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Illinois · Trail

Trail Races in Illinois

Illinois currently has 17 upcoming trail races with a confirmed date listed in RaceRove. Dixon, East Peoria, Aurora and Batavia have the most.

Among them, 5 offer a 5K, 5 a 10K, 1 a half marathon, 2 a marathon and 3 an ultra distance (50K and beyond, or a timed race). An event with several distances counts once for each.

November (4), January (2) and March (2) are the busiest months for trail races here. Another 21 annual trail races are waiting for next year's date to be announced.

This page is the same for everyone, so it can't know where you are. Open the race search from here, which starts with Illinois's trail races, and set its Near filter to your city to keep only the ones around you.

Search Illinois trail racesTrail races in every state
Upcoming, date confirmed
17
Active listings
38
Cities with trail races
33

Upcoming trail races in Illinois

All 17 with a confirmed date, soonest first.

Dates come from each race's own listing. Always confirm on the organiser's site before you book travel.

Filter these trail races in the race search

Largest trail races in Illinois

By estimated field size across all distances at the event.

Trail ultramarathons in Illinois

Trail races with a distance of 50K or more, a fixed-time format, or billed as an ultra (the race search's Ultra filter): confirmed dates first, soonest first.

When trail races happen in Illinois

January
2 upcoming trail races
February
1 upcoming trail race
March
2 upcoming trail races
May
1 upcoming trail race
June
1 upcoming trail race
August
2 upcoming trail races
October
2 upcoming trail races
November
4 upcoming trail races
December
2 upcoming trail races

Illinois cities with the most trail races

Dixon
3 upcoming trail races
East Peoria
1 upcoming trail race
Aurora
1 upcoming trail race
Batavia
1 upcoming trail race
Cisco
1 upcoming trail race
Crystal Lake
1 upcoming trail race
Grafton
1 upcoming trail race
Lake County
1 upcoming trail race

Annual trail races awaiting their next date

These trail races are held every year, but the next date isn't in the listing yet. The month shown is when each is usually held.

More ways to browse Illinois

Trail races in nearby states

How RaceRove picks trail races

A race is on these pages when its name, its list of distances or its listing's notes say "trail". That is the rule the Trail filter in RaceRove's race search uses, so a race is a trail race on both or on neither. A race on dirt roads or mountain paths that doesn't call itself a trail race isn't counted, and neither is one whose only mention of a trail is in its description.

Trail races come in every length, from a few miles in a city park to 100 miles in the mountains. Off the road, the same distance usually takes longer: read each race's course description for its climbing, its footing and any cut-off times before you register, and plan your pace from those rather than from a road time.

Mud runs and obstacle races aren't a category of their own in RaceRove; one is on these pages only when its listing says trail. To get ready for one, the obstacle course race training guide covers Spartan, Tough Mudder and mud-run preparation. Thinking about a first ultramarathon? The ultramarathon and trail training plans run from 50K to 100 miles, and the Ultra Classics list gathers the best-known ultras.

Guides from the RaceRove blog

Trail Races in Illinois: common questions

How many trail races are there in Illinois?
RaceRove currently lists 17 upcoming trail races in Illinois with a confirmed date, plus 21 annual trail races whose next date hasn't been announced yet.
What counts as a trail race on RaceRove?
A race whose name, list of distances or listing notes say "trail": the same rule as the Trail filter in RaceRove's race search, so a race is a trail race on both or on neither. A race whose only mention of a trail is in its description isn't counted, and neither is one on dirt roads or mountain paths that doesn't call itself a trail race.
Which Illinois cities have the most trail races?
By upcoming trail races listed in RaceRove: Dixon (3), East Peoria (1), Aurora (1), Batavia (1) and Cisco (1).
When is trail race season in Illinois?
Of the upcoming trail races listed, the busiest months are November (4), January (2) and March (2).
What is the biggest trail race in Illinois?
By estimated field size, the largest trail race listed in Illinois is the Bloomingdale Trail 5K, with about 2,250 runners across all of its distances.
Are there trail ultramarathons in Illinois?
Yes: 3 upcoming trail races in Illinois with a distance of 50K or more, a fixed-time format, or billed as an ultra (the race search's Ultra filter).
How do I find trail runs near me in Illinois?
Open the race search from this page: it starts with Illinois's trail races. Set its Near filter to your city and how far you'll travel, and only the ones around you are left. This page can't see where you are.

Search every trail race in Illinois

The race search with this state and its Trail filter on: set Near to your city and a radius, then narrow by month, distance and field size.

Search Illinois trail racesTrail races in every state