There are four routes and all have different colored ribbons. In addition, to minimize any confusion, the outgoing legs (from the Locust Grove start) and returning legs (toward Locust Grove) of the East and West Loops each have distinct ribbon colors, with solid colors going out, north, and striped ribbons on the back legs, going south. The 5-Mile and Kids Course have solid colors. These colors will be:
East Loop: Out-Solid Orange; Back-Blue/White Stripe
West Loop: Out-Solid Purple; Back-Yellow/White Stripe
5-Mile East-West Loop: Yellow for entire counter-clockwise route
Kids Course: Green for entire length
In addition, white spray-painted arrows on the ground will help at key turns, as well as Xs marking the path not to be taken. For short distances on the West Loop the out and back legs overlap, however, the west and east loops are always completely separate. We make every effort to flag the route every couple of hundred feet two days before the race -- but these are sometimes removed (especially over the reservoir dam and along Crest Drive).
To download a long-distance course map, click HERE.
To download a course map for the kids race, click HERE.
8:30 a.m. Start
50-mile race: E, W, E, W, E loops
50 Kilometer Race: E, W, E loops
9:30 a.m. Start
20 Mile Race: W then E loop
10 Mile Race: W loop
5 Mile Race: East-West Loop
10:00 a..m. Start for 1-Mile Kids Race
TO REGISTER FOR ALL RACES USING ULTRASIGNUP, CLICK HERE.
East Loop - 10.5 miles
The outbound leg, northbound, will be marked in solid orange ribbon (orange on the map, markers 1-21) and is approximately 5.5 miles long. It follows a few trails before joining the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail from markers 5-12. Between markers 6 and 7 you will no longer cross the rickety bridges at the Beech Brook Cascades, but cross on a reroute further downstream. At marker 9 on the map, the route continues on the Lenape (yellow) blaze (as opposed to prior years) down to Hemlock Falls. The route then crosses South Orange Avenue by a pedestrian bridge, so there is no concern with traffic, and will not overlap with the returning route, as in the past. At mile marker 12 on the map you will leave the Lenape and join the orange-and-green-blazed trail (the Reservoir Connector). Continuing 0.2 miles, you will cross the East Branch of the Rahway River (occasionally six or more inches deep, if it has been raining) and a quarter-mile further emerge at the Orange Reservoir, a popular Waterfront walking path of the South Mountain Recreation Complex. Once you reach the reservoir, take an immediate right and cross the 1000-foot dam (map marker 14; unfortunately, the ribbons are sometimes removed here). Continue counter-clockwise on the paved path and, just after crossing a small second bridge, start uphill on three stone steps (marker 15) onto the green-dot-blazed Zoo Loop trail. After a long, gradual uphill you arrive at the North Trail (marker 18) and, turning right, and a brief uphill, turn left onto the Turtle Back Rock Trail (orange and white blaze). After passing by the basaltic extrusion known as Turtle Back Rock (marker 20), you will turn south for a short stint before reaching the end of this leg at the Turtle Rock picnic area where there is an aid station.
The returning leg, southbound back to Locust Grove, will be marked in blue and white striped ribbon (blue dots on the attached map, markers 21-36). It is approximately 5.0 miles long. After leaving the aid station at the Turtle Back Picnic Area, it begins downhill brifely on the CCC trail before making a left onto the Lower Turtle Back (markers 23 to 26). After a short diversion on a woods road, it joins the Upper Turtle Back (markers 27 to 28), going uphill before making a right onto the Longwood Road, a woods road. Diverging at the end across a narrow path near the Girl Scout Camp Oval, it crosses back over South Orange Avenue by the Girl Scout Bridge and soon joins the wide, gravel Openwood Trail. Near the top of the ridge, turn right onto the Crest Trail (marker 31). (You will be crossing two active roads on Cresst Trail, so caution is needed.) At marker 33, you emerge on Crest Drive (an asphalt road, but no cars here). The course here makes a sharp right turn and does NOT go straight ahead. Instead, it continues on the paved road for 250 yards, and goes counter-closckwise, halfway around the loop at Washington Rock (where there was a signal fire alerting nearby residents that the British were coming from Staten Island during the Revolutionary War). Just passed the hexagonal-shaped shelter, you will join the yellow-blazed Lenape Trail for the rest of the loop (there is a portable toilet at this point). Going slightly uphill behind the shelter, you will parallel the paved Crest Drive before going into the woods and then steeply downhill along a rocky path towards Locust Grove.
West Loop – 10.2 miles
The outbound leg, northbound, is marked in solid purple ribbon (and purple on the map, markers 37-49) and is approximately 5.1 miles long. The course starts from the Locust Grove parking lot and goes directly to Glen Ave. , so runners don't use the often congested part of the Rahway Fairy Trail. Turning right at Glen Ave., the route goes a quarter mile to the traffic light. This leg crosses two other roads so watch for cars: at the start, Brookside Drive (we usually have a persson holding traffic at the light for the first crossing of runners for the 9:30 start); at the midpoint, busy South Orange Avenue; and, at the end, Cedar Lane. It also crosses over Northfield Avenue by a pedestrian footbridge (where the outbound and returning legs overlap for a bit). It ends at the Mayapple Hill picnic area where there is an aid station. NOTE: When you emerge from the woods on the Lenape Trail and face the Mayapple Field. turn right to for 50 yards to get to the aid station.
The returning leg, southbound back to Locust Grove, will be marked in yellow and white striped ribbon (dashed yellow on the map, markers 49-65). Markers 50 and 51 indicate that the route follows the east side of the Mayapple Loop Trail. (Note: We are modifying the route slightly in 2025 so that between points 58 and 59 runners follow the upper part of what is called the Elmdale Lollipop. This decreases the chance of making a wrong turn on the West Connector.) This return section is approximately 5.1 miles long and crosses a busy intersection with South Orange Avenue and Brookside Drive (you run along the side of the road for only 15 yards before starting uphill...but be careful. It returns to the race start/finish area at Locust Grove where there is an aid station.
5-Mile Race
This counter-clockwise route, which was first offered in 2024, is generally independent of the other loops although it overlaps for its last mile with the West Loop. It is marked on the race map with letters, A to L, and has a yellow ribbon marking the route throughout. It starts uphill quickly, going up to the ridge of the First Mountain on mostly woods roads (A to B) following the red-blazed Swampy Trail. It follows the Swampy another 0.7 miles on level ground before turning left, west, (at C), to proceed steeply downhill on Bear Lane into the valley. Turning north (at E), it continues for a quarter mile on River Trail before again turning west (at F) to cross the Rahway River (don't worry, on a bridge!) along the white-green blazed West Connector trail. Following the West Connector with a few turns, it crosses Brookside Drive at H (cars cannot see you when you emerge, SO CAUTION HERE!), and heads briefly uphill across a wide field and into the woods before turning south on the orange-blazed Dogwood Trail. Continuing on mostly flat terrain, it leads to a wide field, Dogwood Hillside, and then back into the woods. Proceeding downhill, the route goes up, briefly, on the blue-white Painter's Point Trail, before making a sharp left (at I) onto the blue-blazed Elmdale Trail. The route continues on the Elmdale for a hilly 3/4 mile (to marker K) before merging with other parts of the West Loop and eventually heading downhill, crossing Brookside Drive again (and cars, again!) at the light. Following the paved sidewalk along Glen Ave., it returns back to the starting point at Locust Grove and its picnic area. Make sure you go through the timing location to register you time.
1-Mile Kids Run
This 1.15 mile route marked with green ribbons starts out on the River Trail going north, coinciding with the East Loop. At the half-way mark, the route turns sharply right uphill onto the Sunset Trail, (this is the second right you will encounter along the route) and after a nearly 100-foot rise, at around the three-quarter mile mark, proceeds downhill along the broad steps of the Quarry Trail back to the Locust Grove parking area.
Trail Marking
A few people go off course each year and we're always trying to improve our trail marking, but we've generally received rave reviews about the clarity of our trail marking and for the last couple of years we have used more distinctly colored ribbons. We have a great group of volunteers who mark the course with ribbon and spray chalk. Just remember, for the East and West Loop, there are two ridges running north/south with a valley in between and going out from Locust Grove, north, follow (for the East and West Loops) the solid ribbons; returning back from the aid stations, follow the striped ribbons. (The 5-Mile race always has a solid yellow color.) On the attached map, north is pointing to the right.
Elevation Profile
Each 20.7-mile circuit of the east and west loops includes around 1,500 feet of ascent and six hills, three on each loop (the course map has marker numbers cited below).
East Loop:
Six-Minute Hill on Sunset Trail which starts about a half mile into the course at marker #4.
Zoo Loop Hill, an extended rise starting from the side of the Orange Reservoir at around mile 4 at marker #15.
Upper Turtle Back HIll, beginning at the bottom of the Girl Scout Trail, and continues on the orange-blazed Turtle Back Trail uphill toward the Longwood Trail. Mile 6.8, marker #27.
West Loop:
Elmdale Hill, an extended rise starting about a half mile into the western loop mile at around mile 11 of the 20.7-mile circuit at marker #39.
Monster starting at around mile 12 at Hawk Hill and continuing onto the West Ridge Trail at marker #41.
Twilight (you'll see stars) starts around mile 18 (the base of an unnamed open field) just south of the intersection of South Orange Ave. and Brookside Dr. at marker #57.
Trail Surface and Terrain
These routes have a little bit of everything: Long stretches of double-wide woods road; meandering single-wide trail; two sections of pavement (on the East Loop) around three-quarters of a mile in total (one crossing over the Orange Reservoir dam, the other partway around the Crest Drive circle at Washington Rock); miles of soft dirt interlaced with ankle twisting rocks. If there is rain leading up to the day of the race or during the race, it will be almost impossible to avoid certain patches of mud. In short, a good combination of level paths, rolling hills, moderate climbs, and a few very steep ascents and descents. The East Loop has a bit more technical running going out from Locust Grove than coming back; the West Loop has a bit more of a climb in elevation.
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