Fire Tower Trail Races

Fire Tower Trail Races take place in Hinckley, Minnesota, on October 3, 2026. Four trail distances are on the schedule, staggered through the morning: the 100K (62 miles) starts at 5:00 AM, the 50K (31 miles) at 7:00 AM, the 35K (about 22 miles) at 8:00 AM and the 11K (about 6.8 miles) at 9:00 AM.

Having every distance from 11K to 100K on the same day means you can find the right step for wherever you are in your running. The 11K is a friendly introduction to trail racing, the 35K sits just under marathon distance and is a good target for runners with a couple of trail half marathons behind them, the 50K is the classic first ultra, and the 100K is for those with a 50-mile finish already done. Minnesota trails in early fall tend to be rolling rather than mountainous, so speed over the distance matters more than climbing ability. Plan a 12-week build for the shorter races and 16 to 20 weeks with back-to-back long runs for the ultras, and pack a headlamp if you are in the 100K.