Shawnee Trail Runs

Shawnee Trail Runs - Shawnee State Forest

The Shawnee Trail Runs on October 3, 2026 take place at Shawnee State Park and Forest near West Portsmouth, Ohio. The event offers three course distances that run primarily on forest trails and gravel roads through a remote wilderness area.

The courses include a near-single loop 54 mile route with a 7 mile opening loop, a 50K route that joins and later splits from the longer course, and a 13.1 mile course introduced in 2023. A nine mile Wilderness Area section known as "The Dark Side" sits on the 50 mile route and passes through a designated wilderness where all trail work is done by hand.

Distances and basic course data:

• 54 miles - 11,000 ft elevation gain, about 50 miles on forest trail.
• 31 miles (50K) - 6,500 ft elevation gain, about 27 miles on forest trail.
• 13.1 miles - 2,600 ft elevation gain, about 10 miles on forest trail.

Aid stations are described as water only, medium, or full. Tailwind Endurance Fuel will be available at medium and full stations. The race is cupless; runners must carry a handheld, bladder, or collapsible cup to use at aid stations. Drop bags are accepted at the start area.

Participant provisions include entrant apparel, finishers awards by distance, well-marked trails, and staffed aid stations. Field capacity is limited to 400 combined participants with a waitlist used if capacity is reached. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.