Iron Furnace Trail Run
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Event overview
The Iron Furnace Trail Runs take place at Lake Hope State Park and Zaleski State Forest in McArthur, Ohio. The 2026 edition is scheduled for April 4, 2026 and includes two distances:
- 13.1 miles
- 5 miles
The event is limited to 250 participants combined for both distances. Registration opens November 1, 2025 and closes April 2, 2026. All entries must be completed online; there is no paper or same-day registration. A waitlist is used if the field fills and entrants are invited in as spots open.
Course, logistics and policies
The half marathon course is listed with a true distance of 13.49 miles, 2,185 feet of elevation gain, about 12.10 miles of singletrack and 1.4 miles of pavement. Aid stations are located at approximately miles 2.93 and 8.05, and there is a 3-hour cutoff at the 8.05 mile aid station. The 5 mile course measures 5.11 miles with 587 feet of elevation gain, about 4 miles of singletrack, and one aid station near mile 3.1.
Starting in 2025 the start/finish moved to the Lake Hope State Park Beach Parking Lot; parking attendants will manage vehicle placement and participants walk up to a half mile to the start. T-shirts are included; registrants must sign up by March 1 to be guaranteed their correct size. Every finisher receives a wooden finisher award. Transfer of entries to another person is not permitted; distance changes are allowed until four days before the event. Refund and rollover percentages vary by how far in advance a request is made. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.