Downeast Trail Festival
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Downeast Trail Festival
The Downeast Trail Festival is a trail running event held October 9, 2027 in Sullivan, Maine. The start and finish area is at the Charles M. Sumner Learning Campus, with event parking staged at the school.
The festival offers multiple distances:
- 52K
- 17K
- 12K
- 6K
Courses use the Frenchman Bay Conservancy trail networks, including Baker Hill Preserve and Long Ledges Preserve, with sections on the Schoodic Bog Trail, Downeast Sunrise Trail, Schoodic Mountain Trail, and the Schoodic Connector Trail. Terrain includes forested singletrack, granite ledges, vernal pools, rolling trails with short steep climbs, and descents. Several courses feature views toward Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park peaks, Schoodic Mountain, and Donnell Pond Public Reserved Land. The 52K is three repeats of the 17K loop.
The course will be marked with reflective flagging and signs at major intersections. Cell service is minimal on the routes, so participants are advised to review course maps and use GPX files in advance. The event enforces a 12 hour overall course cutoff, and 52K runners must meet the event final-loop cutoff.
Aid and logistics: food and drinks are available at the start/finish only; the race is cupless so participants must provide their own hydration system. The start/finish aid will include electrolyte mix, water, fruit, snacks, and savory options. Spectating is allowed at the start/finish only; pacing and crewing are prohibited.
The festival supports the Frenchman Bay Conservancy through donations and optional participant fundraising. The event includes accessibility and inclusion measures, welcomes adaptive athletes with conditions, offers free entries for Indigenous participants, follows Leave No Trace principles, and provides volunteer and community engagement opportunities. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
