Start at the trailhead of the mountain bike trail near the parking lot. You will cross Gale Road in the first 200 meters. Please be careful crossing due to traffic. The course starts flat and fast but will be plenty challenging before the second mile.
You will head straight north on the gravel path. After approximately a half of a mile you will veer right onto a narrower trail. Eventually you will veer right again to cross a grassy field which will take you to the fenceline of the landfill. From this point you will follow the fenceline around the perimeter of the landfill until you are on the north side of the landfill. A left turn will then take you into another field with a few more trees. You will eventually veer left to the toughest hill on the course we like to call it Mini Pikes Peak.
This hill is very steep and will require you to walk (not quite a crawl!) up it as it is primarily gravel and loose dirt. Now the single track starts! The course will now take you through a wooded area which is mostly downhill. There are a few down trees in this section but easy enough to maneuver around. You will spill out on to a dirt road and take left to head to the first aid station.
From the aid station you will pick up the mountain bike trail and head south. This part of the course is very hilly and has a fair amount of roots, rocks, etc. At this point you are heading back to the start via the mountain bike trail. There is a nice rocky hill with a series of switchbacks that will be challenging as well. Eventually you will end up on the gravel path that was used in the first half mile but headed in the other direction.
A sharp right turn will have you continue on the mountain bike trail. You will follow the mountain bike trail for approximately 4 miles. This is a very challenging stretch with numerous hills and very technical due to roots and rocks.
You will approach a paved road (Campground Road) but will not cross it. Instead you will depart the mountain bike trail and begin using the horse trail by taking a sharp left. More ups and downs will eventually lead you to an underground tunnel to take you under Teggerdine Road. Once through the tunnel you will veer left to the second aid station. Once done with the aid station you will head back the way you came but continue west by making a left turn to head away from Teggerdine Road.
You will soon come to an open area with powerline towers. You will veer left and for approximately a half-mile will be running on a grassy path which will take you to a small hill where a powerline tower sits. At the top of this hill you will split from the ½ marathon runners.
You will head into the woods and pick up the horsetrail again. Eventually you will come to a tunnel which will take you under White Lake Road. You will proceed approximately a ½ mile on the horsetrail on the north side of White Lake Road. At this point you will see markers telling you to turn around.
You will now head back the way you came and through the tunnel again. Keep following the horsetrail until you come to an intersection where you will stay left, still following the horsetrail. You will end back up at the previous aid station on Teggerdine. There you must check in.
After check in you will return back the way you came and cross under Teggerdine road via the tunnel.
Once through the tunnel you will now pick up the horse trail where you left it and turn right. It is another rocky and hilly stretch which will challenge you. After a mile or so you will cross over the mountain bike trail and continue on the horsetrail. This next section is very nice beautiful big pines with nice rolling trails. You will remain on the horsetrail for quite awhile (approximately 5 miles THERE WILL BE SIGNS DIRECTING YOU TO FOLLOW THE MARATHON COURSE NOT THE HALF MARATHON IN THIS SECTION) and will eventually pop out on Campground Road. At this intersection you will take a hard right back into the woods, but this time you will be on the mountain bike trail again. Stay on the mountain bike trail until you hit the final aid station which is at the Aircraft Field.
After check-in jump back on the mountain bike trail. After about 2.5 more miles you will take a right turn to head back on to the horsetrail one more time. You are heading south towards the finish! This part of the trail is fairly flat but tends to be very muddy. After about a mile you come upon the hiking trail.
The finish is near. The hiking trail will take you to the beach via a nice grassy downhill. You will cross over Gale Road (in a slightly different spot than at the start) and will run along the beach for a small distance before turning left to the finish line which is right near the start.
MINI-ROCK HALF MARATHON
Start at the trailhead of the mountain bike trail near the parking lot. You will cross Gale Road in the first 200 meters. Please be careful crossing due to traffic. The course starts flat and fast but will be plenty challenging before the second mile.
You will head straight north on the gravel path. After approximately a half of a mile you will veer right onto a narrower trail. Eventually you will veer right again to cross a grassy field which will take you to the fenceline of the landfill. From this point you will follow the fenceline around the perimeter of the landfill until you are on the north side of the landfill. A left turn will then take you into another field with a few more trees. You will eventually veer left to the toughest hill on the course we like to call it Mini Pikes Peak.
This hill is very steep and will require you to walk (not quite a crawl!) up it as it is primarily gravel and loose dirt. Now the single track starts! The course will now take you through a wooded area which is mostly downhill. There are a few down trees in this section but easy enough to maneuver around. You will spill out on to a dirt road and take left to head to the first aid station.
From the aid station you will pick up the mountain bike trail and head south. This part of the course is very hilly and has a fair amount of roots, rocks, etc. At this point you are heading back to the start via the mountain bike trail. There is a nice rocky hill with a series of switchbacks that will be challenging as well. Eventually you will end up on the gravel path that was used in the first half mile but headed in the other direction.
A sharp right turn will have you continue on the mountain bike trail. You will follow the mountain bike trail for approximately 4 miles. This is a very challenging stretch with numerous hills and very technical due to roots and rocks.
You will approach a paved road (Campground Road) but will not cross it. Instead you will depart the mountain bike trail and begin using the horse trail by taking a sharp left. More ups and downs will eventually lead you to an underground tunnel to take you under Teggerdine Road. Once through the tunnel you will veer left to the second aid station. Once done with the aid station you will head back the way you came but continue west by making a left turn to head away from Teggerdine Road.
You will soon come to an open area with powerline towers. You will veer left and for approximately a half-mile will be running on a grassy path which will take you to a small hill where a powerline tower sits. At the top of this hill the ½ marathon runners will turn around and head back to the tunnel to take them back under Teggerdine Road (this is the only section of the course which repeats). There is no need to stop at the aid station unless you need to.
Once through the tunnel you will now pick up the horse trail where you left it and turn right. It is another rocky and hilly stretch which will challenge you. After a mile or so you will cross over the mountain bike trail and continue on the horsetrail. This next section is very nice beautiful big pines with nice rolling trails. The horsetrail links up with the hiking trail in about a mile. The hiking trail is marked with yellow posts. The finish is near. The hiking trail will take you to the beach via a nice grassy downhill. You will cross over Gale Road (in a slightly different spot than at the start) and will run along the beach for a small distance before turning left to the finish line which is right near the start.
