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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41)

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

Des Moines
US

Robert Thall · Public domainPhil Roeder from Des Moines, IA, USA · CC BY 2.0

Race date Oct expected: October 2027
City · Distance: Des Moines · 42.195km · 21.1km · 10km +1 more events
Entry fee: $95From the 2025 edition
Status: SoonSee how to enter ↗

2027Date October 2027 · expected · Soon

2026Date Oct 10, 2026 · Entry ~ Oct 10, 2026 · Entry fee $30 · Start 08:00

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 15, 2026

About the race How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

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

A race for runners and walkers looking for a relaxed, low-pressure event.

It's run with just the right amount of competitive spirit and an easygoing atmosphere.

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.

Stories from runners who've been there.

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

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

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

We haven't found a video for this race yet. We'll add one when we do.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

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.

From the 2025 edition

Marathon

Entry cost $95

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Half

Entry cost $65

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

10K

Entry cost $45

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

5K

Entry cost $30

subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Registration platform RunSignup

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 42.195km

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

From the 2025 edition

Runners start · local timeFrom 08:00

Event	Start
Marathon42.195km	08:00
Half21.0975km	08:00
10K10km	08:00
5K5km	08:00

not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START

2816 Shoreline Road, Des Moines, IA

Start · Google Maps

FINISH

Easter Lake Park

Finish · Google Maps

The events are the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Marathon.

The start is at 2816 Shoreline Road, Des Moines, IA at 8:00 AM local time.

The finish is at Easter Lake Park.

Organizer: US Road Running
Aid stations: Aid stations are available only at the end of each lap and at the finish

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Finisher medal 2026

Water stations 2026

This may change for the next edition.

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

Like finisher medal Madness, this is a recurring series in the Haunted Series.
Following the series’ usual practice, bib is distributed on-site from 30 minutes to 10 minutes before the start, and there is no race-day registration.

Easter Lake Park

Google Maps Directions

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startNo transit station; venue is Easter Lake Park, Des Moines, IA 50320
Getting to the finishSame venue, Easter Lake Park, Des Moines, IA
Transit cardDes Moines is served by DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit), which uses the MyDART app for digital…

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No transit station; venue is Easter Lake Park, Des Moines, IA 50320

Official runsignup page: all distances (5K/10K/half/marathon) start 8:00 AM CDT at Easter Lake Park. Site notes EMS is not stationed on site and water stations are limited to the finish area, so runners should plan accordingly.

No fixed-route bus serves Easter Lake Park; per web search (DART transit info, not from official site), DART offers a demand-responsive 'On Call' service covering the Easter Lake area rather than a scheduled fixed route - would require advance reservation, not a race-day walk-up option.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same venue, Easter Lake Park, Des Moines, IA

Multi-lap format finishing at Easter Lake Park; no separate finish location given.

Map

Start shuttle

No shuttle bus service mentioned on the official page.

Transit card

Des Moines is served by DART (Des Moines Area Regional Transit), which uses the MyDART app for digital passes plus cash and token fareboxes rather than a tap card; tokens run 1.75 dollars each in 10-packs, with day, weekly, and monthly passes sold at DART Central Station and select retail locations.

Source · checked Aug 24, 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.

This US Road Running Series race is held at Easter Lake Park in Des Moines, a repeated-loop course where the 5K covers 1 lap,

the 10K covers 2 laps, the half marathon covers 4 laps, and the full marathon covers 8 laps.

All events share a generous 6-hour time limit, keeping the finishing pressure low.

Bib pickup is available starting 30 minutes before the race on race day.

Iowa sees cool autumn weather in October.

Finisher finisher medal and a best-costume award are offered, making it a race that doubles as a Halloween-themed gathering.

Times are local to Des Moines. 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.

Cozy Rest Motel

Motel · 4.2km

6.9/10(110)

View on Booking.com

Des Moines car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Des Moines Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

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

The start and finish are in the same place
We picked stays around that one spot.

Cozy Rest Motel

Motel · 4.2km

6.9/10(110)

View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Closest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

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

LOCAL TRANSIT2

Des Moines car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings

Des Moines Car Rental (Qeeq)

Compare budget-friendly rental cars with a free-cancellation option (check the price when booking) · Check price and book

View on Qeeq

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

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

Checklist Local eSIM · Trip.com Flight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelp Pace calculator

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

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Des Moines runners' room

FAQ

When was Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2026 held?

It was held on Sat, October 10, 2026. The next race is October 2027.

When does Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in October 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, October 10, 2026.

How much is the Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $30.

What distances does Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2027 offer?

Marathon · Half · 10K · 5K. (From the 2025 edition)

What time does Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2027 start?

The race starts at 08:00. (From the 2025 edition)

Where does Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2027 start?

2816 Shoreline Road, Des Moines, IA. (From the 2025 edition)

What is the Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2027 course like?

The events are the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Marathon.

The start is at 2816 Shoreline Road, Des Moines, IA at 8:00 AM local time.

Where does Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) 2027 finish?

Easter Lake Park. (From the 2025 edition)

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Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41)

About Haunted 5K, 10K, 13.1M & 26.2M at Des Moines, IA (41) — what makes it special

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

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run