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Cave Creek Thriller race video

Cave Creek Thriller

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USOct 17, 202650km
YouTube · Aravaipa Running
Race date in 10 days
Oct 17, 2026 Sat
City · Distance
Cave Creek · 50km
Entry fee
$165Varies by event and entry period
Status
OpenTBD ~ Mon, October 12, 2026See how to enter ↗
Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 7, 2026
About the raceRunner storiesHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About Cave Creek Thriller — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

This is the 15th anniversary of the Cave Creek Thriller. There are four events.

The 50K and 24K are point-to-point course races on the Maricopa Trail finishing at Cave Creek Regional Park,

while the 11K and 5K stay entirely on trails within the park.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Cave Creek Thriller runner reviews and race reports

Stories from those who ran it first.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

Race reports: 1
Dr. Meg DaleyRan in 2019
“For this one, it was the memory of my Dad and making him (and myself) proud.”

Meg Daley ran the Cave Creek Thriller 24km on the anniversary of her father’s death. In difficult moments, imagining him running beside her helped her keep moving. Finishing brought her peace and renewed confidence.

Read the original on Move on the Daley

We translated a short line from each public race report and summarized the experience. Finish times are as stated by the author, and past editions may differ from this year's weather and operations.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Winter Trail Racing in Arizona | 2022 Cave Creek Thriller

Aravaipa Running

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter Cave Creek Thriller — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Cave Creek Thriller course map and elevation

The 50km I'll run

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 06:30
EventStartTime limit
Ultra06:309h30m
5K5km08:008h
Other11km08:157h
Other24km08:008h
not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START

37900 E Cave Creek Pkwy, Cave Creek, AZ 85331

Cave Creek Regional Park

Start · Google Maps
FINISH

37900 E Cave Creek Parkway, Cave Creek, AZ

Finish · Google Maps

The events are the 50K, 24K, 11K, and 5K.

The start is in Cave Creek, AZ, at a local time of 6:30 a.m.

Typical race-season temperature: around 20°C (68°F)
Short sleeves — hydrate for the warmth

Participant benefits

Aid stations

Event T-shirt

Finisher T-shirt

Where and when to collect your Cave Creek Thriller race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Thursday noon-17:00 at Aravaipa Running Warehouse or race day 05:00-08:15 at Cave Creek Regional Park

Cave Creek Regional Park, 37900 E Cave Creek Pkwy, Cave Creek, AZ

Google MapsDirections
Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the start

Rural desert regional park — no public transit.

Start/finish is the Group Picnic Area at Cave Creek Regional Park, Cave Creek, AZ.

From central Phoenix: I-17 north to Carefree Hwy, east to 32nd St, north to the park entrance (~7 miles from highway exit).

Private car required;

$10/vehicle park entry fee (cash recommended).

Getting to the finish

Same venue as start.

More details

No shuttle needed — overflow parking about a quarter mile from start/finish, an easy walk.

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

Packet Pickup (packet pickup) is available at the Aravaipa Running Warehouse in Phoenix from noon to 5 p.m. on Thursday,

two days before the competition, and can also be picked up at Cave Creek Regional Park from 5 to 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, the day of the competition.

If you move to the 50K or 24K starting point, you can receive bib from each start line.

Times are local to Cave Creek. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels near the Cave Creek Thriller start line in

Hotels that make race morning easyHotels to rest in right after the finish

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Distances are straight-line from the finish.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

The start and finish are 1.0km apart.

Private Desert Retreat w Heated Pool Spa • Mountain Views

Accommodation · 4.2km

View on Booking.com

Vacation Home with Heated Pool, Spa & Mountain Views in Phoenix, Arizona

Accommodation · 4.2km

View on Booking.com

Private Desert Retreat w Heated Pool Spa • Mountain Views

Accommodation · 3.4km

View on Booking.com

Vacation Home with Heated Pool, Spa & Mountain Views in Phoenix, Arizona

Accommodation · 3.4km

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

View on map →
View on map →

Time for you, before and after the finish

10 experiences

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Phoenix｜Private Airport Pickup/Drop-off Service at Phoenix Deer Valley Airport

$132

View on Klook
Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Cave Creek with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Distances and ratings for food and sights come from the place provider, and experiences are travel products in Cave Creek.

Total cost and budget for Cave Creek Thriller

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · YesimFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about Cave Creek Thriller

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Cave Creek runners' room

Frequently asked questions about Cave Creek Thriller

FAQ
When does Cave Creek Thriller 2026 take place?

It takes place on Sat, October 17, 2026 in Cave Creek, AZ, United States.

How much is the Cave Creek Thriller 2026 entry fee?

The main event costs $165.

What distances does Cave Creek Thriller 2026 offer?

Ultra.

What time does Cave Creek Thriller 2026 start?

The race starts at 06:30.

Where does Cave Creek Thriller 2026 start?

37900 E Cave Creek Pkwy, Cave Creek, AZ 85331.

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