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The Lakes TrailFest race photo

The Lakes TrailFest

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USSeptember 202750km · 25km · 10km +1 more events
Land Design North · Public domain
Race date Expected Sep
September 2027
City · Distance
Palmer · 50km · 25km · 10km +1 more events
Entry fee
$100From the 2026 edition
Status
SoonSee how to enter ↗
2027Date September 2027 · expected · Soon
2026Date Sep 26, 2026 · Entry Jan 1, 2026 ~ Sep 19, 2026 · Entry fee $40 · Start 08:00
Official website ↗D-day as of Nov 16, 2026
The Lakes TrailFest race photo
Land Design North · Public domain
About the raceHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About The Lakes TrailFest — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

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

It is a trail race held at Matanuska Lake State Recreation Area.

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.

The Lakes TrailFest runner reviews and race reports

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 enter The Lakes TrailFest — 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.

From the 2026 edition

Ultra

Entry cost $100

until May 2, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

10K

Entry cost $50

until May 2, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

5K

Entry cost $40

until May 2, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Kids Run

Entry cost $20

until Sep 20, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page
About 25K

25K

Entry cost $75

until May 2, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The Lakes TrailFest course map and elevation

Your 50km

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

From the 2026 edition
Runners start · local timeFrom 08:00
EventStartTime limit
Ultra08:008.5h
10K10km09:00—
5K5km09:30—
25km08:305h
START · FINISH

4376 S Glenn Highway, Palmer, AK

Start · Google Maps

The events are Kids Run, 5K, 10K, 25K, and 50K.

The start is at 4376 S Glenn Highway, Palmer, AK, at 8:00 AM local time.

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

From the most recent edition

Finisher T-shirt 2026

Finisher medal 2026

This may change for the next edition.

Hotels578m from the start · ★8.8

Where and when to collect your The Lakes TrailFest 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 2026 edition

Bib pickup

🔴 There is no advance pickup; distribution is available only at the start tent on race day, in 30-minute windows by event.
From 07:00 on race day

Matanuska Lakes State Rec Area

site on race day

Google Maps

Stations & transport near the venue

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

Campground area, Matanuska Lakes State Recreation Area, Palmer, Alaska

All distances (50K/25K/10K/5K/1.5 Mile) start/finish at the campground area. On-site parking; day-use or annual Alaska State Parks pass required.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same campground area, Matanuska Lakes State Recreation Area

Start and finish co-located.

Map

Start shuttle

None — remote/rural state-park venue, private car or rideshare only. Palmer, AK is ~45min-1hr from Anchorage by car.

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.

The race takes place at Mat Lakes State Recreation Area in Alaska's Matanuska-Susitna Valley.

The 50K starts first at 8:00 a.m., followed by staggered starts for the 25K, 10K, 5K, and 1.5-mile Kids Run.

Registration closes at midnight on September 19, 2026, and registration by September 5 is required to guarantee your commemorative T-shirt size.

The race is organized by Blackwolf Endurance.

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

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

PacerTrip connects you to races, stays, flights and tours. You book and pay on each service; when you go through these links we earn a commission.

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 The Lakes TrailFest start line in Palmer

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.

Serene Palmer Home: Walk to Downtown & Riverfront!

Accommodation · 948m · 14-minute walk

10.0/10(6)
View on Booking.com

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Tours and activities around the The Lakes TrailFest in Palmer

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.

Where runners eat in Palmer

Eating well is part of the trip

View all →

A meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.

What to see in Palmer after the race

Seeing Palmer with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Palmer.

Flights, hotels, airport transfers and budget for The Lakes TrailFest

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

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

Runner stories and questions about The Lakes TrailFest

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Ask the runners preparing for this raceWrite a post
CourseBib & expoGetting aroundStay
Palmer runners' room
MORE RACES.

Frequently asked questions about The Lakes TrailFest

FAQ
When was The Lakes TrailFest 2026 held?

It was held on Sat, September 26, 2026. The next race is September 2027.

When does The Lakes TrailFest 2027 take place?

Not officially announced yet.

It's expected in September 2027;

the 2026 race was held on Sat, September 26, 2026.

When does registration for The Lakes TrailFest 2027 open?

Not announced yet. Entries for the 2026 race opened on Thu, January 1, 2026.

How much is the The Lakes TrailFest 2027 entry fee?

Not announced yet. The 2026 race entry fee was about $40.

What distances does The Lakes TrailFest 2027 offer?

10K · 5K · Ultra. (From the 2026 edition)

What time does The Lakes TrailFest 2027 start?

The race starts at 08:00. (From the 2026 edition)

Where does The Lakes TrailFest 2027 start?

4376 S Glenn Highway, Palmer, AK. (From the 2026 edition)

What is the The Lakes TrailFest 2027 course like?

The events are Kids Run, 5K, 10K, 25K, and 50K.

The start is at 4376 S Glenn Highway, Palmer, AK, at 8:00 AM local time.