop.
• Marathon : two 12.5 mile loops plus two 1K field loops.
• 50 mile : four 12.5 mile loops.
• 100K : five 12.5 mile loops.
• Cider Donut Mile.
• Free youth fun run : about 0.5 miles, flagged and supported by volunteers.

The main loop is a mix of double track and single track with roots and rocks and rolling terrain, about 1,100 feet of elevation per 12.5 mile loop. Fallen leaves in November may obscure footing. The 12.5 mile loop has one aid station at the start/finish and one roughly halfway; the 10K has only the start/finish aid station. This is a cupless race, so participants must provide their own hydration systems. Aid station offerings are vegan friendly and include both savory and sweet items.

The 50 mile distance serves as the Road Runners Club of America State Championship for 2026 with awards across gender and age divisions and for open adaptive athletes. The event follows a Leave No Trace policy, partners with local conservation groups, and distributes donations evenly to Rising Hearts, Appalachian Mountain Club, Essex County Trail Association, and Greenbelt Essex County's Land Trust. The event typically sells out; the organizer maintains a no refund, no transfer policy except for emergencies. Pacers are not allowed and crew access is limited to the start/finish area. Parking for some distances is approximately 0.4 miles from the start/finish. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

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