Willapa Trail Festival

Event Overview

The Willapa Trail Festival is a trail running event in Chehalis, Washington. It takes place on the Willapa Hills State Park Trail, which follows an old rail grade along the Chehalis River. The event offers five distances: 100 Miler, 50 Miler, 50K, 25K, and 5K. The 5K event starts on a different day than the others. The start and finish location is the Owl and Olive Cafe.

Course and Terrain

The course is noted for being very flat and fast, using a wide double-track trail with a surface of mostly hard-packed gravel. It is described as a good option for runners attempting their first ultramarathon or aiming for a personal best time. The route involves out-and-back sections on the Willapa Hills Trail. For the 100-mile and 50-mile distances, runners complete an additional out-and-back section heading west from the start/finish.

Runners should note that planned trail construction in late 2025 may affect the 100-mile course. In that case, the 100-mile race would be run on a double version of the 50-mile course.

Logistics and Fees

The organizing group, OlyTrailRunners, is a non-profit. Entry fees are listed as $20 for the 5K, $30 for the 25K, $35 for the 50K, $50 for the 50 miler, and $100 for the 100 miler. A portion of the profits is used to maintain the Willapa Hills Trail and support local communities.

Parking is provided at the venue. Some overnight parking and camping is available at the venue by prior arrangement, and a nearby state park campground is another option. Dogs are permitted if kept on a leash.

Aid and Support

There will be 2-3 aid stations for the 5K, 25K, and 50K distances. The 50-mile and 100-mile courses have additional aid stations along their longer western sections. Aid stations typically provide water, electrolytes, candy, cookies, chips, fruit, and gels.

For the 100-mile race, specific support includes pacers allowed from the 50K point onward, drop bags available at most stations, and a unique ceramic belt buckle as a finisher award. The overall cutoff time for the 100-mile race is 34 hours. There are no official cutoffs for the 25K, 50K, or 50-mile races, but aid stations close at designated times. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.