Race to the Lake - Pelham
Pelham, United States • 7 Jun 2026
Race to the Lake - Pelham, Alabama
Race to the Lake is a trail running event at Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, Alabama, taking place on June 7, 2026. The event is presented by the Birmingham Urban Trail Society (BUTS) as a low cost community race with a $10 entry fee. Participants must pay a $5 park entry fee in cash unless eligible veterans enter free.
The course is a 10 mile lollipop on mostly single track with about 2,000 feet of vertical gain. The route leaves the South Trailhead on the Yellow Trail, includes steep ups and downs early, then turns onto the Green trail and climbs toward West Ridge Road. Runners follow a technical but runnable section, descend the Yellow/White Connector to a valley, and continue on the Orange Horse trail and gravel Group Camp Road before returning to the Yellow Trail. The course follows the lakeside to the BMX area, passes the Alabama Wildlife Center, and finishes back at the Lakeside pavilion near the South Trailhead.
There is one aid station just over halfway that supplies water and a few simple items such as gels. That aid station is officially unmanned, though volunteers may be present. The race has a four hour cutoff, which is described as roughly a 24 minute per mile pace. Packet pickup is available at the Lakeside pavilion on race morning. No race day registrations are permitted. BUTS will have a membership booth at the event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.