Course Information

*All Runners must be done by 6:30pm

Race Venue: Half Day Forest Preserve, Shelter A (Map)

Race Course: Interactive Map

The course is a fine, crushed limestone and in very good condition and we hope it will remain that way for Race day. Please remember the weather can change and have a significant impact on your choice of clothing and shoes. This is a TRAIL RACE so you may encounter areas where you may run through some water. This race is run along the Des Plaines River which floods during heavy rains. If the course is flooded we will run the ALTERNATE course.

The course is very well marked. You won't get lost, but do bring a headlamp for the night time if you plan on finishing closer to the cutoff time.

Weather

The weather can be unpredictable so keep up to date with the weather Here

FAQ

How can it impact the course?

Not unless there is flooding of the Des Plaines River that makes the trails unsurpassable under reasonable trail runner conditions. If so, then we have an alternate loop course. We've had to do this twice in all the years we've been putting on the race and the time we did, the runners still had a great time. The alternate course can be found on the interactive map

Where can I see trail closures for DPR?

See Trail Closures here

Is the alternative course a Boston qualifier in case we need to run it due to flooding?

YES!

Spectator Viewing/Crew Access/Aid Stations

If your family or friends are at the race, then maybe provide a link to this page

The best place for 50mile, 50K and Marathon spectators/crew to go are Old School Forest Preserve at the back of parking area A and behind Adler Park School. For Half Marathoners, there are no spectator viewing areas except the Start/Finish area. 

Of course, family and friends can hang out at the Start/Finish area throughout the race. Remember, they must take the shuttle to get there. 

Check the website for Google map links to aid stations. These can be found by clicking on view details next to aid stations for the specific race category. Then tapping in the globe.  You can also see the Directions section above and click on the map link next to each manned aid station

Aid Stations

In addition to water and Gnarly we will have an assortment of food-related items and sweet and salty snacks that vary by aid station. We are a cup-less race, so make sure to bring a small cup, hydration pack, or water bottle along with you to fill up at the aid stations.

Half Marathon - 2 manned, and 2 unmanned
Marathon - 6 manned, and 2 unmanned
50k - 9 manned, and 2 unmanned
50 Mile - 10 manned, and 2 unmanned

Directions to Aid Stations

Route 60 Canoe Launch 📍Map

  • Limited parking here NO CREW ACCESS 

  • Between Milwaukee and St. Mary’s Road on Townline Rd (Rte 60)

  • Canoe Launch is .5 miles east of Milwaukee

  • Be careful, Rte 60 (Townline Rd) is a very busy road and it’s easy to miss the turn

  • You can only enter the lot coming from the west; best to take Milwaukee Ave (Rte 21) to Rte 60 and turn east

  • Walk .3 mile north (across the bridge and under Rte 60 to the Aid Station which is the half marathon turnaround. 


Old School Forest Preserve 📍Map

  • Plenty of parking; CREW ACCESS ALLOWED

  • 28285 N. St. Mary’s Rd., Libertyville, IL 60048

  • Follow the signs to Shelters A & B

  • Turn right to the far west parking lot – there will be a porta potty in the corner of the lot. 


Adler Park School – Marathon Turnaround & Bag Drop 📍Map

  • CREW ACCESS ALLOWED

  • 1740 N. Milwaukee Ave., Libertyville, IL 60048

  • The aid station is on the Des Plaines River Trail behind the school and down a little hill. 

  • This is the marathon turnaround and bag drop


Gowe Park (50K turnaround) 📍Map

  • Plenty of parking; the aid station is just a few blocks north of Warren High School; CREW ACCESS ALLOWED

  • 4621 McClure Ave., Gurnee, IL 60031

  • AS is just south of Rte 132 on McClure just west of the intersection of O’Plaine and McClure (be careful, it’s easy to miss the turn on McClure)

  • It is at the end of McClure (about 1.5 blocks) 


Wadsworth Canoe Launch – 50 Mile Turnaround and Bag Drop 📍Map

  • Very Limited parking; CREW ACCESS NOT ADVISED

  • On N. Wadsworth Road, east of Rte 41 right after you cross the Des Plaines River 

  • Captain Porky’s Restaurant is at the corner of Rte 41 and Wadsworth Rd; the canoe launch is just east of thereMap of the Course

Marathon course was re-certified in 2023.

This is the map we have on our website. It shows the course and the layout of the start and finish (zoom in/see legend). The way it works is that all races share much of the same path so we color coded segments. You can click on the map markers to see what is what. We've included the aid station, as well as, the turnarounds as map markers.

Share with your crew or family who will be spectating. We do not have a PDF version of the course. Interactive Map

Here is a high level overview of the course routes. See interactive map for more details.

All races are basically starting going southbound, then a turnaround, running back by the starting line, then heading north until the turnaround, then returning the same way until the finish. The only race that does not do this is the 50K. The 50K runners will start by running north and cutting out the green highlighted trail you see above.

It is your responsibility as a runner to understand the course. If you’re one of our competitive runners, please understand where your turnaround is. For instance, we’d hate for a half marathoner to go past the route 60 aid station. We won’t be held responsible for anyone who accidentally tacked on some extra mileage. When in doubt ask a volunteer while out on course.

The course is a fine, crushed limestone and is well marked. Headlamps are recommended for late finishers.

The Marathon course is USATF Certified and was re-certified in August 2023

Dogs / Strollers

Dogs are not allowed on the shuttle, but they’re allowed to spectate on the side of the trail. Woof!

No strollers allowed

**********Please make the effort to thank all of the friendly and helpful volunteers out there to make your day successful. It's a long day for them, as it is for you.

What makes a race great is the volunteers that help in so many ways. If you (in the case you're not able to run) or someone you know are interested in volunteering, we are most grateful. It is the smiling, cheerful faces that help motivate the runners and we realize that it is through pure dedication that you volunteer. So, in advance, we sincerely thank you. If you are interested in volunteering in any of the areas, please click on the following link and register on the UltraSignup site. All volunteers are invited to attend our Annual Volunteer Party (TBA). Food and beverages will be provided along with drawings for prizes.

Volunteers can Sign Up HERE