Interstate 17 - Closter, NJ

Event

The Interstate 17 Trail Run takes place on Saturday, August 8, 2026, at State Line Lookout in Closter, New Jersey. The event is a 17-mile trail race founded in 2017. Registration lists a price of $17 and the event is open to ages 18 to 70. The race has no awards or medals. Organizers state the course has more than 5,000 feet of elevation change and includes sections where falls could cause serious injury; runners must accept risk. Runners must check in at the start and at the end of each loop to have a time card punched. The race begins with a one-mile out-and-back on a closed road to separate the field for safety.

Course and aid stations

The main loop is four miles of rugged, technical trail that is run four times. The first three loops are counterclockwise; the final loop is run clockwise. Course features include rock-strewn dirt trail, steep descents with stairs and switchbacks, boulder scrambles that may require using hands, singletrack sections with short steep ascents and descents, river shore running, a waterfall, and cliff ascents using switchbacks and staircases. Parts of the upper trail pass through wider cross-country skiing trails back to the checkpoint.

Aid stations are located at miles 1, 5, 9, and 13 and are described as stocked with water, sports drink, soda, candies, oranges, chips, and pretzels. Runners may leave a personal supply stash for access on each loop. Due to distances between aid stations, carrying personal hydration is recommended; handhelds may be cumbersome when both hands are needed. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.