Palos Park Spooky Shuffle
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Palos Park Spooky Shuffle 2026
Palos Park Spooky Shuffle is a trail run and walk held Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Swallow Cliff South Forest Preserve in Palos Park, Illinois. The event offers two distances and follows mostly wide, unpaved gravel trails through the Sag Valley Trail System, featuring ravines and hills that create notable elevation changes for the area.
- 5K out-and-back route that bypasses Horsetail Lake and uses the Brown, Yellow, and Green Trails.
- 10K loop that follows the Yellow and Black Trails to Horsetail Lake, includes steep inclines and declines, and may have loose gravel.
Race materials and sustainability features are noted: participants receive reusable Race Day Cups, and race shirt options include both cotton and poly-blend performance "tech" shirts. Registration must be completed by Friday, October 2 to be guaranteed a specific shirt style/size, a reusable cup, and a finisher medal. Packet pick-up is available at the Palos Park Recreation Center on the day before the race and on race day.
Awards include top overall male and female finishers plus co-ed age group awards in these categories: 18 and under; 19–29; 30–39; 40–49; 50–59; 60 and over. If an age category exceeds 25 participants, separate men's and women's divisions will be added. A sweeper will walk each course after the start to help ensure no participants become lost. The event is presented by the Palos Park Department of Recreation and Parks in partnership with the Forest Preserves of Cook County. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
