The Dipsea Race
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The Dipsea Race
The Dipsea Race began in 1905 and is described as the oldest trail race in the United States. It is held each year on the second Sunday in June and is primarily a Northern California event that also attracts entrants from other regions.
The course covers about 7.4 miles from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach. The route includes long flights of stairs and steep trail segments that make running the course physically demanding and technically difficult. Because of safety and environmental concerns the race limits the field to about 1,500 runners.
The event uses a handicapping system that staggers start groups one minute apart and applies penalty minutes to prior winners; this system changes race dynamics and has produced winners across different ages and sexes. The entry process gives some preference to local contestants.
Race timing includes multiple mat locations along the trail; recent timing points include the top of the Dipsea stairs, Windy Gap, Muir Woods, Cardiac, White Gate, and Stile. Spectator access to split times is provided via the race timing service in near real time. The race committee has also organized virtual editions and staged special events related to the Dipsea trail in years when needed.
Minimum participant age was set at 6 years effective June 11, 2023 and increased to 7 years beginning June 9, 2024. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
