Black Squirrel Half
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Trail Running in Lory State Park
The Black Squirrel Half Marathon takes place on the trail system of Lory State Park, located northeast of Fort Collins, Colorado. The course follows the outer boundaries of the park, offering views of Horsetooth Reservoir, the Great Plains, and the Rocky Mountains. The event features a registration cap of 400 participants and has a total time allowance of 5.5 hours.
The event offers the following distances:
- 13.5 miles with approximately 2,000 feet of vertical gain and descent.
- 1 mile kids race on gently rolling singletrack terrain.
The main course consists of 12 miles of dirt singletrack and 1 mile of dirt road. While the terrain is generally runnable, some sections are technical. After an initial mile on dirt roads, the route ascends nearly four miles and 1,500 feet to reach an apex of 7,000 feet on the park's west ridge. This is followed by a descent and three and a half miles of gently rolling hardpacked singletrack leading to the finish line.
Participants have access to fully stocked aid stations providing water and sports drinks, with additional snacks available at the mile 8.5 station. Registration includes a gender-specific race T-shirt, a pint glass finisher award, and a post-race pancake breakfast with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. The event is Trail Sisters Approved and provides professional medical coverage throughout the duration of the race. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
