Indian Lake Trail Run
media release: Welcome back to in-person trail racing this Fall at Indian Lake County Park! Thank you for all your support for our socially-distanced and self-timed run last year, but we can't wait to see you all this October!
Fall for the T.R.A.I.L. Whether you opt for the LONG (~12km) or the SHORT (~7km) course, you're in for a great adventure! Flying downhill from the start you'll experience the beautifully restored sedge meadow in the wetlands surrounding Indian Lake - a kettle lake created in the retreat of the last glaciers.
Rounding the lake you'll trade the grass path in the meadow and prairie for trees and dirt. And hills. Indian Lake County Park marks the extent of the last glaciation, meaning you can expect the steeper slopes associated with the Driftless Region, and we make full use of these slopes for the run!
Part of the route joins the Ice Age Trail National Scenic Trail (which traverses the entire glacial extent across Wisconsin).
As you trek through the forested middle of the course, reflect that Dane County Parks will be purchasing 300 acres south of the current boundary and start dreaming of more hills!
As you work towards the end of the race, take a moment to appreciate the active oak savanna restoration that is underway. Oak savanna used to dominate the landscape here, but is now incredibly rare. Through the work of county staff and Friends of Indian Lake volunteers, restoration of 170-acres of oak savanna is in progress!
Join the Friends of Indian Lake for a celebration of Fall, trail running, community, and public lands! All proceeds support the Friends’ work with Dane County Parks to preserve and enhance Indian Lake County Park.
The T.R.A.I.L. is going Cup-Free! Nothing kills the vibe of running through the forest like coming up on an aid station littered with discarded single-use cups. Sure, our volunteers would clean up afterwards, but in an effort to reduce our impact on the natural areas we love, we are going cup-free!
There will not be paper cups at aid stations or at the start/finish. If you expect needing hydration on-course, you are responsible for bringing your own cup/bottle/bladder. We will have water dispensers at aid stations to top-off.
Going cup-free is a significant step to bringing our event closer to zero-waste and being better stewards of our public lands. Check out this resource for why and how to go cup-free: https://nuunlife.com/blogs/news/byoc-ace-your-next-cupless-race
After Party: Our celebration of Fall, trails, and Indian Lake doesn't end at the finish line! We are looking forward to the return of our post-race party! The Currach Irish Trio will once again be headlining while we enjoy food, beverage, and the raffle.
*Public health recommendations will dictate what exactly our celebration will look like; participant and volunteer safety of course remains our priority!
As always, 100% of the proceeds from the Trail Run At Indian Lake go back to the Friends of Indian Lake to be used for trail maintenance, infrastructure enhancements, and habitat restoration. Thanks for your support!