Des Plaines River Trail Races

Lake County, United States • 11 Oct 2025

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, crushed gravel trail free of roots and rocks, winding through lush forests and open wetlands. Major road crossings are safely managed via bridges or viaducts, with minimal minor crossings. The race is known for its beautiful fall colors and is ideal for personal bests. Aid stations provide water and snacks, and the event is cup-less, requiring runners to bring their own hydration. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

Race information

50 mi
50 Mile
50 km
50k
42 km
Marathon
21 km
1/2 Marathon
Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
Trail runs nearby

Timely Nonsense is a unique timed running event held in Chicago, IL, at a 58-acre park located at California and Montrose. Participants run a 0.75-mile paved loop for either 6 or 12 hours, with an aid station at the start/finish offering typical ultrarunning fare and additional vendor treats like ho..

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 Fast Track Cross Country will take place in Schaumburg on Sunday 9 November 2025. You can run 3 miles.

The Arctic Frog Run in Libertyville, IL, is a challenging winter endurance event featuring multiple race distances: 50K, 25K, 15K, 10K, and 5K. The scenic course combines pavement, wooded, and crushed limestone trails around the Des Plaines River and Casey Trails, with rolling hills adding to the ch..

Childish Nonsense is a trail running event held in Palatine, Illinois, at Deer Grove Forest Preserve West. It offers multiple distances: 10K, 25K, 50K, and 50 miles, with courses consisting of laps on a mostly wide, non-technical trail. Runners encounter a single aid station at the start/finish area..