Iowa · Trail
Trail Races in Iowa
Iowa currently has 8 upcoming trail races with a confirmed date listed in RaceRove. They take place in Dubuque, Harpers Ferry, Amana and Coon Rapids and elsewhere.
Among them, 4 offer a 5K, 3 a 10K, 3 a half marathon, 1 a marathon and 3 an ultra distance (50K and beyond, or a timed race). An event with several distances counts once for each.
Another 12 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 Iowa's trail races, and set its Near filter to your city to keep only the ones around you.
- Upcoming, date confirmed
- 8
- Active listings
- 20
- Cities with trail races
- 17
Upcoming trail races in Iowa
All 8 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.
Largest trail races in Iowa
By estimated field size across all distances at the event.
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Wabash Trace Running Festival (Marathon & Half)Shenandoah, IA Usually held in September · next date not announcedMarathonHalf MarathonMarathon Relay10K +1 more ~600 runners
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Alzheimer's 5K & Half Marathon DubuqueDubuque, IA Usually held in August · next date not announcedHalf Marathon5K ~330 runners
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Moorehead Park Trail MazathonIda Grove, IA Usually held in August · next date not announced10K8.8 Miles17.6 Miles ~300 runners
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Trail of the Dragon 50K/50mile RunIda Grove, IA Usually held in August · next date not announced31 Miles50 Miler ~300 runners
Trail ultramarathons in Iowa
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.
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Trail of the Dragon 50K/50mile RunIda Grove, IA Usually held in August · next date not announced31 Miles50 Miler ~300 runners
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Monarch Migration Fun RunDixon, IA Usually held in September · next date not announced1 Mile Trail Run (9am - 11am)5K Trail Run (9am - 11am) - Self-Timed Trail Run
When trail races happen in Iowa
- January
- 1 upcoming trail race
- May
- 1 upcoming trail race
- June
- 1 upcoming trail race
- August
- 1 upcoming trail race
- September
- 1 upcoming trail race
- October
- 2 upcoming trail races
- November
- 1 upcoming trail race
Iowa cities with the most trail races
- Dubuque
- 1 upcoming trail race
- Harpers Ferry
- 1 upcoming trail race
- Amana
- 1 upcoming trail race
- Coon Rapids
- 1 upcoming trail race
- Decorah
- 1 upcoming trail race
- Des Moines
- 1 upcoming trail race
- Palo
- 1 upcoming trail race
- Peosta
- 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.
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Wabash Trace Running Festival (Marathon & Half)Shenandoah, IA Usually held in September · next date not announcedMarathonHalf MarathonMarathon Relay10K +1 more ~600 runners
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Alzheimer's 5K & Half Marathon DubuqueDubuque, IA Usually held in August · next date not announcedHalf Marathon5K ~330 runners
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Moorehead Park Trail MazathonIda Grove, IA Usually held in August · next date not announced10K8.8 Miles17.6 Miles ~300 runners
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Trail of the Dragon 50K/50mile RunIda Grove, IA Usually held in August · next date not announced31 Miles50 Miler ~300 runners
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Iowa Trail Run Series: Jester ParkGranger, IA Usually held in September · next date not announced5K10K
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Iowa Trail Run Series: Yellow River State ForestHarpers Ferry, IA Usually held in September · next date not announced5K10K
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Monarch Migration Fun RunDixon, IA Usually held in September · next date not announced1 Mile Trail Run (9am - 11am)5K Trail Run (9am - 11am) - Self-Timed Trail Run
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River’s Edge Trail Half MarathonEldora, IA Usually held in September · next date not announcedHalf Marathon5K
More ways to browse Iowa
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
- 9 min read Obstacle Course Race Training: How to Prepare for Spartan Race, Tough Mudder and Mud Runs How OCR training differs from a running plan: building grip strength, upper-body pulling power and running fitness for Spartan Race, Tough Mudder and local mud runs.
- 9 min read Ultramarathon and Trail Training Plans: 50K to 100 Miles How ultra training differs from marathon training, phase-by-phase 50K and 100-mile plans, gear and fueling basics, and how to pick your first ultramarathon.
- Blog All guides Planning advice for finding, choosing and travelling to races.
Trail Races in Iowa: common questions
- How many trail races are there in Iowa?
- RaceRove currently lists 8 upcoming trail races in Iowa with a confirmed date, plus 12 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 Iowa cities have the most trail races?
- By upcoming trail races listed in RaceRove: Dubuque (1), Harpers Ferry (1), Amana (1), Coon Rapids (1) and Decorah (1).
- What is the biggest trail race in Iowa?
- By estimated field size, the largest trail race listed in Iowa is the Wabash Trace Running Festival (Marathon & Half), with about 600 runners across all of its distances.
- Are there trail ultramarathons in Iowa?
- Yes: 3 upcoming trail races in Iowa 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 Iowa?
- Open the race search from this page: it starts with Iowa'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 Iowa
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.