Desert Runner Trail Series
Cave Creek, United States • 17 Oct 2026
Desert Runner Trail Series - Fall Pass
The Desert Runner Trail Series is a set of fall trail races held in and around Cave Creek, Arizona, with additional events at Pass Mountain and McDowell Mountain. The fall pass groups three races on these dates: Cave Creek Thriller on October 17, Pass Mountain on November 14, and McDowell Mountain Frenzy on December 5. Registration for the fall pass closes on Mon, Oct 12 at 11:59 PM MT.
The series offers multiple distance categories across the three events:
- Short Series: 5 km or 5 mile events.
- Middle Series: about 10 km or 10 mile events.
- Trail Series: 24 km or 25 km events.
- Ultra Series: 50 km events.
Races in the series are being run as cupless events to reduce waste. UltrAspire reusable cups will be available at registration and on race day, and participants may bring their own cups.
The Sonoran Desert Cup is a points competition that spans sub-ultra races within the Desert Runner Trail Series. Runners earn points based on finish place, the Grand Final at Dam Good Run carries additional weight, and overall series winners are recognized as the Cactus King and Cactus Queen. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.