Cave Creek Thriller
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Cave Creek Thriller Trail Runs
Cave Creek Thriller takes place on October 17, 2026 at Cave Creek Regional Park in Cave Creek, Arizona. The event includes multiple trail distances on sections of the Maricopa Trail and within the park, and it has an entrant limit of 500 runners.
Distances
- 50K - Lake Pleasant to Cave Creek via Maricopa Trail and a short Black Canyon Trail section
- 24K - Anthem Trailhead into Cave Creek along the Maricopa Trail corridor
- 11K - Routes inside Cave Creek Regional Park on Go John, Quartz and Overton Trails
- 5K - Route inside Cave Creek Regional Park on the same trail network
The 50K and 24K routes travel desert corridors and include long exposed and rocky stretches; the 11K and 5K courses remain inside the park on hilly mountain singletrack. Aid stations are placed approximately every 3.0 to 9.25 miles on the longer courses and provide water, electrolyte drink, sweet and salty snacks, and fruit. Runners are asked to carry at least one bottle of water.
This is a cupless event; participants should bring a reusable cup or obtain one on site. Parking and shuttle arrangements are provided from Cave Creek Regional Park for certain starts, and specific parking and shuttle rules apply for the 11K. The event features chip timing, gender specific race shirts, live split tracking, staffed medical support, and finisher awards. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
