1st Loop (5.6 miles):
Gravel Road (0.6 + 0.2 miles)- The race starts on this road as it 1st parallels & then enters the Red Trail after 0.6 miles. The loop eventually ends on this same road.
Red Trail (3.5 miles)– Single
track dirt along with some double track forest road. Some low areas on the dirt road hold water in wet weather. Has 2 small streams that most of the time are low enough to get by without getting your feet wet.
Orange Trail (1.3 miles)- Single track dirt 1st half, double track dirt 2nd half. Has one stream crossing.
2nd Loop (7.5 miles):
Paved Road (1.0 + 1.0 miles) - Leaving the 1st aid station (start area) in the gravel parking lot, the course follows the unmarked paved road out of the park & joins the main highway after approx. 0.5 miles. After bearing to the right, the course continues for approx. 0.5 miles on the main highway. The course enters the Yellow Trail on the left. After the counter-clockwise run around the Yellow Trail loop, the return to the aid station/start area is made on this same paved road.
Yellow Trail (5.5 miles) – Single track dirt w/1 rock face. Has multiple small stream crossings & will be the muddiest trail by far in wet weather. The streams are normally low enough to get by easily. Horses are permitted on most of this trail (& Purple Heart Trail) & can cause footing problems, especially when it’s been wet or wet, then frozen. In icy weather, the rock face that’s encountered on the trail can be bypassed by finding the small foot path above it. There are some very narrow sections of trail along the steep side of one hill where the footing will be tricky in wet conditions.
Out and Back (17.9 miles):
Blue Trail (0.9 + 0.65 miles)– Single track dirt with one channel rock lined ditch crossing for the 15 milers. One half of the Blue Trail loop (downhill) is run outbound, the other half (uphill) on the inbound.
Gravel Road - (0.2 miles) 0.2 miles on gravel Rayhill Road to the main highway.
Paved Road - (0.25 miles) Right on the main highway, then 0.25 miles to the entrance of the Siltstone Trail on the left.
Siltstone Trail (1.4 + 5.8 + 5.8 miles) - Single track dirt trail. The majority of the trail runs along ridge tops & drains very well. There are 3 small streams at the end of the ridge on the far end within a mile of the turnaround point that are normally very easy to get by.
Purple Heart Trail (1.45 + 1.45 miles)– Single track dirt with a couple small
stream crossings. This trail & Yellow Trail are the only ones
that officially permit horses on a portion of it. Some loose "ankle turning" rocks gouged out by the
horse traffic are sometimes hidden beneath the leaves on the upper section of this trail.
Paved/Gravel Road (0.55 + 0.25 + 0.2 miles)-- Exiting the Purple Heart on the inbound route, approx .55 miles on the park road to the main highway. Approx 0.25 miles on the main highway to the gravel road (Rayhill Road - 0.2 miles) on the left. Enter last half of Blue Trail to the finish.
Other notes:
The drainage is not good along the sidewalk that’s a part of the course approaching the aid station at Tom Wallace Lake. Any moisture/water on the sidewalk may freeze in cold weather.
There are several wood foot bridges on the course that become very slick after an early morning frost or when wet/frozen.
Mileage shown is according to GPS -- measurements with a wheel indicate 3-5% longer distances.
updated 12-31-08