California Gold Rush Trail Run - Fall

California Gold Rush Trail Run - Fall is held in Coloma, California, on October 17, 2026. The kids run opens the morning at 8 a.m., and the half marathon (13.1 miles), 15K, 10K, 5K and 1-mile all start together at 8:30 a.m. Coloma sits in the Sierra foothills along the American River, in the heart of California gold country.

With five adult distances and a children's race on one schedule, this is about as family-friendly as trail racing gets: nobody has to sit out, and the day is over by lunch. Road runners often use an event like this as a first move onto dirt, where the useful adjustment is expecting a slower pace per mile and shortening your stride on the descents. If the half marathon is your target, six to ten weeks of consistent trail long runs is plenty.